Potato cake
Description
A classic with an odd name because, with dusted cocoa on top, it looks like a big earthy potato. The cake has nothing to do with potatoes at all. This is my favourite flødeskumskage (cream cake) and the one I used always to choose at the bakery. After I started making them myself, I haven’t eaten a single one from a bakery, as the home-made version is to die for.
Ingredients
For the choux pastry
For the crème patissière
For the topping
Instructions
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Put the butter in a saucepan with 200 ml water and let it melt over a gentle heat. Now increase the heat and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
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Take the saucepan off the heat, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a firm, smooth paste is formed. Beat until it comes away from the edges of the pan and forms a ball, then leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
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Add the eggs to the dough little by little, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Sometimes you don’t need all the egg.
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Put the dough in a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain nozzle.
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Pipe an 8 cm line of choux pastry on a baking tray lined with buttered baking parchment. Follow with a second line parallel to the first, so that they cling together.
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Pipe a third line on top of the other two. Repeat to give eight of these choux buns. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
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Bake for 20-30 minutes; do not open the oven door for the first 10 minutes or the pastry may not rise. The pastries are done when they are golden brown and firm.
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Transfer to a wire rack and, with a sharp knife, pierce holes in the side of each, to let the steam out. Leave to cool.
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Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the tip of the knife. Put the vanilla seeds in a saucepan with the single cream and heat until steaming hot, then immediately remove from the heat.
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Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn flour together in a mixing bowl until the mixture turns pale and fluffy.
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Stir one-third of the hot cream into the egg mixture, then pour the egg mixture into the saucepan.
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Stir over a low heat until it starts to thicken.
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Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. When it is cold, whip the double cream until it forms stiff peaks and fold it in.
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Split each choux bun in half horizontally and place a couple of spoonfuls of cream filling on the bottom half. Place the other half on top, being careful not to press them together.
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Roll out the marzipan and cut it into eight round shapes with an 8 cm cookie cutter. Place the cut-out marzipan on a piece of baking parchment and dust with cocoa powder until they are completely covered.
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Carefully lay one over each cream-filled pastry.
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Place on a serving dish and keep cool until serving time.