BAUMKUCHEN
GERMAN TREE CAKE

Yield: 12 to 18 Generous servings

This is one of the most delicious cakes you will ever eat. It is of German origin and associated with the Christmas season.The Baumkuchen is traditionally

baked in bakeries due to it's manufacturing process. Cake batter is poured along a rotating spit in front of a flame. The flame bakes the cake and adds a bit of wafer-like crunch. The baker continues pouring batter and building-up layers. When the cake

INGREDIENTS

You will require a small amount of unsalted butter, flour and a sheet of parchment paper to prepare your pan.

• 5/8 Cup (about 3 ounces) slivered almonds, ground very fine and reserved.
• 2 Cups apricot preserves.
• 13 Ounces Almond paste at room temperature.
• 3/8 Cup half-and-half cream.
• 7 ounces (14 Tbs.) Unsalted butter at room temperature.
• 1 Cup, sifted cake flour.
• 3/4 Cup Cornstarch.
• 2 Tbs. Dark rum or fresh lemon juice.
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla extract.
• 1 Tsp. Grated lemon zest.
• 10 Large eggs separated, at room temperature.
• 1 Cup White granulated sugar.
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt.

PREPARATION

1. Butter bottom and sides of springform pan. Dust with flour; shake-out excess. Line bottom of pan with a double thickness of parchment paper.



2. Press apricot preserves through a medium fine sieve into a small bowl using the back of a large spoon. Discard any skins left in sieve. Reserve.
3. 
   
   
4. Place almond paste in the work bowl of a mixer fitted with a flat paddle.



• Beat-in half-and-half, 1 tbs. at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy and has the consistency of mashed potatoes. About 4 minutes. Reserve.



5. Place butter in mixer work bowl fitted with a flat paddle. Beat until light in color, about 2 minutes.



• Fold-in flour, cornstarch, rum, vanilla and lemon zest with rubber spatula until completely blended.



• Gradually fold-in almond paste/cream mixture. Reserve the batter.



6. Place egg yolks in mixer work bowl and gradually beat-in, at medium speed, 1/2 cup of the sugar until the mixture is light in color and forms a slowly disolving ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes.



• Fold into reserved batter, with a rubber spatula, until completely blended. Reserve.



7. Adjust broiler rack to accommodate the prepared pan. Top of pan should be about 1" under broiler. Set pan aside and heat broiler.



8. Place egg whites and salt in a clean mixer work bowl. Beat on low speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat-in remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Increase speed to medium and beat until whites are stiff, but not dry.



• Fold whites, 1/4 at a time, into reserved batter until completely blended.

BAKE THE TORTE

Now the REAL FUN begins!!!(G)

1. Place a scant 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan; brush or spread to edges of pan with a pastry brush or small flexible spatula. A pastry brush worked great for me.



• Place pan under broiler; broil until batter is very lightly brown and resembles a cooked crepe, about 3 minutes, depending on temperature of broiler and position of broiler rack.



• Remove pan from broiler, brush another scant 1/4 cup of batter over broiled layer; broil as above.



2. Remove pan from broiler. Brush second broiled layer with a thin film of apricot preserves to with-in 1/2" of edge; sprinkle the apricot with about 1 teaspoon of ground almonds.



3. Repeat the layering and broiling process, coating every other layer with preserves and almonds, until all the batter has been used. You should have about 30 layers in the pan.



4. Cool torte, in pan, on wire rack to room temperature; cover and refrigerate over night, in springform pan.



5. Cover and reserve the remaining apricot preserves in the fridge. You should have about 1 cup remaining.



• Reserve the remaining ground almonds for decorating the torte. You should have about 5 tablespoons.

FINAL PREPARATION

1. Remove torte from fridge and remove the side part of the springform pan.



• Invert torte on a flat plate; remove springform bottom and peel-off parchment. Place wire rack over torte and invert again. The top of the torte should be staring up at you now.



2. Heat remaining apricot preserves in a small heavy sauce pan, over medium low heat, until a candy thermometer registers about 225° F. or about 10 minutes.



• Using a flat metal spatula or a pastry brush (I prefer to use the brush), immediately spread preserves evenly over top and sides of torte. Let stand until preserves are cooled and set, about 30 minutes.

MAKE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbs. Unsalted butter.
• 1 1/2 Tbs. Dark rum.
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. light corn syrup.
• 1 Pinch salt.
• 3 Ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped.

PREPARE GLAZE

1. Place butter, rum, corn syrup and salt in a small, heavy sauce pan, over low heat, until butter is melted. Increase heat to medium and boil mixture, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir-in chocolate until completely melted.



• Cool at room temperature until mixture coats a spoon, about 5 minutes. USE AT ONCE.

GLAZE AND DECORATE TORTE

1. Pour slightly cooled glaze over top of torte. Using a flat metal spatula, quickly spread glaze as evenly as possible over top and sides of torte; completely covering apricot glaze. Let torte rest until glaze is almost set, about 15 minutes.



• Decorate torte with remaining ground almonds, as shown in picture.



2. Carefully transfer torte to serving plate with a large spatula or pancake turner.

SERVING NOTE: This dessert is very rich and filling, so a little goes a long way. Serve thin slices as a dessert, more generous portions with afternoon tea.