White Chocolate Easter Cake With Strawberries Pt 1

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

This pull-out-all-stops dessert layers a white chocolate pistachio
cake with strawberries and a do-ahead pistachio butter-cream. For the
finishing touches, whipped cream is piped up the sides, and a  marzipan
top is crowned with fresh strawberries.  To make cake: Preheat oven to
350°F. Butter and flour two  9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1
1/2-inch-high-sides.  Bring half and half to simmer in small saucepan.
Remove from heat. Add  chocolate and vanilla and stir until smooth;
cool to room temperature.  Finely grind pistachios with flour and
baking powder in processor.  Using electric mixer, beat butter and 3/4
cup sugar in large bowl  until fluffy. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating
well after each  addition. Beat in  flour mixture alternately with
white chocolate mixture in 2 additions  each. Using clean dry beaters,
beat egg whites in medium bowl until  soft peaks form. Gradually add
remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until  stiff but not dry. Fold whites
into batter in 2 additions.  Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake
cakes until tester inserted  into center comes out clean, about 25
minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Cut  around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn
out cakes onto racks; cool  completely.  Hull and slice 2 baskets
strawberries. Place 1 cake layer on platter.  Spread 1 cup buttercream
over. Arrange enough berry slices over to  cover. Spread 1 cup
buttercream over. Arrange another layer of sliced  berries over to
cover. Spread thin layer of buttercream over second  cake layer and
place cake, buttercream side down, atop berries. Press  gently to
adhere. Spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of  cake. Chill
cake until buttercream is firm, about 1 hour.  Knead marzipan in medium
bowl to soften. Shape marzipan into disk.  Dust work surface with 2
tablespoons powdered sugar. Roll out  marzipan disk on powdered sugar
to 9 1/2-round. Place on cake; press  to adhere to top and gently press
overhang onto sides of cake.  Beat whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup
powdered sugar in large  bowl to firm peaks. Transfer to large pastry
bag fitted with medium  star tip. Pipe cream in side-by-side columns up
sides of cake. Pipe  border of rosettes around top edge of cake.
Refrigerate cake until  cold, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day
ahead. Cover with cake  dome and keep refrigerated. Let stand at room
temperature 30 minutes  before continuing.)  Arrange remaining whole
strawberries in center of cake.  To make frosting (Makes about 3 cups):
Bring half and half and  pistachios to boil in heavy small saucepan.
Remove from heat; cover  and let stand 1 hour. Whisk sugar, yolks and
flour in medium bowl to  blend. Bring half and half mixture to simmer;
gradually whisk into  yolk mixture. Return to same saucepan; stir over
medium heat until  mixture bubbles thickly, about 5 minutes. Mix in
vanilla. Transfer to  processor; blend until nuts are very finely
chopped. Transfer  pistachio pastry cream to bowl. Cover and cool to
room temperature,  about 2 hours.  Using electric mixer, beat unsalted
butter in large bowl until  fluffy. Add pastry cream by 1/4 cupfuls,
beating well after each  addition. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover
and refrigerate. Bring  to room temperature before using.) continued in
part 2

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
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Calories: 6153
Calories From Fat: 3694
Total Fat: 422.8g
Cholesterol: 2208mg
Sodium: 943.2mg
Potassium: 2461.8mg
Carbohydrates: 519.1g
Fiber: 22.6g
Sugar: 340.7g
Protein: 97.2g