Chopped cake is a very popular dessert. It has been prepared in different countries for quite some time. According to old cookbooks, the history of the recipe goes back centuries.
Today, under this name come across different recipes. But they certainly share common features.
Old recipe: why is the cake "chopped"?
The answer to this question must be sought in the sources. The cookbook "Exemplary Kitchen", published in 1892, explains that in those days there were several popular recipes for the dough: puff, yeast, chopped and others. Chopped dough was used not only for making cakes, but also for other types of baking. It owes its name to manufacturing technology. Butter chopped finely with a knife, mixing with flour. Today, chopped cake is prepared using the same technology.
Essential Ingredients
For the preparation of the cake using different ingredients. All of them are available, they can be easily found in any store. Chopped cake, the recipe for which came from ancient times, is prepared from this set of ingredients:
- butter - 10 tbsp. l .;
- flour - 400 g;
- water - 5 tbsp. l .;
- egg - 1 pc.
Cooking process
Oil can be cut with an ordinary knife or a special cut. This can be done on a wide wooden board or in a vessel with a low side. Chop and chop the butter until the crumbs are as small as cereals. Mix the flour gradually. When the crumbs pick up all the flour, sweep everything up the hill, make a hole, hammer in the egg. Mash thoroughly again, start adding water. You may need more or less than five spoons, the dough itself will take as much as you need.
Divide the dough into several parts, wrap in a film, put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then take out the pieces one at a time, thinly roll to fit the shape. Bake in a preheated oven. Cakes are baked very quickly! You will need no more than 4-5 minutes to prepare one. Stack cakes in a pile. Before the next step, they should cool completely.
Cream
What cream to use to decorate a chopped cake? The cream recipe can also be borrowed in ancient sources. A classic cream made from whipped condensed milk and butter is perfect for this cake.
To prepare it, pour 1 can of boiled condensed milk into a whipping container, add a pack of butter that has thawed to room temperature. Beat with a mixer until smooth. The cream will turn out thick and fragrant, and when whipped, it will acquire a beautiful golden color.
Mascarpone Cake
Italian mascarpone cheese is ideal for desserts. It is often used for making creams, toppings for cakes, and decorations. The cake chopped with mascarpone goes very well. The recipe for a classic cake can be supplemented with the following cream.
Beat 250 g of mascarpone cheese with a mixer, pouring powdered sugar (100 g total). Add 2 tablespoons of any aromatic liquor and a pinch of vanilla sugar. You can create an accent with a small amount of lemon juice.
This cream is great for intercalating cakes. It holds a good shape, and therefore it can be used for decorative purposes. Using a syringe, pour the cream with mascarpone onto the surface of the cake, creating various elements to your liking.
How to decorate
If you let the cake soak in the cream even during the day, the taste of the cake will surprise you. They will not get wet and soft, will remain crispy. This is one of the main features of this dessert.
The cake holds its shape perfectly. It can be decorated not only with cream, but also with pieces of fruit, grated chocolate, sweets. Its smooth surface can be filled with chocolate icing. Cook the icing in advance, even before you prepare the chopped cake at home. A recipe with milk is perfect for this dessert:
- milk - 3 tbsp. l .;
- butter - 50 g;
- cocoa - 5 tbsp. l .;
- sugar - 3 tbsp. l .;
- vanilla to taste.
Boil the milk, melt the butter in it. Add all the loose ingredients and let them dissolve. Boil the icing over low heat until it becomes smooth and uniform. Cool before further use.
So different chopped cakes
Some apply the name "chopped cake" to other desserts, most often to homemade "Napoleon" and the cake "Styopka-Rastrepka."
A slight change in the basic recipe leads to new tastes. If you liked the chopped cake, you can experiment by adding cocoa, aromatic alcohol, cinnamon and other ingredients.