White Chocolate Christmas Cake

[geecee]

This is more baking than cooking.

TRY THIS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS
WHITE CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS CAKE

The recipe is from a book Microwave Baking by Linda Fraser published 1989 by Macdonald & Co (Publishers) Ltd
Greater London House, Hampstead Road, LONDON NW1 7QX - ISBN 0-356-17165-5

The author used white chocolate couverture, but Swiss chocolate or white chocolate bars will do just as well

INGREDIENTS:
175g or 6oz butter
175g or 6oz caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150g or 5oz white chocolate
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 tbsp hot water
200g or 7oz self-raising flour, sifted
2 quantities White Chocolate Ganache (see below)
20 White Chocolate Holly Leaves (see below)
icing sugar, to dust

METHOD:

1. Grease and base-line a deep 23cm (9in) ring dish.
2. Put the butter in a mixing bowl and cook on HIGH for 25 seconds to soften. Add the sugar and beat until light and
   fluffy. Beat in the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Break the chocolate into a small bowl and cook on MEDIUM for 3½-4 minutes to melt, stirring once. Stir in the
   creamed mixture with the vanilla essence, hot water and flour.
4. Spoon into the cake dish and smooth the surface. Cook on HIGH for 6½ minutes, or until springy to touch. Leave
   to stand for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool. Split the cake horizontally.
5. Make the chocolate ganache and use one-third to sandwich the cake together. Spread the rest over the top and
   sides, leaving the surface very rough. Arrange the holly leaves and berries on top and dust with icing sugar. Cut into
   16-20 slices.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

INGREDIENTS:
75g or 3oz chocolate
25g or 1oz caster sugar
300ml or ½ pint double cream,whipped

METHOD:

1. Break the chocolate into squares and put in a small bowl. Cook on MEDIUM for 4-5 minutes, until melted, stirring once.
2. Stir in 3 tbsp water and the sugar and cook on MEDIUM for 3 minutes, or until thickened, stirring once. Leave to cool,
   stirring occasionally.
3. Fold in the cream. Use at once. Makes about 425ml or ¾ pint, sufficient to fill and top a 20cm (8in) cake.

HOLLY LEAVES

1. Pick fresh undamaged leaves and wash and dry thoroughly. Brush the veined underside with a thin layer of melted
   chocolate and leave to set, chocolate side up, on foil or waxed paper.
2. Brush with a second coat of chocolate and leave to set again. When firm, carefully peel off the leaves.

and ENJOY

[Rudi]

Gosh, reading through this recipe reminds me of a chocolate cake we get at a coffee shop near me called: "Death By Chocolate". One slice of this cake and it subdues your chocolate cravings for a week or two....

TX for the recipe. Come closer to Christmas and I might give it a try!

[HansV]

Well well - branching out from puzzles into recipes...
Thanks!

[Rudi]

Maybe there is a puzzle in the recipe!
George, should we wait for a spoiler before we attempt to make this?

[BobH]

Maybe there is a puzzle in the recipe!
George, should we wait for a spoiler before we attempt to make this?

Yep, there is indeed a puzzle in that recipe.

What is the American equivalent of 'caster sugar'? Searching the webworks didn't reveal a definitive answer for me. I did learn that it is the primary sugar used in Australia for baking. Does that make it what we call confectioner's sugar?

[HansV]

No, caster sugar is called superfine sugar in the USA. Unlike confectioner's sugar, it's not a powder but consists of crystals, only smaller ones than ordinary granulated sugar.

[BobH]

Thank you, Hans. I know the term super-fine for describing sugar . . . just never heard the term 'caster.'