Royal treat - princess cake - Recipe

Sunset, Dec, 1999 by Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

Per tablespoon: 29 cal., 0% (0 cal.) from fat; 0.1 g protein; 0 g fat; 5.4 g carbo (0 g fiber); 0.7 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Cream Filling

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 15 minutes

MAKES: About 4 cups

1. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart pan, combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 envelope unflavored gelatin, 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk, and 1 teaspoon grated orange peel.

2. In a small bowl, beat 1 large egg to blend; stir into milk mixture. Whisk over high heat until mixture boils, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Immediately nest pan in ice water. Add 2 tablespoons rum, orange-flavor liqueur, or orange juice and stir often until mixture is cool and holds soft mounds when spooned, but is not firm, 6 to 8 minutes.

4. In a deep bowl with a mixer on high speed, beat 1 cup whipping cream until it holds distinct peaks. Fold cooked mixture into cream. Nest bowl in ice water and stir occasionally until mixture holds soft mounds, 3 to 5 minutes.

Per tablespoon: 19 cal., 63% (12 cal.) from fat; 0.4 g protein; 1.3 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 1.2 g carbo (0 g fiber); 5.3 mg sodium; 7.7 mg chol.

TINT AND SHAPE IT

Add food coloring, a few drops at a time, to a lump of the naturally ivory-color marzipan; knead in your hands or on a board until the color is evenly distributed. For contoured ribbons, gently bend marzipan strips with your fingers into desired shapes. For figures, shape small pieces and press together.

What is marzipan?

Marzipan is a confection made with blanched almonds, ground into a fine paste, and blended with sugar syrup and, maybe, egg whites. As malleable as clay, it's often modeled into little animals and vegetables. They're so cute, you usually don't want to eat them until they're dried out - and then you won't want to. When fresh, however, marzipan is tasty and easy to handle.

* For smooth, flat pieceS, roll marzipan between sheets of plastic wrap (keep them smooth). Some cooks use powdered sugar instead of plastic wrap to prevent sticking, but plastic achieves a cleaner look.

Little squirts

* Handling a pastry bag is easy, provided you tend to a few details. Most important, keep the flow going in the fight direction by twisting the top of the bag snugly down to the contents, then squeezing with steady pressure. This is no problem if you're using both hands, as is typical when decorating a cake. But when applying decorations to tiny bases, as for these classic savory cheese appetizers, you need one hand to hold the base down so the piped mixture detaches from the bag instead of lifting up the base.

The secret is to fold the twisted top down against the side of the bag, place your palm against it, then, surrounding the bag with your hand, pinch the base of the twist shut with your thumb and index finger (see photo, near right). When you're working with one hand, the bag should not be more than half full; otherwise, the top can pop loose.

Pastry bags vary in convenience. Canvas ones need to be laundered; those with plasticized finishes can be hand-washed. Inexpensive (40 to 60 cents each) heavy-duty clear plastic bags are disposable. But with all, you can change tips midstream. Before filling the bag, insert a screw-based neck (sold in cookware stores) into the hole, fit the decorative tip over its narrow end, and secure.