Hanseatic merchant cake with gingerbread house

Name: Hanseatic merchant cake with gingerbread house
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 10 h
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 50 g Butter; 5 Eggs (Gr. M); 7-10 Tbsp Salt; 175 g Sugar; 5 TABLESPOONS Sugar; 120 g Flour; 3 TSP Baking Powder; 250 g Whipped cream; 150 g Whipped cream; 250 g Dark chocolate; 5 TABLESPOONS Cognac; 2 sheets Gelatine; 1 can(s) (425 ml each) Apricots; 250 g Mascarpone; 2 TEASPOONS Icing sugar; 2 TABLESPOONS Apricot Jam; 12 Gingerbread houses; baking paper; 1 Egg (Gr. M); 65 g soft butter; 50 g demerara sugar; 80 g dark beet syrup; 175 g Flour; 1 Msp. Baking Powder; 7-10 Tbsp Salt; 1/2 pck. Gingerbread spice; 175 g Icing sugar; 7-10 Tbsp Flour; 7-10 Tbsp Cling film; baking paper

AUTHOR
Pat Ware

DIFFICULTY
very easy

RATING

Deliciously filled with refreshing apricot-mascarpone cream and chocolate cream, nicely edged with gingerbread facades: welcome to the winter wonder town

COOK TIME
180 mins

TOTAL TIME
600 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 12

50 g Butter
5 Eggs (Gr. M)
7-10 Tbsp Salt
175 g Sugar
5 TABLESPOONS Sugar
120 g Flour
3 TSP Baking Powder
250 g Whipped cream
150 g Whipped cream
250 g Dark chocolate
5 TABLESPOONS Cognac
2 sheets Gelatine
1 can(s) (425 ml each) Apricots
250 g Mascarpone
2 TEASPOONS Icing sugar
2 TABLESPOONS Apricot Jam
12 Gingerbread houses
baking paper
1 Egg (Gr. M)
65 g soft butter
50 g demerara sugar
80 g dark beet syrup
175 g Flour
1 Msp. Baking Powder
7-10 Tbsp Salt
1/2 pck. Gingerbread spice
175 g Icing sugar
7-10 Tbsp Flour
7-10 Tbsp Cling film
baking paper
1 Disposable syringe bag

Directions

1
For the base, melt butter and let it cool down a little. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites and 4 tbsp. cold water until stiff, adding 1 pinch of salt and 175 g sugar. Stir in egg yolk. Mix flour and baking powder and fold into the egg cream. Fold in liquid butter. Spread the mixture into a springform pan (26 cm Ø) lined at the bottom with baking paper. Bake in a preheated oven (electric cooker: 175 °C/circulating air: 150 °C/gas: see manufacturer) for 30-35 minutes. Let them cool down.
2
For the chocolate cream, heat 250 g cream in a pot. Divide the chocolate into pieces and melt in the cream. Stir in cognac and let it cool down for about 15 minutes.
3
For the apricot cream, soak the gelatine in cold water. Drain the apricots well and dice finely. Whip 150 g cream until stiff. Mix mascarpone and 5 tbsp. sugar. Squeeze the gelatine well and dissolve. First stir in 1-2 tbsp. cream, then stir into the rest of the cream. Carefully stir in the cream and apricots.
4
Cut the bottom twice horizontally. Close the cake ring around the lower cake base. Spread apricot cream on top. Place the middle cake layer on top and press down. Spread the chocolate cream on top and cover with the top cake layer. Chill the cake for about 4 hours.
5
Dust the cake with icing sugar. Stir the jam until smooth and coat the edge with it. Place the gingerbread houses on top.
6
For the dough, separate the eggs. Chill the egg white for the icing. Cream butter and sugar with the whisk of the mixer. First stir in the egg yolk, then the syrup. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices and stir in gradually. Put the dough wrapped in foil in a cool place for about 1 hour.
7
Roll out the dough in portions on some flour to a thickness of about 4 mm. Cut out a total of approx. 12 little houses (each approx. 6 cm wide and approx. 10 cm high). Place the houses on two baking trays covered with baking paper and brush with water.
8
Bake one after the other in a preheated oven (electric oven: 175 °C/circulating air: 150 °C/gas: see manufacturer) for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool down.
9
For the glaze, mix egg white with icing sugar until smooth and fill into the piping bag. Cut off a small tip and decorate the little houses as you like. Leave to dry.