Iron Baker challenge: The "modern" Pineapple Upside-down Cake

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Iron Baker challenge: The "modern" Pineapple Upside-down Cake

Kerry Beal tagged me as the first Iron Baker. For those unfamiliar with the thread in the Pastry forum, she issued me a challenge to complete in one week. She wanted me to update that retro classic, the Pineapple Upside Down cake. I made a caramel spice roulade (to mimic the look of a pineapple ring), brown sugar cherry ice-cream (instead of maraschino), some brittle, and some sauteed pineapple wedges as a garnish.

• 1 c cake flour
  
• 2 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon
  
• 1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
  
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  
• 1/4 tsp cloves
  
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
  
• 5 T oil (neutral flavour)
  
• 5 eggs, separated
  
• 1 tsp molasses
  
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
  

** Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Sift flour, spices, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until pale and add the molasses and oil. Add sugar gradually. Beat until volumne triples.

3. In another mixing bowl (and with a clean set of whisk attachments), beat the egg whites until stiff peaks.

4. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites in two batches, taking care not to deflate the whites.

5. Fold the flour mixture in two batches, taking care not to deflate the batter.

6. Spread the batter evenly in a standard jelly roll pan lined with parchment. Bake for 15 minutes or until done.

7. As soon as the cake is out of the oven, flip it onto a tea towel and roll it up to set the shape. Leave it to cool.

Caramel filling, caramel pineapples, and sauteed pineapple

-Prepare your favourite caramel sauce recipe according to directions. I use about 1 cup of sugar with a little water, then when it becomes medium-dark brown, I add 2 cups of cream off the heat. Reduce until thick, and add 1/2 cup of diced butter. Continue to reduce on medium heat until the sauce is quite thick, and add 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of brandy. Let the caramel cool in the fridge until spreadable consistency. (If it gets too hard, just zap it in the microwave for a few seconds.)

-Spread the caramel on the cake, leaving a 1" edge at the end so the caramel doesn't squish out when you roll it. Put the cake in the fridge for about 15 minutes for the caramel to set up.

-Dice some fresh golden pineapple into 1/4" inch pieces. Saute in a pan with some butter, and add a few spoons of caramel to make the sauce that goes underneath the roulade.

-For the sauteed pineapple wedges, slice some pineapple into whatever shape you please. Dredge all sides in sugar, then brown in butter until golden brown. Flavour with a tiny bit of Grand Marnier.

Brown Sugar and cherry ice-cream

I only used 4 yolks in this recipe, though I would use more yolks (probably 6-8) if I were to make this recipe again. It works with 4 yolks (the original recipe actually calls for NO yolks), but I like the consistency when more yolks are added to the base.

Ingredients:

-2 cups heavy cream

-3/4 cup whole milk

-1/2 cup packed brown sugar

-4-8 egg yolks (depending on your preference)

-1 vanilla bean

-1 tbsp brandy

-1 cup of reduced sugar cherry preserves

1. Heat the cream, milk, brown sugar, scraped vanilla bean and pod, and brandy over medium-high heat.

2. Temper hot cream mixture into yolks, then add yolk/cream mixture back to saucepan. Heat on medium heat until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

3. Cool the mixture down until cold. Freeze according to your ice-cream maker's directions.

4. When the ice-cream is almost finished churning, add the cherry preserves during the last minute and stop the machine.

Brittle

-a few tablespoons of sugar

-2 tbsp of water

Heat the sugar and water until it browns. Working quickly, spoon onto a Silpat and drag your spoon over the hot caramel in random directions to create a rough pattern. The brittle will harden in a few minutes. Crack pieces of the brittle off, and use to place ice-cream on top of the cake, and stick a fan into the ice-cream if you wish.

Keywords: Dessert, Cake, Intermediate

( RG1813 )