Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Torta Helada



This pastry can be found in just about every pastry shop in Peru, I have also seen them in Ecuador. It is quite beautiful to look at and would certainly be the centerpiece of any dessert table.
I kept thinking different and fun birthday cake.
I found someone to show me how to make this cake!
I should add here that baking or pastries I have very little experience with, so you bakers may do this a lot easier than I did
Bear in mind you can change the fruits and the gelatin to match thus the colour.
It is made in two parts the bizcochuela or the cake part and the whippedcream/gelatin part. I find the bizcochuela texture very similar to angel food cake.

Ingredients for bizcochuela
4 extra large eggs
200g harina de mandioca (flour from yucca root)
250g granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 round baking pan 10" buttered

1. Separate eggs
2. Place egg whites in bowl
3. add pinch of salt
4. whip egg whites until soft peaks
5. Slowly beat in sugar into the egg whites
6. add 1 tbsp. anis liquer or a tbsp. of lemon juice
7. Add baking powder to mandioca and mix
8. add the flour to the batter in 2 parts and mix in with wooden spoon
9. pour batter into pan and bake at 350 for about 25 mins.
note - I was told do not open oven door before 15 mins or cake will fall.
10. Remove from oven, invert on cooling rack and let cool completely
11. When done there should a crust around the cake
12. when cooled, with a sharp knife remove the top crust
13. then remove the crust from around the cake in a circular motion leaving the cake intact.
14. again with sharp knife, carefully slice cake into two layers

Ingredients for Topping
75g pkt. of natural gelatin
200g pkt of strawberry gelatin
about 12 strawberries fresh and as perfect as you can find
3 cups hot water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream (here evaporated milk with cream is used)
1 round mold at least 10"x6"
large bowl with hot water too unmold the pastry

1. empty pkt of natural gelatin into 2 tbsp. of cold water
2. in a large bowl pour the 3 cups of water, strawberry gelatin and sugar
3. mix until gelatin and sugar is dissolved
4. add the natural gelatin to the mixture (if gelatin has gelatinized just heat in microwave for a few seconds to melt)
5. Mixture should be cool at least room temp.
6. pour some of the mixture into mold just enough to make about a 1/2" layer
7. wash strawberries, hull and slice lengthwise thinly and uniformly
8. arrange the slices around the edges (or however you like) on the layer of gelatin in the mold
9. again pour a little of the gelatin mixture to thinly cover the strawberry slices
10. Set aside
11. pour whipping cream into mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks
12. add the rest of the gelatin mixture to the whipped cream
13. mix in well
14. pour 1/2 of this mixture over the gelatin in the mold
15. Take the top layer of the bizcochuela and place on top of mixture
16. pour another 1/2 of the mixture left on top of the cake
17. place the last layer on top of the mixture
18. pour the last of mixture on top of the cake and smooth

19. place the mold in the freezer for about 30 mins
20. remove and leave in refrigerator for about 2 to 3 hours.

When thoroughly chilled
1. get a cake platter
2. with a sharp knife loosen the pastry from sides of the mold
3. get the bowl with hot water
4. hold the mold into the hot water just about 1 min. or less to loosen the gelatin from the mold
5. invert the mold over the cake platter and gentle jiggle the mold until the cake pops out. (holding your breath may help that the gelatin comes out perfectly) There will probably be some liquid gelatin flowing out as well wipe up immediately

You may now decorate the top with fresh strawberries sliced in half including tops around the edge or however you like.

Cake is ready to be served.
or keep in refrigerator until ready to serve

Enjoy!





3 comments:

  1. i've been looking for this recipe...you make it sound so simple :)
    thank you...i'll be trying this recipe on sunday for my boyfriend's bday...he's peruvian & told me this is his favorite dessert :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope the torta came out come to think of it is a really good valentine dessert.

    ReplyDelete
  3. How and with what can I write on top of the cake?

    ReplyDelete