Russian culinary art is an ancient art. Not many people know that the Honey cake (aka Ryzhik) has its roots in the past. Cake "Ginger" with custard, the recipe of which was passed from cook to cook, was supplemented and changed many times. Each housewife cooks it in his own way, experimenting with decoration and filling. There are also some features and nuances that chefs sometimes share so that the taste of the cakes is more intense and interesting.
Cake Origin History
It all started with the most ancient era of kings. The wife of Alexander I could not stand the taste and smell of honey. In the kingdom, a ban was even created on the use of this product, because the woman was very angry at the sensation of the aroma of honey. However, when a young and talented cook began to serve at the court, who wanted to surprise everyone with his sweets, he did not know this feature of the queen. The cook prepared a cake "Ginger" with custard, the recipe of which he learned from his grandfather. The king’s wife liked this delicacy so much that she ordered it to be prepared for all holidays. Since then, this dessert began to appear on the tables of citizens.
Cake "Ginger" with custard: a classic recipe
Making such a cake "from childhood" is sure to make you plunge into the memories of youth. The aroma of this delicacy spreads throughout the house, so everyone is in a hurry to look into the kitchen.
For the "Ginger" cake, the ingredients are two eggs, half a glass of sugar, two tablespoons of natural honey, 3 glasses of flour, 100 grams of butter, a teaspoon of soda and a pinch of salt. All these ingredients are needed for baking cakes.
To impregnate the layers, custard is needed. However, many are experimenting with options for creams. To prepare the cream, you need to prepare: one egg, 150 grams of sugar, a pack of butter (180-200 grams), 2 cups of flour and 300 ml of milk (fat content from 2.5%).
Cake "Ginger": recipe for dough
Cake preparation begins with baking cakes. To do this, beat eggs and sugar in a deep container. Then honey is added to the mixture and it is still mixed.
It's time to add diced butter. All these components must be put on a minimum fire. The liquid must not boil!
After the mixture becomes homogeneous, soda can be attached to it. Then everything mixes well and combines with flour. Knead the dough well and place it in a plastic wrap. The mass should be in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Cooking cream
While the dough will "rest", it is necessary to prepare an impregnation. The recipe for custard for the cake is the same for almost all chefs. First you need to leave the butter at room temperature until soft. Beat milk with egg and sugar. Then add the flour and mix too. Now the resulting mass must be put on a slow fire for heating. At the same time, it should be constantly stirred until thickened. Now you can add softened butter and remove from heat. The cream is whipped with a mixer to a lush mass. It must be placed in the refrigerator so that it cools.
You can take out the dough from the refrigerator and bake cakes. On parchment paper, we roll out layers no more than 2 mm thick. The shape of the test should be close to the circle. Trim the finished cake in the desired shape only after it cools down. You do not need to throw out the leftovers - they will serve as a decoration.
Cakes cool off quickly if they are thin enough. Impregnate each cake with 2 tablespoons of cream. Many housewives believe that in this case there will not be much cream, so you can cook it more. Some in their recommendations for baking this cake say that the average cake can be smeared not with cream, but with jam (for example, from currant). This will give the cake a little acidity and originality.
You need to decorate the cake with the remaining scraps from the cakes. They need to be crushed to a fine crumb and sprinkle the finished dessert on all sides. In this case, you can show imagination and add bright accents in the form of fresh berries or cookies. However, in its classic form, the cake is beautiful and delicious. Do not forget that the cake "Ginger" with custard, the recipe of which was described above, should stand at least 5-6 hours before use. In this case, the cakes are well soaked in cream and become soft and juicy. Cooking time for the cake itself is about 2 hours.
With chocolate
Many housewives are looking for original baking options for the holidays. At the same time, do not forget about your favorite treats. You can just “freshen” them a bit and embellish.
For example, the classic cake "Ginger" with custard, the recipe of which everyone knows, can be prepared with chocolate and cherry syrup. Such a delicacy will be remembered by all guests.
Cakes are baked from the following components: cocoa and honey, 2 tablespoons, two eggs, butter (50 grams), half a glass of sugar, baking soda (1.5 teaspoons) and a few glasses of flour (about 400 grams). If it is necessary to bake a larger cake, then all the components must be recalculated proportionally.
The cream is prepared from condensed milk (one can or 380-400 ml), a pack of butter (200 grams) and vanillin (one bag). To impregnate the layers, you need cherry syrup or the liquid part of the same jam. To decorate the cake you need a bar of milk chocolate and a handful of almonds.
Cake baking
The dough for the honey cake should be tight, but at the same time supple. First, mix the eggs and sugar in the container. In a water bath, melt the butter and honey. This mass should not be too hot. Combine eggs and sugar, mix well. Next, add soda and cocoa. The flour slowly interferes in the resulting mass. The resulting dough should cool. You can put it in cling film and let it “rest” in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes.
Baking cakes is carried out in a preheated oven to 200 degrees. The dough must be rolled out in thin layers of 2 mm. The diameter of the cake should be several centimeters larger than the shape itself.
After all the cakes have been baked, they must be cut in shape, and the crumbs should be left for decoration. Allow to cool.
Cream and decoration
In order for the cake to be delicate and tasty, the cream should be slightly liquid in consistency. For this, a sweet vanilla cream made from condensed milk and butter is ideal, which must be whipped in a blender until smooth. The oil should be at room temperature.
Each cake is coated with a thin layer of cherry syrup, only after that it is covered with a condensed oil cream. Some housewives smear cakes with syrup through one. In this case, a very tasty cake is also obtained.
The sides of the cake must also be greased with cream and sprinkled with crumbs from the remnants of the cakes (it is crushed beforehand in a blender). The most interesting part is the decoration. A bar of milk chocolate must be melted in a water bath. Almonds are laid on top of the cake, and everything is filled with chocolate.
This dessert is a masterpiece of culinary art, which is prepared in 1.5-2 hours. It should be noted that cakes are soaked in this cake faster than in its other interpretations. Therefore, after 2-3 hours you can serve it for tea.
In the pan
Many housewives are looking for recipes on how to bake a honey cake in a pan. This option is not only suitable for those who do not have an oven, but also for those who save time. Cake "Ginger" in a pan with custard or sour cream can be cooked in 30-40 minutes.
To soak such a dessert is best with sour cream. So it will be softer and more tender.
To make cakes, you will need 3 cups of flour, a glass of sugar (less possible), honey (3-4 tablespoons), soda (1.5 teaspoons) and two eggs. And the cream will be from whipped sour cream of high fat content (500 grams) and a glass of sugar (as much as possible).
A delicious cake is not always prepared for a long and exhausting. The cooking time for this dessert will not take more than an hour. The main work is baking cakes.
In order to make the dough, you need to mix all the ingredients and knead the resulting mass well. Roll cakes must be very thin (no more than 2 mm in thickness). Bake in a pan over low heat on both sides. You need to turn the cakes over carefully - they can break. During cooking, you can make several holes with a fork, so that later the cakes are better saturated.
The dough is baked for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Then the cakes are cut to the desired shape and soaked in sour cream with sugar. It is not necessary to wait for the cakes to cool completely. When warm, they are impregnated much faster and better.
Cake is decorated with crumbs from cakes. You can also show imagination and add berries or fruits to the top of the cake.
After the dessert is ready, it must be put in the refrigerator for several hours. Then you can enjoy the treat and treat guests.
Conclusion
Cake "Ginger" with custard, the recipe of which your household liked, can be stored and passed on from generation to generation. It will become a good family tradition. Many housewives bring their zest to any baking, but the basis of the cakes remains unchanged.
Cake "Ginger", the cooking time and recipe of which were described above - a favorite dessert of children and adults. This is an unforgettable taste of childhood, which evokes memories and good emotions.