Pastel de Calabaza (Pumpkin Cake) served with
Helado de Salvia (Sage Ice Cream) and Compota de Calabaza y Cereza (Pumpkin
Cherry Compote)
Elissa Narow adapted by Michael McCabe
Servings: 12
Start to finish: 5 hours
Active Time: 1 hour
Notes:
If you decide to use fresh pumpkin purée for this
cake, be sure you drain it for the full eight hours we recommend in the
procedure.
Cooks' notes:
- To cool
custard quickly after straining, set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold
water and stir until chilled.
- Custard can be chilled up to 24 hours before
making ice cream. • Pumpkin cake and sage ice cream keep, frozen separately, 1
month. Wrap cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw cake (in wrapping) at
room temperature.
- Arrop is available in some Latin markets and
Tienda (888-472-1022).
Cuisine: Spanish
Categories: Baked, Cake,
Condiment/Relish, Custard, Dessert, Ice Cream, Sauce, Simmer
Source: October, 2001 issue
of Gourmet
Copyright: 2008
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Software
...
For sage ice cream
.
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half and half
1/3 cup coarsely
chopped fresh sage
4 (2- by 1/2-inch
strips) lemon zest
9 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea
salt
.
For pumpkin cake
.
2 1/4 cups all-purpose
flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground
cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground
allspice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea
salt
1 3/4 cups packed
light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup safflower oil
1 1/2 cups fresh
pumpkin puree
.
For compote
.
1/2 cup dried tart
cherries
2 tablespoons unsalted
butter
1/2 cup packed light
brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh
lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fine sea
salt
2 pounds fresh pumpkin
(preferably sugar or cheese pumpkin) (2 cups), peeled, seeded, and cut into
1/4-inch dice
.
"accompaniment"
arrop (Spanish candied pumpkin) syrup
"garnish"
confectioner's sugar
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Hardware
...
large heavy saucepan
whisk
large bowl for custard
wooden spoon
instant read
thermometer
fine sieve
bowl
plastic wrap
ice cream maker
airtight container
with cover
13-by 9- by 2-inch
metal baking pan
wax or parchment paper
sifter
large bowl for dry
ingredients
tester
bowl for cherries
large skillet with
cover
3-inch cookie cutter
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Make ice cream:
Bring cream, half-and-half, sage, and zest to a
boil in a large heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Remove from heat and steep,
covered, 10 minutes.
Whisk together yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in
a large bowl. Whisk in half of hot cream, then whisk egg mixture into remaining
cream in saucepan. Cook custard over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a
wooden spoon, until it coats back of spoon and reaches 170°F on thermometer,
about 5 minutes (do not let boil).
Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl and
cool, stirring occasionally. Chill custard, its surface covered with plastic
wrap, until cold, at least 3 hours.
Freeze custard in ice cream maker, then transfer to
an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.
Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan. Line
bottom with wax or parchment paper, then butter paper.
Sift together flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking
soda, and salt. Whisk together brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl, then whisk
in oil and pumpkin purée. Add flour mixture and whisk just until smooth. Pour
batter into baking pan and bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch
and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a
knife around edge and invert onto rack. Peel off paper and cool cake
completely.
Make compote:
Soak cherries in hot water to cover until softened,
about 15 minutes, then drain.
Melt butter in a large skillet over moderate heat.
Add sugars, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt, then cook, stirring until smooth.
Add pumpkin and drained cherries and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally,
until pumpkin is tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
Assemble dessert:
Cut out 12 (3-inch) rounds from cake with cutter.
Halve each round horizontally, then put bottom halves on 12 plates and top with
scoops of ice cream. Spoon compote on and around cakes, then tilt tops against
ice cream.
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