Dessert — Poppy Seed Custard Torte (a German/Austrian Cake) by dvdlee

[rottiedogs]

Dessert -- Poppy Seed Custard Torte (a German/Austrian Cake)
Submitted by dvdlee on August 27, 2004 at 10:49 am

DESCRIPTION
Dessert -- Poppy Seed Custard Torte (a German/Austrian Cake)

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under cakes

INSTRUCTIONS
This was THE favorite birthday in my family when growing up. My grandmother (who was German) made this cake when my mother was growing up for birthdays. I think (but don't know) it was the cake SHE had for 'special occasions when she grew up) -- and my mom continued the tradition. I suspect its a very old kind of cake -- a delicate white cake with poppy seeds, pastry cream and nuts.

The poppy seeds are both tasty and provide a different texture -- with the rich pastry cream and nuts contrasting and adding richness and another layer of flavor.

This cake was always called a 'torte', even though it didn't have ground nuts in the batter. I suspect it was from the nuts in the filling that made it a 'torte'.

Traditionally, I bet the cake was made with hazelnuts, but we had it with pecans (I suspect because hazelnuts really weren't available in Nashville in the 60s and even if they were they would have cost a fortune.)

2/3 cup of poppy seeds crush (by hand) slightly in a morter/pestle
add
3/4 cup of milk to the poppy seeds. Soak overnight

THE CAKE:
2/3 cup butter (room temp if possible)
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (double acting)
1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)
1/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg whites
Pastry cream
Coarse chopped Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts or pecans) I use pecans (I know its not German, but I like the taste!).

Bring poppy seeds/milk mixture to room temp. (they can be slightly chilled and it will be OK).

Prepare Pans: grease with butter 2 9" round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment or waxed paper (this is critical, since this is a very fragile & tender cake).

Preheat oven to 375F

1. Beat butter until soft. Add sugar gradually and continue to beat until mixture is fluffy.

2. Combine and sift flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the 1/4 cup milk & vanilla to the poppy seed/milk mixture.

4. Add the sifted ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture in 3 parts. Add some of the poppy seed/milk solution after each addition of dry. (Beating all of the time). So you will do flour, milk, flour, milk, flour, milk.

5. Whip the egg whites until stiff. Take 1/4 of the egg whites and stir into the batter. Gently fold by hand the rest of the whites until just blended.

6. Place batter in pans and bake around 20 minutes. Remove when done and run a knife around the edge of the pans. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto wire rack to cool. Carefully and gently pull off the parchment or waxed paper. (The cake may need to cool a bit more before you can safely remove the paper.)

7. Make a creme patissiere (pastry cream). The recipe I use will be keyed in later. It is delicious, fast & easy -- but it requires 2 people for 1 critical step (one person to hold the pan down and the other person to whip the cream furiously).

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

Trim layers so they are flat (if necessary). Place one layer on your serving dish. Coat the first layer with room temp. pastry cream. Place the nuts on top of the cream. I cannot give an amount since it depends on which nut you use -- it should be thickly covered, but there should only be one layer of nuts. Gently place the 2nd layer on top of the nuts. If you think the top layer might slide a bit, use skewers or toothpicks to secure the top layer. Chill in fridge.

TO SERVE:

1. for a dinner party: Remove cake from the fridge when you serve the entree and let it warm up until it just lightly cold (it should be around the temp of a great white wine.) Just before serving, heavily dust the top of the cake with confectioners sugar.

2. for family. Dust and eat anytime.

Spread the word

      

  

  

[Author]

Posts