SUNRISE CAKE
Grand Marnier Syrup
5 ounces simple syrup combined with 5 ounces Grand MarnierSimple Syrup
1 pound (2 cups) sugar
1 pint (2 cups) waterHeat sugar and water in saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and let boil for 5 minutes. If adding flavoring, do so after the syrup has cooled. It will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, tightly covered.
Grand Marnier Soufflé
8 ounces (1 cup) milk
1/2 ounce (2 envelopes) unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
3 egg yolks, large
5 ounces (2/3 cup) Grand Marnier
3 egg whites, large
1 pint (2 cups) heavy creamDecoration
confectioners' sugar
TO PREPARE THE GRAND MARNIER SOUFFLÉ
Place milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Soak gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes. In the meantime, beat egg yolks with 2 ounces of the sugar until light and thick. Whisk a little of the boiling milk into the egg-sugar mixture and then return entire mixture to saucepan. Do not let it boil again or the egg yolks will become grainy. Whisk constantly over moderate heat, until the mixture thickens and reaches 165 F. on a candy thermometer. Custard should coat a spoon lightly. Pour a little of the hot custard over the gelatin, return this mixture to saucepan, and whisk for a few seconds. Transfer custard to a bowl and, stirring occasionally, let cool to room temperature. Do not allow mixture to set. Stir in Grand Marnier.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks and slowly add remaining 3 ounces sugar. Keep beating until stiff peaks form. Add a little beaten egg white to the cooled custard to loosen the mixture, then fold the custard into the remaining egg whites. In a separate bowl, whip cream until it stands in soft peaks and fold into custard mixture.
TO ASSEMBLE DESSERT
Place the sheet cake on work surface and cut a strip off one side measuring 2 inches wide by 17 inches long. Cut out two 8-inch circles from remaining cake. Set a 9-inch-diameter by 3-inch-high cake ring on a cake board. Line sides of ring with the strip of cake, trimming to fit. Place one cake circle on bottom surface. Using a large pastry brush, saturate with Grand Marnier syrup. Carefully fill your mold (covering cake) with the remaining soufflé mixture until level with top of mold. Place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours.
Heat *salamander* to almost red hot on top of stove. Remove cake from freezer and run a sharp knife around sides of ring. Place cake on a plate and sift confectioners' sugar liberally over the top. Pass the salamander over the surface, almost but not quite touching it, and the sugar will caramelize into thin, brittle sheet of golden sugar. Let cake thaw in refrigerator for 2 hours, and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
The Grand Marnier Soufflé Cake can be held in the refrigerator for up to one day before the sugar topping softens. Serves 8.
SUNRISE CAKE
9X3 inch cake ring or ring from a springform pan Note: When piping ladyfingers, you will need to pipe them close together, in alternate rows of white and chocolate batter on the diagonal. You will have extra batter to make ladyfingers to snack on while cake rests in the freezer.
Note: If you know how to make spun sugar, you may top finished cake with that. Or you can follow recipe for topping of caramelized sugar.
Ladyfingers
4 egg whites, large
2/3 cup of sugar
4 egg yolks, large
7/8 cup scant all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powderPreheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two 17-inch-by-l2-by-r-inch baking sheets with baking parchment. Fit large pastry bag with a plain 1/2 inch round tube.
Place egg whites in bowl of electric mixer and whip until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue to beat until stiff and glossy. Transfer to another bowl. Add yolks to mixer bowl and stir in remaining sugar. Whip until thick and very pale in color and remove bowl from stand.
Sift flour and baking powder together onto a sheet of wax paper. Fold half the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in the flour, and then fold in the remaining egg whites. Transfer mixture to pastry bag and pipe out onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes.
Chocolate Ladyfingers
Proceed as above, but substitute 3/4 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder for the plain flour.
