Cake Filling

Cherry Filling

• 3 cups (1 1/2 lbs) pitted sour cherries
• 1 cup (8 oz) sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 heaped teaspoons corn starch (water to mix)

OR

• 3 cups pitted sweet cherries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 heaped tsp corn starch (water to mix)

In a small bowl, mix corn starch with enough water to form a smooth mixture. Set aside.

Stir together cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a pot.

Continue stirring over medium heat, so that sugar melts but mixture does not come to a boil.

Stirring constantly, add corn starch mixture.

Continue to heat, stirring, until mixture thickens.

Just when mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat.

Cool.

Lemon Fillings

For best flavour, use fresh, ripe lemons and don't leave out the peel. The lemon zest is necessary for flavour because the lemon oil is in the peel. Use a lemon zestser to grate the yellow peel and don't get any of the bitter white part in the zest.

Choose organic lemons, wash and dry.

Lemons should be at room temperature.

Zest first, then juice and strain out the seeds.

Substitution for fresh: 1 Tbsp bottled

 lemon juice for 1/3 cup fresh juice.

Desserts made with lemon filling should be covered and kept in the refrigerator.

If using lemon curd in a cake, stir some gelatin in it so that it sets and doesn't drip.

Add 1-1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin softened in 1 Tbsp cold water (see the instructions in the Lemon Mousse Recipe below.)

Marilyn's Lemon Curd

Made quickly in the microwave. My mom got this recipe from Homemaker's magazine.

Makes 1-1/2 cups of lemon curd, enough for 24 tiny tarts.

Mom adapted this to make a half-recipe and says these quantities work (see below)

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar (12 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp soft butter

In microwavable bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar.

Whisk in lemon rind, lemon juice and butter.

Microwave on High for 2 minutes.

Whisk until smooth.

Microwave on High for 2-3 minutes more until mixture boils and thickens slightly.

Whisk again until smooth.

Let cool, then refrigerate to thicken more as it chills.

Store in a covered jar in refrigerator for up to a week.

Quantities for Half-Recipe of Lemon Curd:

• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
•  4-6 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp grated lemon rind
• 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp soft butter

Lemon Filling

• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 cups cold water
• 2 large egg yolks,
• 1 tsp lemon zest (grated peel of 1 medium organic lemon)
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a small saucepan.

Slowly add water while continuing to whisk.

Whisk in egg yolks, then lemon juice.

Still whisking, turn on heat to medium.

After 5 minutes of whisking over medium heat, mixture starts to boil.

Still whisking, let bubble 1 minute only, then take off heat.

If there are any lumps, strain through a fine mesh strainer.

Stir in lemon zest and butter, then let sit until cool.

Refrigerate, covered, until using.

Lemon Filling (No Eggs)

• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt.

While stirring, gradually add water.

Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and starts to bubble.

Let boil 1 minute.

Turn off heat and stir in butter until it melts.

Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.

Put plastic wrap directly on top of filling so the top doesn't harden.

Refrigerate 2 hours or until set. Will keep in fridge up to 5 days.

Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes to soften before using.

Lemon Mousse Filling

• 1-1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 1 Tbsp cold water
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 5 to 6 lemons)
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

In a small bowl, sprinkle1-1/2 tsp gelatin over 1 Tbsp cold water.

Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.

Whisk together in a small, heavy saucepan:

6 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice.

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8-10 minutes.

Mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove pan from heat.

Stir in gelatin mixture until gelatin dissolves and mixture is slightly cool.

A few pieces at a time, add butter, stirring well after each addition.

Mixture should be smooth.

To remove any lumps, use a rubber spatula to press filling through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Refrigerate until set, 2 hours to overnight.

Whip the cream in a cold bowl with cold beaters.

Remove the lemon filling from the fridge, stir.

Gently fold in whipped cream.

Return to fridge for 1 hour.

Stir before using to fill the cake.

Apricot Filling

• 11 oz. dried apricots
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1-3/4 cups milk
• 3/4 cups Bird's Custard Powder
• 3 Tbp sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Chop dried apricots. Place in a saucepan, cover with water.

Bring to a boil then turn down to simmer.

Cook until apricots are soft, adding more water if necessary.

Reserve the liquid when you drain the apricots over a bowl.

Mash the apricots, adding 1/4 cup of the reserved apricot liquid.

Stir 1/2 cup sugar into the hot apricots and liquid to dissolve the sugar.

Stir in 1/4 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp lemon juice.

Let sit until cool.

Make a pudding:

Stir 3 Tbsp custard powder with 3 Tbsp sugar in a small saucepan.

Whisk in 1-3/4 cups homogenized milk.

Cook, stirring constantly as it thickens, just until it bubbles.

Take off heat.

Let cool.

Stir 1/2 cup of the apricot mixture into the custard pudding with 1 tsp vanilla (reserve the rest of the apricot mixture!). Cool and fold in 1/2 to 1 cup of whipped cream.

Use as a filling between layers of cake, or to fill a cupcake.

After filling is placed between layers of cake, use the apricot mixture not stirred into the pudding to make a circle of apricot on the top of the cake. Pipe stabilized whipped cream around it and frost the sides of the cake with whipped cream as well.

Nutella Filling

• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups whipping (heavy) cream
• 3/4 cup Nutella
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch into 1/2 cup whipping cream. 

In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch mixture with remaining whipping cream.

Whisk in Nutella and salt. 

Keep whisking while cooking over medium heat, bring to a boil, boil 3 minutes till thickened.

Remove from heat.

Stir in vanilla.

Allow to cool before using as cake filling. 

Stabilized Whipped Cream 

• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 3 Tbsp water at room temperature
• 1 cup whipping cream, chilled
• 2-3 Tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla or other flavoring

Directions:

Sprinkle gelatin over water in a heat-proof bowl.
 Let stand till water is absorbed.
 Place the bowl in boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissoved--but don't let the gelatin boil
Cool to room temperature, if gelatin hardens soften again by setting bowl in hot water and cool again.

Beat whipping cream to consistency of soft custard.
Continue beating while pouring in gelatin, in a steady stream.
 Beat till almost stiff, adding icing sugar and vanilla (or a tablespoon of brandy or rum).

Fill the piping bag right away and pipe cream onto dessert--or if icing a cake, swirl the whipped cream onto the top and sides of the cooled cake with a rubber spatula. Chill the dessert or cake until serving time.

Chocolate Ganache

Heat cream in a saucepan until it's almost boiling. Put the chocolate in a bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate.  Let sit for 2 minutes, the chocolate will melt. Add butter and wisk.

For 3/4 cups ganache:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3-1/2 oz. good-quality chocolate (70% cacao)
• 1/2 oz (1 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

Put the chocolate in a bowl. Set aside.

With temperature at medium-high, heat the cream in a saucepan until almost boiling.

Remove from heat.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate.

Let sit for 2 minutes while the chocolate softens and starts to melt.

Add the room-temperature butter, whisk.

When ingredients are all combined, let stand till thickened to the desired consistency, or use right away.