Brazo Gitano Spongecake “Cien Años”

By gaster16

Ingredients

• Brazo Gitano Spongecake “Cien Años”
• Filling
• Ingredients
• 5 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
• 2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• Cake
• Ingredients
• 7 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup cake flour, sifted
• Syrup
• Ingredients
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 1 strip of lemon peel
• Meringue
• Ingredients
• 5 egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar
• Strawberry Topping
• Ingredients
• 2 pints fresh strawberries
• 6 ounces strawberry glaze
• 1 ounce water
• 1 ½ ounces Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation

In heavy saucepan, beat egg yolks with wooden spoon until lemon-colored. Add sugar and salt; beat well. Dissolve cornstarch in a little of the milk; add with rest of milk to egg mixture. Add cinnamon stick. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens to a heavy custard. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, and remove cinnamon stick. Set aside to cool.

Cake

Preparation

Beat egg whites in electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add yolks, one at a time. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Lower speed of mixer to folding speed and add flour gradually. Bake in wax-paper-lined jelly roll pan (11 x 16 x 1 inch size) at 400° for 12 minutes. Sprinkle cloth kitchen towel with sugar. When cake is done, immediately invert on towel. Remove waxed paper. Spread cake with filling and roll up length-wise like a jelly roll. Place on an ovenproof serving tray. Soak cake slowly with syrup (see below). Cover completely with meringue (see below), and bake at 425° for 6-8 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Top cake with glazed strawberries (see below). Flambé strawberries with Kirschwasser.

Syrup

Preparation

Boil sugar, water, and lemon peel for about 10 minutes. Add sherry. Remove lemon peel.

Meringue

Preparation

Combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Start adding sugar very gradually and beat until stiff.

Strawberry Topping

Preparation

Remove hulls and quarter strawberries. Mix glaze and water. Add strawberries to glaze.

Serves 12 pieces of cake cut into 1 ½” slices.