Diplomat Cake
Preparation info
Difficulty
Medium
Yield:
2
cakes, 10 inches in diameter
Appears in
The Professional Pastry Chef
By Bo Friberg
Published 1989
The light, fresh taste of this traditional Swedish cake is always welcome, and its colorful appearance makes a great addition to a buffet table. I make Diplomat wedding cakes by piping the macaroon paste into four hearts on the top of each cake, with the points of the hearts meeting in the center. After the cakes are baked, the hearts are filled with fresh raspberries, which are very colorful. The French version of Diplomat cake, GĆ¢teau Senator, is basically made the same way except that there, raspberry and apricot jams are piped within the macaroon paste rings before the cake is baked. The variation is also very pretty but is much sweeter than the Diplomat cakeās fresh fruit topping. Truthfully, I do not know which cake is the original and which the variation.
Ingredients
2 2 Ā¾ cup 180 ml 6 ounces 170 g 2 pounds 7 ounces 1 kg 110 g 6 ounces 170 g 1 pound 455 g - Almond paste as needed (see Step 4)
- Fresh fruit
- Apricot Glaze or Pectin Glaze
Method
- Slice the sponge cakes level, then into 3 layers each (see Figure 11-6).
- Brush the 2 bottom layers lightly with cake syrup. Divide the jam between the layers and spread it out evenly. Place the middle layers on the jam and brush them with cake syrup. Spread a Ā¼-inch (6-mm) layer of pastry cream on the middle layers. Place the top layers on the pastry cream and brush them with cake syrup. Spread another layer of pastry cream,ā inch (3 mm) thick, on the top and sides of the cakes. Cover the sides of the cakes with crushed almonds (Figure 11-12).
Place the cakes on a sheet pan lined with baking paper. Mark the cakes into pieces of the desired size for serving (this design does not look good with more than
14 pieces - Place the macaroon paste in a pastry bag with a No. 3 (6-mm) plain tip. The macaroon paste should be firm enough that it will not run when it is baked. Add a bit of almond paste if necessary; it should be somewhat difficult to pipe out. Pipe a flower design on the top of each cake, just inside the marks for the individual pieces, forming 1 petal on each slice (Figure 11-13).
Bake the cakes at or until the macaroon paste is light brown and the sliced almonds are toasted. Let the cakes cool completely.425Ā°F(219Ā°C) , double-panned, for about10 minutes Decorate the cakes with 2 or 3 kinds of fruit on each slice, using the macaroon paste as a frame. Use small, soft fruits that can be cut into thin slices, such as kiwi, strawberries, plums, and apricots (see āDecorating with Fruitā). Make the same design on each slice to create a uniform and elegant look. Brush apricot or pectin glaze over the fruit and the baked macaroon paste. Cut the cakes, following the marks between each flower petal.
Ā© 1989 All rights reserved. Published by Wiley.