I doubled the recipe, making a round, simply decorated cake, and a log, for Marianna and Leonida Allamani’s 16th birthday.  

See the BASIC RECIPE to make the cake and the chocolate Glaze.

2 cups homemade or store-bought sour cherry or cherry preserves

About 1/2 cup or more, Cherry Brandy or Grand Marnier liqueur

500 grams (about 1 pound) double cream, whipped with 1/3 cup icing sugar

1 cup mascarpone

About 1 cup shelled raw pistachios

A few Maraschino cherries

After baking it, let the cake cool for 20-30 minutes, then carefully cut in half horizontally with a large knife. Place each half on a cutting board lined with parchment paper, cut-side up.

In a small sieve drain the preserves over a bowl to collect the syrup.

Mix the syrup with the liqueur, using more or less, according to your taste.  With this mixture douse generously the cake pieces, making sure you pour syrup all over the surfaces.

Toss the whipped cream with the mascarpone, and spread generously with this mixture both the bottom part of round cake and the log, scattering the cherries over the cream. 

Very carefully place the second part of the cake over the cream and cherries, and with a spoon pour the glaze over the cakes.

Let the glaze cool for 10-15 minutes, then decorate the top with pistachios and maraschino cherries. Let cool and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight, before cutting to serve. 

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The glaze is based on  Smitten Kitchen’s  vegan olive-oil chocolate cake, but I prefer to use honey instead of corn syrup. I love to top the cake with crystalized ginger, but you can use candied orange slices if you prefer. 

Serve with cream and fresh strawberries or sliced oranges, preferably the spectacular-looking blood oranges, if you can get them. 

For a 9-inch cake

6 tablespoons good-quality unsweetened cocoa (50 grams)

½ cup boiling water, or coffee

2/3 – 1 cup superfine sugar (depending how sweet you like it)

4 medium eggs (or 3 large) 

2/3 cup regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)

2 teaspoons best vanilla extract

1 ½ cups finely ground almonds (preferably non-skinned)

1/2 cup  all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch of salt

3-4 tablespoons Drambuie Liqueur, or Grand Marnier (optional) 

1/2- 2/3 cup crystalized ginger 

GLAZE: 

135 grams semisweet chocolate chips (preferably 65% or more)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup

A pinch of sea salt

Preheat your oven to 170°C (325ºF). Grease a 9-inchpan with a little oil and line it with parchment paper.

Measure and sift the unsweetened cocoa into a bowl or jug and whisk in the boiling water or coffee until you have a smooth paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract and set aside to cool.

In another bowl, combine the ground almonds, the flour, the baking powder, and the salt.

Put the sugar and eggs into the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and beat  for about 3-5 minutes until you have a light yellow cream. 

Turn the speed down a little and pour in the olive oil and the cocoa mixture, beating as you go, and when all is scraped in, slowly add half of the almond-flour mixture and when incorporated, add the rest.

Scrape down, and stir a little with a spatula, then pour this liquid batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or more, until the sides are set; the very center may look slightly damp. A cake tester should come up mainly clean, with just a few crumbs clinging to it.

Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then ease invert the cake on a plate or cake stand and sprinkle liberally with the liqueur, if using. 

MAKE THE GLAZE: Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, olive oil, honey, and salt in a medium bowl set over a saucepan with 2-inches simmering water, or microwave in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring after 15 seconds, until just melted. Whisk until smooth. Pour over the completely cooled cake, and use spatula to gently nudge it down the sides. Sprinkle with the crystalized ginger. 

“Leave to cool completely or eat while still warm with some ice cream, as a pudding, suggests Nigella!

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For the first –our Easter cake– I used the sweet brioche instead of any other base to make a fresh strawberry treat. The other half of the dough I flattened, sprinkled with chopped semi-sweet chocolate, and ground almonds, then rolled into a loaf, and baked. Had I seen Lior’s Babka I would have cut and twisted the rolled dough to make it more spectacular.

Fresh Strawberry Cake

Serves 6-8

HALF of the Mallorca Buns dough (orange-flavored, sweet brioche-like) preferably prepared the day before, left to rise in the refrigerator, then taken out 2-3 hours before so that it comes to room temperature before proceeding further

1 1/2 pound fresh strawberries –preferably organic rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 tablespoons or more Grand Marnier, or other good-quality citrus-flavored liqueur

400 grams heavy cream, VERY cold

2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar (to taste)

250 grams mascarpone

Line a 9-inch (23 cm) square or round pan with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 375 F (200 C).

Lay the dough on the lined pan, making sure you press it equally so that it is about the same thickness all over. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile cut the stems and leaves of most strawberries, keeping some of the small, pretty looking ones for decoration.

Bake the brioche for about 20 minutes, in the middle of the oven, or until golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Make a fast strawberry Jam: Quarter half of the fruit and transfer to a small saucepan adding 2/3 cup sugar. Cook in medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until frothy and soft. Let cool in the pan. Transfer 2/3 of the jam to a bowl, and to the rest add 1 cup water and the rest of the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes to make the syrup.

With a large knife cut the brioche horizontally, and douse both pieces with the syrup. Splash with liqueur and let the brioche absorb the liquids and soften.

Beat the cream with 2-3 tablespoons of sugar (depending on how sweet you prefer the cream) and when stiff enough, fold in the mascarpone, using a wire-whisk. Transfer to the refrigerator until needed.

In a bowl quarter the rest of the strawberries, or cut into smaller pieces if too large, add the rest of the sugar, sprinkle with half the liqueur, toss and let in the refrigerator to macerate.

Assemble the cake: Place one piece of the syrup-soaked brioche to a plate and spread the strawberry jam over the surface. Cover with the second piece, and if you like, splash with some more liqueur.

Spread half of the cream-mascarpone over the surface and scatter most of the strawberries over the cream, decorating with the most beautiful ones that you have reserved.

Transfer to the refrigerator for up to 3 hours. Cut and serve, presenting the rest of the cream, and the remaining macerated strawberries on the side.

Chocolate and Almond Loaf

Serves 6-8

HALF of the Mallorca Buns dough (orange-flavored, sweet brioche-like) preferably prepared the day before, left to rise in the refrigerator, then taken out 2-3 hours before so that it is at room temperature before proceeding further

125 grams (4 ounces) bitter-sweet chocolate chopped with a knife

1 cup coarsely ground almonds

Line a cake pan with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 375 F (200 C).

On a lightly floured surface spread the dough with your palms, or with a floured rolling pin, to make a rectangle, roughly about 8X11 inches (20X28 cm).

Sprinkle with the chopped chocolate and the almonds allover the surface and then roll the dough to create a loaf. Press and slightly twist the roll if you like. It is OK if the dough breaks a bit and some of the stuffing spills out.

Let rest for 20-30 minutes, then transfer to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting to serve.

I like it better the next day…

The post With Strawberries & Cream, or with Chocolate & Almonds appeared first on Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades.

I describe here how you can make it into savory or sweets treats.

No need to make them both the same day, though. Just keep half the dough in the fridge to stuff and bake within the next 2-3 days making the sweet or savory version.  

You also can form into loaves or small buns and eat instead of any other bread; it makes wonderful sandwiches.

The cheese-stuffed bread is a lovely accompaniment to soups and vegetable dishes, or served as meze with  drinks. The chocolate bread can be part of breakfast or accompany soft cheese or served with tea, and coffee.

Yields 2 round loaves

1 cup fine semolina or pasta flour

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1  cups whole wheat flour

1 cup ground flax seeds (optional) or an additional 1/2 cup whole wheat flower

1 cup ground sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon instant dry yeast (1 package)

2 teaspoons salt

2/3- 1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 1/2 cup full-fat natural yogurt, preferably sheep’s milk (not thick Greek yogurt)

About 1  cup water (non chlorinated), or more, as needed

CHEESE STUFFING

1 cup crumbled feta

1 1/2 cup grated aged graviera or cheddar

1/2 cup dried whole-wheat breadcrumbs

CHOCOLATE STUFFING

200 grams semi-sweet dark chocolate, chopped

1 cup coarsely ground almonds

Olive oil for the bowl and the plastic wrap

2 tablespoons grape molasses or honey to brush the loaves (optional)

Place flours, ground seeds, yeast, salt and pepper in the bowl of a standing mixer and toss with a spatula. Make a well in the center and add the yogurt. Fit the bowl to the mixer and work with the dough hook on low for 1 minute.

With the motor running add water as needed and work the dough for 5 minutes or more, occasionally stopping to turn over the dough with a large spatula.

The dough should still be somewhat wet and sticky, but should start to come off the sides of the bowl. If too dry, add a little water, if too wet add a few tablespoons all purpose flour.

Lightly oil a large transparent or semi-transparent bowl, as well as a piece of plastic wrap. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball.  Transfer to the oiled bowl. Cover with the oiled plastic wrap and let rise until double its original volume: about 1 1/2 hour or more.

(When the dough has expanded to about 1 1/2 times its size you may transfer the bowl with the dough to the refrigerator, and leave it overnight and up to 24 hours. It will continue to rise slowly. Before proceeding further, bring to room temperature).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and halve with a dough scraper.

For the cheese-stuffed bread: On the floured counter flatten one piece of dough with your palms, sprinkling with a little flour, then use a floured rolling pin to create a rectangle roughly 40 cm (16 inches) by 30 cm (11 1/2 inches).  Spread the cheeses all over the flattened dough, and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Press with your palms the stuffing and then roll the dough carefully, like a cigar to enclose the stuffing. Shape into a crown and transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. With scissors cut slits half-way into the bread and brush with the molasses, if you like.

For the chocolate-almond bread: On the floured counter flatten the second piece of dough with your palms, sprinkling with a little flour, then use a floured rolling pin to create a rectangle roughly 40 cm (16 inches) by 30 cm (11 1/2 inches).  Spread the chocolate and almonds all over the flattened dough. Press with your palms the stuffing and then roll the dough carefully, like a cigar, to enclose the stuffing. Shape into a crown and transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.

Cover with oiled plastic wraps and let the loaves rise for another 30 minutes –they won’t rise much.

Preheat the oven to 450°F (220 C)

Brush the breads with molasses or honey diluted in 2 teaspoons water, if you like.

Bake for 5 minutes, sprinkling the inside of the oven with water twice, then reduce the heat to 375 F (200 C) and continue baking the breads for 35 minutes or more, until golden brown an hollow-sounding when tapped at the bottom.

A meat thermometer inserted in the center should reach 205 F. When done, transfer to a rack to cool completely before you  slice to serve.

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