Italian Rainbow Cookie Cake
Materials:
- 2 13×9x2 inch pans, buttered and floured
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 8 oz almond paste. (1 can)
- 1 tube marzipan
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups of sifted flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- red and green food coloring
- 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (or you can use chips in a pinch)
Directions:
In electric mixer, blend almond paste, butter, sugar, yolks and extract until fluffy.
Sift together flour and baking powder, then slowly
In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold meringue into paste mixture until fully combined (the mix will be a bit sticky).
Separate the mixture evenly into two bowls and dye each batch a different color.
Spread mixture evenly into the pans and bake each separately at 350 degrees for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll know they are ready once the edges start to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
While cooling, divide the marzipan in half and roll out two rectangle-shaped sheets on parchment or wax paper, approximately 8x6 inches each.
Assembly
Cut each sheet in half, so you have four evenly-sized cakes. (You can trim at the end so don’t worry if it’s not absolutely perfect.)
Start with a green cake and spread completely with raspberry jam. Feel free to spread as thinly or thickly as you like (I'm all in favor of thick!). Spread raspberry on green cake. Top with a layer of marzipan followed by a red cake. Top red cake with a layer of apricot followed by the second green cake. Top the green with another layer of raspberry and the second sheet of marzipan. Top with the final red cake.
Use a serrated knife to trim the edges of the entire cake and even out into a perfect rectangle. Brush off crumbs. (These extra bits are fantastic toasted with a bit of butter on a skillet or tossed into a bread pudding recipe. Or you can just eat them while watching television, like I did...)
Prepare the ganache by heating 1 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan. Take care to not let it boil. Add the chocolate and stir continuously until melted completely. Remove from flame and mix in a dab of butter for a bit of extra shine. Continue stirring in concentric movements to cool. It will be ready when the chocolate is just slightly warmer than your lip. (Dab a bit on the inside of your lip—if it’s just slightly warmer then you’re good to go. If it burns, then I’m sorry... ;)
Pour this over the entire cake and let cool.
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