Name: Diplomatic cake
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 45 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 cups milk; 5 yolks; 1/2 cup sugar; 5 teaspoons rice starch; 5 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 lemon (zest); 1 vanilla bean; 3 eggs; 3.5 ounces sugar; 2.8 ounces flour; 0.7 ounces potato starch (2 tablespoon); 1 pinch salt; 1 vanilla bean; 1 roll puff pastry; 2 tablespoons icing sugar; 1 cup water; 1/2 cup alchermes

Diplomatic cake also known as diplomat cake is an Italian delight. Two layers of puff pastry, a layer of sponge cake filled with a creamy Italian Pastry Cream. The sponge cake is soaked in a red-colored liqueur called Alkermes.

DifficultyMedium
CostMedium
Preparation time1 Hour
Rest time2 Hours
Cooking time45 Minutes
Serving10-12
Cooking methodOvenStove
CuisineItalian
SeasonalityEvergreen

Ingredients

For pastry cream

2 cups milk

5 yolks

¹/₂ cup sugar

5 teaspoons rice starch

5 teaspoons cornstarch

1 lemon (zest)

1 vanilla bean

For sponge cake

3 eggs

3.5 ounces sugar

2.8 ounces flour

0.7 ounces potato starch (2 tablespoon)

1 pinch salt

1 vanilla bean

For puff pastry

1 roll puff pastry

2 tablespoons icing sugar

For the syrup

1 cup water

¹/₂ cup alchermes

Tools

2 Bowls

1 Pot

1 Electric hand mixer

1 Rolling Pin

1 Whip

1 Mold

Steps

For pastry cream

Open the vanilla and take the seeds from the inside. Heat the milk with the vanilla pod. Mix the vanilla seeds, the grated lemon zest with the eggs and sugar and whisk. Add the starches and mix well. Pour the hot milk into the cream, mix with a whisk, cook while stirring. Put the cream in a low, large container. Cover with contact film. Allow to cool quickly and transfer to the fridge for a few hours. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For sponge cake

Beat the eggs in a planetary mixer or with an electric mixer together with the sugar, salt and flavorings. After 15 minutes, combine the sifted flour with the starch a little at a time by hand with a spatula, with movements from the bottom up. Pour the mixture into the previously greased and floured 7.87X7.87 inches (20X20 cm) mold. Bake in a preheated oven at 356 ° F (180 ° C) for 20-25 minutes, do the toothpick test. Turn out the hot sponge cake and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For puff pastry

Roll out the puff pastry and gently roll it out a couple of times with a rolling pin. Cut the puff pastry into two 8X8 inch squares. Place on a baking tray covered with baking paper, prick the dough with a fork. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake in a 356°F (180°C) oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely.

For the syrup

Pour the water and alchermes into a container and mix.

For assembly

Place a teaspoon of custard on a flat plate, then place 1 disc of puff pastry on top (so the cake doesn’t slip), cover with half the cream filling, place the layer of sponge cake on top and drizzle with the alchermes syrup , then cover with the remaining half of the cream filling, place the remaining layer of puff pastry on top. Store the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.