Ingredients
- 2 (7-ounce / 200 g) packages almond paste (see note)
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 6 cup eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon black currant purée (see below)
- 1 tablespoon dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 (7-ounce / 200 g) packages almond paste (see note)
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 6 cup eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon black currant purée (see below)
- 1 tablespoon dutch-process cocoa powder
- 8 ounce (225 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (i use callebaut 60/40)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 (7-ounce / 200 g) packages almond paste (see note)
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 6 cup eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon black currant purée (see below)
- 1 tablespoon dutch-process cocoa powder
- 8 ounce (225 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (i use callebaut 60/40)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 4 cup courants
- 1/4 cup sugar, more to taste
- 2 (7-ounce / 200 g) packages almond paste (see note)
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 6 cup eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon black currant purée (see below)
- 1 tablespoon dutch-process cocoa powder
- 8 ounce (225 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (i use callebaut 60/40)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 4 cup courants
- 1/4 cup sugar, more to taste
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (7-ounce / 200 g) packages almond paste (see note)
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 6 cup eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon black currant purée (see below)
- 1 tablespoon dutch-process cocoa powder
- 8 ounce (225 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (i use callebaut 60/40)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 4 cup courants
- 1/4 cup sugar, more to taste
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (15-ounce / 430-g) jar seedless currant (or raspberry) preserves
- 2 (7-ounce / 200-g) packages almond paste, rolled into a thin sheet about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick (approximately the size of the finished stacked layers)
- 1/2 batch chocolate glaze (see below), warm
Preparation
Baking Directions:
For purée:Place your berries (4 cups / 760 g small berries) or other fruit in a saucepan with 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, or to taste.
(Berries such as currants and gooseberries are tart and may require more sweetness — do a taste test.)
Simmer the fruit over low heat until the sugar has melted.
Allow the mixture to cool.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the fruit mixture until smooth (you can use a blender or an immersion blender for this process as well).
Strain the purée through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds, and voilà! Purée! Freeze any extra purée in a zip-top bag.
Purées are lovely in mousses, as sauces to accompany plated desserts, and as toppings for sundaes! You can also buy fantastic premade purées in an array of flavors from ordinary (raspberry) to exotic (passion fruit).
My favorite brands are Boiron and L’Epicerie.
Check the internet for availability.
For the glaze:Place the chocolate in a large metal bowl.
In a large saucepan, combine the cream, butter and vanilla bean paste and simmer over low heat until the butter has completely melted.
Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate, making sure the chocolate is completely covered.
Allow to sit undisturbed for a few minutes, then whisk until the mixture has emulsified.
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (165 degrees C).
Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick baking spray.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the almond paste, butter, honey and granulated sugar and beat until smooth.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and white pepper and mix to incorporate.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.
Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just incorporated.
Divide the batter evenly among three bowls.
Leave the first bowl plain; mix the black currant purée into the second bowl; and mix the cocoa powder into the third bowl.
Transfer the batters onto the prepared pan in three sections, spreading them evenly so that each batter takes up one-third of the pan.
(If you want it to be neater, you can pipe each batter from a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip.)
The batters will touch while baking but we'll trim those edges.
Your objective is to have three individual blocks of cake: one plain, one currant and one cocoa.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cake springs back when you touch it and begins to slightly brown.
Allow to cool completely.
Tips:
Note: Packaged almond paste is often dry; I know it is against store policy, but I surreptitiously squeeze the box to make sure the stuff is fresh and malleable before I buy it.