souverain...

layers of lemon flavored cake, raspberry jam, creme mousseline and fresh raspberry, covered in Italian meringue, toasted sliced almonds and topped with fresh raspberry...

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This cake is my first cake I've made for someone. For some reason, I never feel comfortable making a cake at home. It takes a lot of work from the start to finish. It needs a good plan to get a good result. I remembered while I was still in the pastry school, my friend had to make the Opera cake all over again when she messed up with the last step.

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Anyhow, I was asked to make a birthday cake for someone last week. I decided to take it as it would be good for my experience. The party is tomorrow and I hope they'll like it.

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Ingredients:
make 9" diameter cake
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for the Cake
- 2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tb. lemon zest
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 cup bread flour
- 3 ts. baking powder
- 1/2 ts. salt
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice

for the cake syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tb. orange liqueur

for the creme mousseline
- 2 cups milk
- 4 oz. sugar
- 1 oz. cornstarch
- 1 oz. cake flour
- 3 yolks
- 2 oz. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 tb. vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream, whip to soft peak

for the Italian Meringue
- 6 egg whites
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 1/2 tb. glucose

Procedures:
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for the Cake
1. Preheat the over to 325 degrees F. Sift all dry ingredients all together.
2. Cream butter and sugar until smooth.
3. Add eggs, one at a time.
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and lemon juice, blend to combined.
5. Pour into a pan, bake for 50-60 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and unmold.
7. Let it cool down before slicing into 2 pieces.

for the Cake Syrup
Mix all ingredients together.

for the Creme Mousseline
1. Bring 1 1/2 cups milk and sugar to a boil.
2. Sift flour and corn starch together. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup milk, then yolks.
3. Temper the yolk mixture with hot milk.
4. Return the yolk-milk mixture to a boil, while whisking rapidly.
5. Cook at a simmer for a minute, to cook out the starch.
6. Remove from the heat, slowly stir in butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap immediately (the plastic wrap must touch the surface of the pastry cream).
7. After the pastry cream is set and cool , fold in whipped cream.
8. Refrigerate.
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for the Meringue
1. Cook sugar, water and glucose to a soft ball stage or 240 degrees F.
2. Whip egg white to a soft peak.
3. Use high speed, pour cooked sugar into egg whites in thin steam.
4. Change to medium speed, whip until the meringue is stiff.

Assembly

1. Lay the first layer of cake on the cake base. Brush with cake syrup, then spread raspberry jam over.
2. Spread over creme mousseline and fresh raspberry.
3. Top with the second layer of cake and brush the top with cake syrup.
4. Coat the top and sides with Italian meringue.
5. Press the almonds around the sides.
6. Fill the pastry bag fitted with a Saint Honore tip with Italian meringue, pipe all over the surface to make a daisy effect.
7. Brown the edges with a blowtorch, decorate with fresh raspberry.
8. Refrigerate.