It's been forever since I've participated in the Daring Bakers' Challenge. 


I'm still catching up. Saravin was a challenge earlier in the spring. I had reason to want to bake a cake for a friend but May's challenge had marzipan and I can't do nuts.

Saravin is a yeasted cake, soaked in syrup, glazed, filled with pastry cream and topped with fruit. One can use peach, lemon, orange or in my case currants. I have Creme de Cassis in the house and buying current preserves would be easy.

2.5 cups bread flour
2 T. water, lukewarm
6 eggs, room temperature, separated
1.5 tsp. yeast
4 T. sugar
1/3 cup butter
zest of a lemon and orange
1 tsp. salt
more butter for greasing the pan

Make a sponge: In a small bowl mix 2T water, 3T flour and yeast. Cover with film and let rise 60 minutes.

Make the dough: 
After 30 minutes put the egg whites in a mixer bowl with a paddle add 2 cups of flour. Mix. Cover with film and let rest 30 minutes.
Add the sponge to the dough. Add 1T flour and zest. When its incorporated add one egg yolk. Once it's absorbed add 1T flour and one egg yolk. Do this a total of six times. Add the butter and the last 1T flour keep mixing 3 more minutes.
Cover the dough and let rise until it has tripled in volume.

Butter the pan carefully.

Fold the dough 5 times or so. Let rest 5 minutes. Roll into a ball and poke a hole in the middle and put it into the pan. Cover with film and let rise an hour. Cool.

Bake at 340 degrees for 40 minutes.

Syrup:

2 cups water
1 cups turbinado sugar
3/4 cups currant jam
1/4 cup creme de cassis

Mix water, sugar and jam in a small sauce pan, heat until sugar dissolves. Strain and add creme de cassis. Cool.

Glaze:
2 T. currant jam
2 T water

Combine the two, strain.

Pastry Cream:
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 egg
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. sugar

1 cup heavy cream
2T creme de cassis
pink food coloring


In a sauce pan bring milk and sugar to a simmer. In a bowl combine the eggs, cornstarch and the 1/4 c. sugar. Temper the egg mixture with the hot milk. Combine in the sauce pan and cook until thick. Cool.

Whip cream. Add to the cooled custard. Add creme de cassis and pink food coloring. The creme de cassis with the yellow yolks looks grey. Cool until ready to assemble.

Soak the cake overnight either in a bowl or back in the pan. Some people allow the cake to dry out a day before soaking. Just before serving paint with glaze, fill the center with cream and top with fruit.
Serve with additional cream.

Take pictures and enjoy.