Dispatches from the test kitchen: Cranberry Obsession Snow Cake a la Sunset Magazine
(Alt. title: What happens when I see a photo of a gorgeous dessert on a magazine cover.)
No sooner had the December issue of Sunset magazine landed in our mailbox when I declared, "I must bake that cake on the cover."
Cranberry Obsession Snow Cake.
At the time, I had no occasion for such a glam dish. When CityMama asked who could bring dessert to a little Silicon Valley tweet up, I quickly volunteered. I spent most of Sunday in the kitchen, the boys (all three) sauntering in and out of the room, desperate for a taste of a key ingredient: white chocolate.
The photo of cake on the Sunset cover makes it appear that it would be quite difficult to make. On the contrary, it's easy to make. It just requires patience along with a couple pounds of butter and a dozen egg whites. (My arteries pumped furiously as I read the ingredients list.)
The recipe is broken up into three parts. First, the cake. Seven egg whites, eight ounces of unsalted butter, flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. One tip: Beat the crap out of the butter and sugar to ensure the batter is nice and fluffy. About three minutes should do the trick.
Also? Don't pay attention to amount of butter you will be using. Just don't.
Next up? Make the the cranberry filling while the cake bakes. Super easy with a mix of water, sugar and loads of fresh cranberries, which pop and crackle while the cook. The only twist is the addition of a cranberry or cherry preserves for more sweetness. (We chose cherry.) Total time: 10 minutes.
The most difficult and time consuming part of this recipe is the buttercream frosting. You have to whisk five egg whites in the mixer and then quickly put them over hot water on the stove to heat them...now whisking continuously on your own. It takes about five minutes and you'll be so thrilled if you can stand that long. The rest of the time, you're whisking the egg whites in your mixer, first at high speed for about 10 minutes until it reaches a certain volume, and then at low speed while you add the butter.
Again, don't think about the butter.
Last step...add the melted white chocolate and whisk the frosting for another 10 minutes. It's an interesting process to watch. I've never made buttercream frosting before, so I was amazed to see how it went from a consistency of merengue to grainy to full-on thick and fluffy frosting.
After all the layering and frosting and shaving of white chocolate...the end product. It doesn't look as clean as this version, but it still looks elegant (and it tastes good, too, but I have to admit I should have probably added more filling).The white chocolate flavoring is subtle, not overpowering. For a little decorative flare, you serve it with a few spoonfuls of leftover cranberry filling.
All told, it took about two and a half hours to make, with lots of waiting time in between.
I'd definitely make it again and would love to try it with different fillings. But for now, I'm feeling the need to channel my abuelita and make something for Christmas that will remind my family of our Salvadoran roots. We shall see.
In the meantime, don't be scared to try making this Cranberry Obsession Snow Cake. Follow the instructions to the letter and you'll be fine (and you'll knock the socks off your guests). Also, you can make the filling and cake layers in advance.
