Cipriani Venetian cake
Sitting proud on Venice ’ s Grand Canal with views of the glorious Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute , Harry ’ s Bar has been a food and drink institution for more than 89 years . This is my take on their signature vanilla meringue cake , served at the restaurant . The light sponge and zesty cream makes for an indulgently delightful dessert .
SERVES 6-8 For the sponge 4 eggs 90g caster sugar 125g plain flour , sifted For the crème pâtissière 250ml whole milk 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 3 egg yolks 50g caster sugar
12g plain flour , sifted 12g cornflour , sifted 150g mascarpone 250g double cream For the meringue 4 egg whites ½ tsp cream of tartar 210g caster sugar ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
AS SEEN ON THE
Italian Kitchen
Ruby Bhogal
1 Heat the oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas 4 . Butter three 18cm cake tins and dust with flour to ensure all surfaces are covered . Set aside . 2 For the sponge , tip the eggs and sugar into a stand mixer and , using the whisk attachment , mix on high for 6 mins until the mixture has more than doubled in volume and is light , fluffy and pale in colour . The batter should slowly fall from the whisk in ribbons . 3 Add the flour all in one go , then use a rubber spatula to gently but swiftly fold it in . Make sure the spatula reaches the batter at the base of the bowl – bring it up through the middle to disperse any flour pockets . Once there is no visible flour left , divide evenly between the three tins and bake for 12 mins . Leave the sponges to cool for 5 mins in their tins . The sponges will shrink away from the side of the tin . Once they are cool to touch and the tops are dried , turn out onto a cooling rack . 4 While the cakes are cooling , make the crème pâtissière . Pour the milk and vanilla bean paste into a saucepan and heat gently . Whisk using a balloon whisk until smooth and lighter in colour . Combine the egg yolks , sugar , flour and cornflour in a separate bowl and whisk using a balloon whisk until smooth and lighter in colour . When the vanilla milk is hot , pour some into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture and quickly whisk to avoid scrambling . Pour the egg yolk mixture into the vanilla milk saucepan and mix well , allowing to thicken . When cooked , spread your finished crème pâtissière onto a baking tray in a thin layer , cover and leave to cool . 5 Tip the mascarpone into a separate bowl , then pour in the double cream . Whisk well until you reach smooth , stiff peaks . Give the cooled crème pâtissière a stir ( pass through a sieve if lumpy ), then pour it into the mascarpone mixture . Mix to combine .
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6 Spread a third of the crème pâtissière over the first cooled sponge . Top with a second sponge and spread another third of the crème pâtissière over it . Rest the last sponge on top and use the remaining crème pâtissière to crumb-coat the entire cake . Put into the fridge to set . 7 To make the meringue , whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer until stiff but not dry . Add the cream of tartar , mix lightly , then tip the caster sugar in 1 tbsp at a time , mixing well between each addition to ensure the sugar completely dissolves . Once all the sugar has been added , mix on high for a few minutes until stiff , glossy and smooth . The meringue should hold its shape when finished . 8 Remove the cake from the fridge and generously cover with the meringue . You can go for a smooth or textured surface before gently browning with a blow torch . Chill in the fridge until needed and cut with a hot knife when serving .
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