Hungarian Summer Fruit and Curd Cheese Cake/Ribizlis Túró torta

My favourite cake EVER! No doubt about that and I can eat about 3 slices of these at a go. But actually I am allowed to eat as much as I can, as there is hardly any sugar in it. This cake is perfect at summer time, as it is rather sour and refreshing-typical Hungarian delicacy. 

Hungarian Summer Fruit and Curd Cheese Cake or

Ribizlis Túrótorta

For the sponge
3 eggs
pinch of salt
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
50ml vegetable oil
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of baking powder

For the filling
250g curd cheese
200ml double cream
1 vanilla pod
3 tbsp icing sugar

For the top
350-400g forest fruit or other red berry mix (can be fresh, or frozen, but defrost before using it)
1 Greens Quick Red Jel or any other red cake cover jelly

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 23cm spring form cake tin.

Separate the eggs then with a pinch of salt beat the egg whites until it form stiff peaks. While continuously mixing with an electrical mixer add the egg yolks, then the sugar and the oil(mixing between each addition). 

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and the baking powder in two lots, carefully folding in the mixture.

 If you rush this step you can ruin your whole cake. Two typical mistakes: not folding thoroughly and you will have small lumps of flour in the ready sponge, or you mix it too vigorously and you break up the air bubbles in the mixture(that you created with the mixer) and it won't rise at all in the oven.

Bake for 15-20minutes, or until the inserted wooden skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool then take it out from the pan.

For the filling

Whip the double cream until stiff peaks then add the curd cheese, vanilla seeds and the icing sugar and mix it again. If you prefer the more sweet cake than the sourish refreshing one, add 3 more tablespoon of icing sugar into the mix.

Prepare your cake cover jelly according to the instructions on the packaging- it is all different for each brand so I won't detail here. Only thing is when it is ready leave it to cool, stirring time to time. The consistency we looking for when it starts to set slightly and almost room temperature.

To assemble

Put back your cooled sponge into the cake tin without any lining. If you use baking paper, you will see the creases later on in the cake filling...not nice.

Spoon over the curd cheese filling and slightly press it down with a spoon. We want to achieve a stiff, levelled filling with no gaps on the sides. If you leave some gaps on the sides the jelly will go all the way to the bottom.

Even if your sponge shrink a little and it isn't covering the bottom side to side, fill up the gap with the filling. Arrange the fruits on top and pour your cake cover on top.

Rest the cake in the fridge at least for 3hours preferably over night.

For serving slightly open the spring form, just to release slightly but not fully.

With a knife carefully run around the edges, releasing the curd cheese filling from the tin. Otherwise what could happen that you just open the tin and the curd cheese and the jelly still stuck to the tin, the cake top would crack. 

After that you can fully open your spring from side, release the cake and transfer it to a serving plate.

Fruit Tartlets on Macaroon Base

They are lovely and  yummy tartlets. At the first glance you would think they are ordinary, but because the macaroon base they rather special. The base recipe is by Donna Hay.

Cardamom infused chocolate filled fruit tartlets on macaroon base

For the base
3 egg whites
160g sugar
225g desiccated coconut

For the cream
300ml double cream
1tsp gelatine
180g good quality dark chocolate(at least 55-60% cocoa content)
3 cardamom pods
1vanilla pod 

For the top
Selection of fruits
I used raspberries, banana, kiwi, and mango

Preheat the oven to 140  °C . Combine the egg whites, sugar and coconut to make the macaroon mixture and divide between 8X 8cm well-greased tart tins with removable bases. Press firmly over the base and sides. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the macaroon shells are firm.
Remove from the oven and leave to chill.

In the meantime prepare your cream.
Put the cream in a heavy based pan on medium heat until it boils. Dissolve the gelatine in it. When the gelatine dissolved, take off from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until its melted. 
Add the crushed cardamom seeds and the vanilla seeds.

Leave it to cool and taste it. You can adjust the cardamom amount as some type isn't that strong. When the cream is just about to set, spoon it into the macaroon shells and leave to harden a bit.
When the top layer is slightly hardened you can arrange some fruits of your choice on top.

Place them into the fridge for at least an hour. 15-20minutes before serving take them out of the fridge and rest on the work surface. Remove them from the base and serve.

Summer Fruit Tart

This is an ultimate crowd pleaser. I have already baked many variations of this and every single time delivered great results. The pastry recipe is from Michel Roux so thank him this great pastry:)

Summer Fruit Tart With Creme Patissiere

For the Pate sucree (sweet shortcrust pastry)
125g plain flour 

50g butter, cubed and slightly softened

50g icing sugar, sifted

pinch of salt

1egg, at room temperature

For the creme patissiere

250ml full fat milk

25g cornflower

2vanilla pods

30g sugar

3egg yolks

30g sugar

25g butter

For the topping
150g strawberry
150g blueberry
150g blackberry

For the pastry:Put the flour in a mound on a work surface and make a well. Put in the butter, icing sugar and salt, and mix these ingredients together with you fingertips.Gradually draw the flour into the centre and mix with your fingertips until the dough becomes slightly grainy.

Again make a well and add the egg. Work it into the flour mixture, using your fingertips, until the dough begins to hold together.

When the dough is well amalgamated, knead it a few times with the palm of your hand until smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and rest in the fridge for 1-2 hours before using.

When the dough is rested and ready to use, unwrap and roll out on a lightly floured clean surface to a 2-3 mm thickness, and use to line a lightly greased 23 cm diameter tart tin. Chill for at least 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Prick the pastry base lightly. Bake the pastry case blind for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and cook the case for another 15 minutes on 170 C. Leave to cool completely then remove the case from the tin.

For the creme patissiere: In a heavy saucepan over low heat bring the milk, cornflower, the seeds and pods of vanilla and 30g sugar to the boil while whisking.

Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks with 30g sugar in a bowl. Continue whisking and slowly pour in the hot milk. Transfer back to the pan and whisk until just to the boil, then remove from heat.

Immediately place the whole saucepan into a bowl of iced water and remove the vanilla pods. Wile it chills, cut the butter at room temperature into pieces. Once the sauce has cooled, add the  butter pieces and briskly whisk them into the sauce until it is smooth and glossy. 

When the cream is room temperature fill the pastry case then arrange the cleaned and halved/quartered fruits on top. Put it to the fridge for 1hour, so the creme patissiere can cool down to the right temperature.

Hints and tips:

As I mentioned in other recipes as well, don't limit yourself to the topping mentioned above, I also did the same recipe, just  with rhubarb-raspberry-strawberry topping. You can use fresh rhubarb or the tinned one. If you use fresh rhubarb just boil the 2-3cm long rhubarb pieces in sugary water for 5-8 minutes and then strain the water from it. After that it is ready to use on top of the creme patissiere.