VALENTINE’S SPECIAL
Ones to watch: the 12 NYFW designers you need to know
February 13, 2020
VALENTINE’S WORKOUT
February 13, 2020
Take the ’Love Cake’
Gloria Spittelhas a raspberry of a ‘V-Day’ treat
February is here again, bringing with it all the ‘love’ that’s demonstrated in red with an overkill of chocolate and teddy bears galore – enough to induce nightmares!
Yes, Valentine’s Day is upon us. Is it really that big a deal or simply a convention that’s thrust upon us? Do you begin the month unconcerned about the impending day and then simply get caught up in its whirlwind?
Anyway, if you’re a die-hard Valentine’s Day fan looking for something new, you may like this recipe. You’ll be able to keep within the col-our scheme and sweetness, and still manage to remain novel.
RASPBERRY PUREE
¾ cup : water
½ cup : sugar
2tbsp : cornflour
a pinch of salt
RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM
600g : icing sugar
50ml : whipping cream
2-3tbsp : raspberry puree
¼tsp : rose essence
a pinch of salt
Combine the sugar, coconut milk powder, flour, salt and coconut cream/milk. Over a low heat, allow the mixture to come to a boil while stirring it continuously. Simmer and cook it for two minutes more. Transfer the coconut pudding to a shallow dish and cover it with a plastic wrap, ensuring that it’s is placed directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin forming. Allow it to cool. Beat the butter until it’s light and fluffy. Add a tablespoon of the cooled pudding until all of it is combined. Beat it until the buttercream is well combined and fluffy.
RASPBERRY PUREE
250g : sugar
300g : all-purpose flour
1tsp : baking soda
1tsp : baking powder
¼tsp : salt
5 : eggs
½ cup : buttermilk
3-4tbsp : raspberry puree
½-1tsp : rose essence
Bring the raspberries and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove it from the heat and pass through a sieve to eliminate seeds. Leave it to cool. Make a cornflour slurry using some of the raspberry liquid. Add the sugar and cornflour slurry into the saucepan containing the raspberry puree. Whisk until it’s smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and cook it until thickened while stirring continuously. Leave it to cool completely.
Beat the butter until it’s fluffy, add the icing sugar and continue to beat, until it’s light and fluffy. Add two tablespoons of raspberry puree, whipping cream, rose essence and salt. Whip until it’s combined and fluffy. Taste and adjust it for flavour if necessary.
COCONUT BUTTERCREAM
5tbsp : coconut milk powder
200g : butter or margarine
200g : sugar
50g : flour
a pinch of salt
Sieve the flour with salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set it aside. Prepare the baking trays (three 8-inch round or two 9-inch pans). Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cream the butter and sugar, until it’s light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and whisk them continuously. Once all the eggs are combined, add two tablespoons of the raspberry puree. When it’s combined, fold in the flour mixture while alternating with buttermilk. Add half a teaspoon of rose essence and mix it well. If the raspberry flavour isn’t enough, carefully add another tablespoon or more but ensure that it doesn’t taste tart. Bake for 30 minutes or until it’s done.
Sandwich the layers of raspberry cake with raspberry puree and coconut buttercream, and cover the outside of the cake with raspberry buttercream.
