Sunday 25 November 2012

Mini Pineapple and Curd Cheese Cake

The second dessert I prepared for my dinner guests in my Lakeland straight sided mini cake pan is basically a tiny version of my full sized Hungarian summer fruit and curd cheese cake ,but with a twist. First of all I used a different chocolate sponge and I made the curd cheese layer sweeter to complement the pineapple topping. Also I have to mention it took about 2 times longer.........But the visual results worth it:) As I prepared with the Chocolate Swirl Banana Mousse at the same time, you will see both on the pictures. 

 Mini Pineapple and Curd Cheese Cake 


For the sponge
75 g self-raising flour
1.5 tbsp cocoa powder
85 g butter at room temperature
85 g golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1-2 tbsp milk

Curd Cheese layer
100 ml double cream 
20 g icing sugar
125g curd cheese *More on this at the Tricks and Recommendations
1\2 vanilla pod

Top layer
Fresh Pineapple-(you only need about 1/3 of a pineapple-cubed to small pieces)
1 Greens Quick Orange Jel or any other oragne cake cover jelly

acetate stips
40g chocolate for decoration-optional 


Heat the oven to 180 C and prepare a 23cm cake tin(you can use square one, doesn't matter as we will cut little rounds anyway).

Put all the cake ingredients in a  large bowl. Beat them together with an electric mixer until you have a creamy mixture. Add a little more milk if the mix is too stiff- it should fall easily from a spoon.

Pour the cake mix into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the sponge springs back when pressed. Cool the cake than cut the sponge with a cake leveller to have a nice even layer base for the cake (it should be about 8 mm thick).



I used the little plastic holder of the tin bases to cut the circles and in the end, I managed 9 sponge rounds. More than what I needed, but some back up always handy in case of emergencies and it tastes nice with some jam.



Place the sponge circles into your form and put some acetate strips around the sides of the sponge. On one hand I needed some extra hight for my cakes, and on the other hand it will be easier to lift them out, and when I remove the strips I will have clear, neat layers without curd cheese marks everywhere.

To prepare the curd cheese layer whip the double cream to soft peaks then add the curd cheese, vanilla seeds and the icing sugar and mix it again. 



Divide the mixture between the 6 mould and press it down with your fingers. You have to create a perfectly flat and sealed curd cheese layer, because if you leave a tiny gap on the side your jelly will pour to the bottom and soften your sponge and ruin the cake.



With a kitchen towel clean the acetate strip that "may" have some curd cheese on. It is important in order to have a nice layer of clean jelly. Place on top your chopped pineapple, ideally it will be levelled as well so the jelly can cover the whole surface without pineapple pieces sticking out.


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.



When it is ready leave it to cool, stirring time to time. When it is about room temperature pour on top of the pineapple and place the cakes into the fridge to harden.

To prepare the chocolate decoration just melt the chocolate and with a piping bag create any shape on a non stick baking sheet. I put it into the freezer so it would set in time....and I forget them. After I prepared everything and paced them in front of the guest, my husband asked the whereabouts of the chocolate work.....Sometimes he is useful:)


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