All Over the Map Kitchen
BakingDessertRomania2000s

Prăjitură cu Frișcă și Vișine (Cream and Sour Cherry Cake)

Also called prajitura cu frisca si visine, prajitura cu fructe de padure, forest fruit cake, sour cherry cream cake

A cocoa sponge base under a thick layer of set mascarpone whipped cream and a glossy sour cherry or forest fruit topping.

Makes
about 20 squares, 25 × 35 cm (10 × 14 inch)
Make ahead

Ingredients

Scale

Pan sizes, times and temperatures in the method are not scaled.

Cocoa base

Cream layer

Fruit topping

Method

Base

  1. Heat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and line a 25 × 35 cm (10 × 14 inch) pan.

  2. Beat the whites with the salt to stiff peaks, adding the granulated sugar (120 g½ cup + 2 tbsp) gradually. Fold in the yolks, sunflower oil (100 ml7 tbsp) and milk (100 ml7 tbsp). Sift the all-purpose flour (150 g1¼ cups), cocoa powder (30 g6 tbsp) and baking powder (10 g2½ tsp) over and fold them in.

  3. Pour into the pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Cream

  1. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin (10 g) over the cold water (45 g3 tbsp) and let it bloom.

  2. Whip the heavy cream (500 ml2 cups) to soft peaks. In another bowl, mix the mascarpone (250 g) with the powdered sugar (100 g¾ cup + 1 tbsp) and vanilla (1 tsp) until smooth.

  3. Melt the gelatin gently, for 10 seconds in the microwave or over warm water. Stir a spoonful of the whipped cream into it, then fold it into the rest of the cream. Fold in the mascarpone.

  4. Spread the cream over the cooled base, 3 to 4 cm (1¼ to 1½ inches) thick. Refrigerate 30 minutes, until set firm.

Topping

  1. Cook the pitted sour cherries or mixed forest fruits (500 g) with the granulated sugar (150 g¾ cup) over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the fruit softens and releases its juice.

  2. Mix the cornstarch (14 g2 tbsp) with the cold water (45 g3 tbsp), stir it in and cook until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon but still pourable. Add the lemon juice (15 g1 tbsp) and cool to room temperature.

  3. Pour the topping evenly over the set cream. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Cut into squares with a hot knife.

Notes

  • Set cream first. If the cream is not firm before the fruit goes on, the layers mix.
  • Forest fruit version. Use a mix of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and sour cherries.
  • Whole cherries in the topping show better in the cut slices than a smooth jam.

Ingredients

Scale

Pan sizes, times and temperatures in the method are not scaled.

Cocoa base

Cream layer

Fruit topping