The typical Catalan Easter cake is a cake decorated with chocolate figures and feathers that godparents give to their godchildren on Easter Monday in Catalonia. It can be a cake of any type, although one of the most typical is the yolk caramelized with cream and chocolate filling, that is the famous cake Saint Marc or Massini cake, which is one of the most typical cakes you’ll find in Spanish bakeries.
This year I have a lot of longing for my land, and it is because Easter has fallen very late or simply because I have been out of Catalonia for many years, which has given me to miss this cake. Or maybe is that the same week we are having Easter Monday and St. Jordi, two days of super mega Catalan tradition.
For St Jordi I always get roses, that’s what Marc does, although it’s not the same as walking the streets of Barcelona on that wonderful day, but at least I have a bit of the festivity. But for this cake … that’s more difficult, you’ll tell me where I got to buy one in Munich. But no problem, bakers hands to work and here is my intent. And by the way, as this same week is also St. Marc, then my dear husband is getting a small St. Marc’s gift in advance.
I think I am going a little late publishing it, but you have to forgive me because I’ve been very tired, I’ve had a lot of work lately and I was really looking forward to a few days of holidays to be at home doing nothing. Well, without doing anything I can never be, but at least without having responsibilities and that’s why I left the blog aside for a couple of days. But hey, if you do not have time to do it this year you have the recipe for next year or if you do not do it for the 25th that is St. Marc’s day.
Finally, I’ll whine a little, you know I love it from time to time! hahaha It is just that I do not like the way this cake looks at all. The chicks seem to have suffered a stroke. The feathers are not like the real one you buy in Catalonia, is what I found around here. And the egg is nice but it does not look good either. The cake is too tall, I do not know … I tried to make it modern but I think it is horrible. Yes, it is extermely yummy at least, so I encourage you to try the recipe anyway!
Sweet dreams,
Catalan easter cake: Saint Marc cake
(Ninguna valoración todavía)
Loading...Ingredients
- CAKE LAYERS:
- 6 Eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 150 g Sugar
- 150 g Flour
- SYRUP:
- 50ml Water
- 50g Sugar
- 15ml Aged rum, brandy or Amaretto liqueur (Optional)
- FILLING CHOCOLATE
- 200 ml Whipping cream
- 100g dark chocolate
- 25g Sugar
- CREAM FILLING:
- 300 ml Whipping cream
- 80g icing sugar
- YOLK CREAM:
- 3 Egg yolks
- 150 g of sugar
- 80 g of water
- 15 g Cornstarch
- white sugar (for caramelizing)
- DECOR
- 100g Toasted sliced almonds (to cover the sides)
- Some chocolate figure, chicks and feathers
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar, until they are whitish and have doubled their volume.
Next, beat the whites with the salt until forming hard peaks.
Mix the yolks with the egg whites carefully so they do not fall apart.
Add little by little, sifted flour mixed with gentle movements so that the eggs are not dismantled.
Pour into an ungreased aluminum pan 18 cm in diameter. Bake at 180ºC for about 30 minutes (until the chopstick comes out clean). Allow to cool in the oven with the door ajar so it does not come off when removed.
For the syrup, heat the water and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add a liqueur to your liking. If children are going to eat, you can skip alcohol.
For the egg yolk cream, lightly beat the yolks with the water, sugar and corn flour, and pour the mixture into a saucepan, cooking and stirring constantly until it begins to thicken.
When it has the desired thickness, remove from the fire and spread on a cold surface (table, marble) to avoid rust and take a greenish hue.
When it is cold, pick it up and store it in the fridge until the moment of use.
The chocolate cream is better prepared the day before. In a saucepan, heat the cream with the sugar until it boils. In a bowl, crumble the chocolate into pieces. When the cream boils pour over the chopped chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes.
Then, with the help of a spatula, mix until it is well homogenous.
Let cool in the fridge until the next day. The next day, whip with the help of the electric rods.
Before assembling the cake, whip the cream with the sugar and reserve in the refrigerator until the moment of using it.
To assemble the cake, cut the cake into 3 discs and soak them with the syrup.
Place a cake layer on the base and cover with the truffle everything leveling with the help of a spatula.
Cover with a second cake layer and spread the whipped cream.
Cover the cake with the third cake layer, soak ir with syrup and frost the whole cake with the egg yolk cream (sides included).
Smooth the top with a spatula and sprinkle the top with sugar. With the help of a burner or a blowtorch, burn the sugar you have sprinkled.
Next, hook the toasted rolled almonds all around the cake and decorate to taste with the remaining cream.
Reserve in the fridge until serving time.
No Comments