Angel cake SLICES
TODAY, in the final part of our mouthwatering series from the new Great British Bake Off book, the contestants on this year’s show share some of their home recipes. Whether inspired by childhood memories or a beloved family member, their creations are easy to make and perfect for a scrumptious teatime treat. There’s also a technical challenge from Prue: angel cake slices. On your marks… get set… bake!
This is Prue’s take on the retro English angel cake. The pretty decoration is super-easy: a cocktail stick and stripes of pink icing are all it takes.
HANDS-ON: 1 ¼ hours BAKE: 15 mins MAKES 6
You will need: 2-in-1 parchment and foil cut to a rectangle of 50 x 20cm Traybake l tin 33 x 25cm Sugar thermometer Small l l piping bag fitted with a medium writing nozzle Cocktail stick. l
FOR THE GENOISE
● 60g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
● 4 large eggs at room temperature
● 120g caster sugar
● 120g plain flour, sifted
● ½ tsp vanilla extract
● ½ tsp natural raspberry flavouring l Pink food-colouring gel
● Finely grated zest of 1 small unwaxed lemon
● Yellow food-colouring gel
FOR THE MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
● 100g caster sugar
● 1 large egg white
● 85g unsalted butter, softened
FOR THE FONDANT ICING
● 250g fondant icing sugar
● Pink food-colouring gel
FOR THE GENOISE
foLd the foiled parchment to divide the cake tin into three 20 x 10cm sections with the parchment side facing upwards, and grease with melted butter.
Heat the oven to 190c/fan 170c/ 375f/gas 5. Tip the eggs and sugar in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 43c/109f on the sugar thermometer.
Weigh the mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer and record the weight (to help you divide it later). Whisk the mixture in the mixer until it is thick and mousse-like and leaves a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk out.
Meanwhile, divide the flour evenly between three small bowls. do the same for the butter. Stir the vanilla into one bowl of butter. Stir the raspberry flavouring and a small drop of pink food colouring into the second bowl of butter, and the lemon zest and a small drop of yellow food colouring into the third.
divide the whisked egg mixture into three bowls. Working with one bowl of egg mixture, flour and butter at a time, sift the flour over the egg mixture and fold in. Add the butter and fold in — work quickly to prevent the mixture collapsing.
Repeat with the remaining bowls to give three mixtures — vanilla, raspberry and lemon. Pour each into a section of the cake tin and bake for 12- 15 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed. Cool a little in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
FOR MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
MELT the sugar in 3 tablespoons of water very gently in a pan over a low heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg white to soft peaks in the clean bowl of a stand mixer.
once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat to a rapid boil until the syrup reaches 121c/250f on a sugar thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat.
With the whisk at full speed, slowly pour the hot syrup onto the egg whites in a thin stream. Keep whisking until the meringue is thick and glossy and has cooled to room temperature.
Gradually add the butter, whisking after each addition until the buttercream is smooth and thick. Chill until firm.
TO ASSEMBLE
TRIM the sponges so they are identical in size and height. Spread half the buttercream over the vanilla sponge and top with the raspberry sponge.
Spread the other half of the buttercream over the raspberry sponge and top with the lemon sponge (you might not need all the buttercream).
FOR THE FONDANT ICING
SIfT the icing sugar into a bowl and add 1½-2 tablespoons of water to mix to a stiff, dropping consistency. Spoon one quarter of the icing into a small bowl and colour it pink. Spoon the pink icing into the piping bag fitted with a writing nozzle.
Spread the white fondant icing over the top (not the sides) of the lemon sponge.
Pipe fine lines of icing across the width of the cake, spacing them 1cm apart.
Using a cocktail stick, gently drag the icing lines in opposite directions through the white fondant to feather.
Cut the cake into six even slices and serve.