11 دسمبر، 2013
Walnut Cake with American Frosting
TOTAL TIME:
2 hr 45 min
Prep:
1 hr
Inactive Prep:
1 hr
Cook:
45 min
YIELD:
8 servings
LEVEL:
Intermediate
ingredients
- For the vanilla buttercream filling
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 1/2 ounces icing sugar (confectioners'), sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- American frosting, recipe follows
- Edible rose petals, to decorate
- 8 walnut halves, to decorate
- American Frosting
- 2 egg whites
- 15 ounces caster (superfine) or granulated sugar
- 3 1/2 ounces water
Directions
This cake makes a perfect autumnal wedding cake - in fact, we had it for our own wedding, baked by our dear friend Dervilla. We decorated it with sparklers and dark red rose petals, which made for a rather dramatic and beautiful effect.
It keeps well, so you could send a slice to anyone who was unable to come to the reception. You don't need a wedding to enjoy this cake, however, as it's great for any special occasion.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush 2 (8-inch) or 3 (7-inch) cake pans or sandwich pans with melted butter, and dust with flour. Line the base of each pan with parchment or greaseproof paper.
In a bowl, sift the flour with the salt, and baking powder.
In a large bowl, or in an electric food mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar, and vanilla extract, and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, and then stir in the chopped walnuts. Fold in a quarter of the flour and milk into the mixture, alternating each, until they are incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff.
Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the cake mixture, and then gently fold in the rest. Divide the batter between the tins, making a slight hollow in the center of each so that the cake rises evenly rather than forming a peak.
Bake in the oven until firm to the touch or until a skewer inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, about 16 to 20 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the buttercream filling: Cream the butter until very soft, and then beat in the confectioners' sugar, and the vanilla extract. When the cakes are cool, spread the buttercream filling on one layer, and top with the second layer, sandwiching the layers together.
Make the American frosting as described below. Spread the American frosting quickly over the cake with a palette knife, regularly dipping the knife into a jug of boiling water to help spread the icing. It sets very quickly at this stage, so speed is essential.
Scatter with rose petals, if using, or arrange the walnut halves around the top of the cake, and allow the icing to set until it feels dry on the surface.To make the American Frosting: Ensure your cake is ready before you start, as this icing begins to set very quickly. Bring to the boil a saucepan of water large enough to hold a heatproof bowl. Place the egg whites in the bowl and whisk with a hand-held electric beater until very stiff.
In a separate saucepan over a medium-high heat, dissolve the sugar in the water and boil for 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid is thick and syrupy and has reached the 'thread' stage - when the last few drops that fall from a metal spoon dipped into the syrup come off in one long, quite thick and syrupy thread.
Pour the boiling syrup over the stiffly beaten egg whites, whisking all the time with the hand-held beater. Place the bowl in the saucepan of simmering water. Continue to whisk over the water for 10 to 15 minutes until the icing is snow white, very thick and meringue-like.
Spread quickly over the cake with a palette knife, regularly dipping the knife into a jug of boiling water. The icing sets very quickly at this stage, so speed is essential.
Scientists Discover Super Greenhouse Gas
Scientists say they have discovered a man-made greenhouse gas 7,100
times as strong as carbon dioxide. More bad news: It has a lifetime of
hundreds of years.
Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada say the chemical – perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA) – is the most radiatively efficient chemical found to date, breaking all other chemical records for its potential to impact climate.
According to Angela Hong, who worked on the project, "radiative efficiency" describes how well a molecule can trap outgoing heat radiation from Earth. This metric indicates the potential for a molecule to impact climate.
“As it turns out, PFTBA has the highest radiative efficiency of all molecules in the atmosphere to date,” she said in an email.
PFTBA has been in use since the mid-20th century for various applications in electrical equipment and is currently used in thermally and chemically stable liquids marketed for use in electronic testing and as heat transfer agents.
Researchers say there are no known processes that would destroy or remove PFTBA in the lower atmosphere, meaning it could have a lifetime of hundreds of years.
Carbon dioxide is used as the baseline for comparison since it is the most important greenhouse gas responsible for human-induced climate change.
“Calculated over a 100-year timeframe, a single molecule of PFTBA has the equivalent climate impact as 7,100 molecules of CO2,” said Hong.
Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada say the chemical – perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA) – is the most radiatively efficient chemical found to date, breaking all other chemical records for its potential to impact climate.
According to Angela Hong, who worked on the project, "radiative efficiency" describes how well a molecule can trap outgoing heat radiation from Earth. This metric indicates the potential for a molecule to impact climate.
“As it turns out, PFTBA has the highest radiative efficiency of all molecules in the atmosphere to date,” she said in an email.
PFTBA has been in use since the mid-20th century for various applications in electrical equipment and is currently used in thermally and chemically stable liquids marketed for use in electronic testing and as heat transfer agents.
Researchers say there are no known processes that would destroy or remove PFTBA in the lower atmosphere, meaning it could have a lifetime of hundreds of years.
Carbon dioxide is used as the baseline for comparison since it is the most important greenhouse gas responsible for human-induced climate change.
“Calculated over a 100-year timeframe, a single molecule of PFTBA has the equivalent climate impact as 7,100 molecules of CO2,” said Hong.
Obama-Castro Handshake Draws Attention at Mandela Tribute
Tuesday's memorial service for Nelson Mandela generated some informal
diplomacy and political controversy, alongside the praise for the late
South African president.
In a moment caught by television cameras, U.S. President Barack Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro as he walked to the podium.
The handshake was notable because the United States and Cuba have not had diplomatic relations since 1961, at the height of the Cold War, and the U.S. maintains a trade embargo on Cuba. Relations have begun to thaw in recent years.
U.S. officials say the handshake was not pre-planned. But they say the two leaders did not have a substantive discussion, they only exchanged greetings. White House aides say the United States still has "grave concerns" about Cuba's human rights situation.
Obama also exchanged greetings with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai, but U.S. officials say Obama did not see the memorial service as a "venue to do business."
The two leaders have been debating an agreement of a continued U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan after foreign forces withdraw in 2014.
The United States says Karzai must sign the pact by the end of this year or there will be no choice but to withdraw all American troops after 2014.
Obama is popular in South Africa, and thousands of people in the stadium cheered when his image appeared on the giant screen overlooking the field.
In contrast, South African President Jacob Zuma was booed each time his image was shown on the screen. Many South Africans have been angered by recent accusations that Zuma spent $200 million in taxpayer money to renovate his private home.
In all, more than 70 heads of state and government attended the ceremony, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and India's President Pranab Mukherjee.
In a moment caught by television cameras, U.S. President Barack Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro as he walked to the podium.
The handshake was notable because the United States and Cuba have not had diplomatic relations since 1961, at the height of the Cold War, and the U.S. maintains a trade embargo on Cuba. Relations have begun to thaw in recent years.
U.S. officials say the handshake was not pre-planned. But they say the two leaders did not have a substantive discussion, they only exchanged greetings. White House aides say the United States still has "grave concerns" about Cuba's human rights situation.
Obama also exchanged greetings with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai, but U.S. officials say Obama did not see the memorial service as a "venue to do business."
The two leaders have been debating an agreement of a continued U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan after foreign forces withdraw in 2014.
The United States says Karzai must sign the pact by the end of this year or there will be no choice but to withdraw all American troops after 2014.
Obama is popular in South Africa, and thousands of people in the stadium cheered when his image appeared on the giant screen overlooking the field.
In contrast, South African President Jacob Zuma was booed each time his image was shown on the screen. Many South Africans have been angered by recent accusations that Zuma spent $200 million in taxpayer money to renovate his private home.
In all, more than 70 heads of state and government attended the ceremony, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and India's President Pranab Mukherjee.
نیلسن منڈیلا کی میت اسپتال سے سرکاری عمارت منتقل
جوہانسبرگ…جنوبی
افریقہ کے سابق صدر نیلسن منڈیلا کی میت کواسپتال سے سرکاری عمارت میں
منتقل کر دیا گیا ہے۔ نیلسن منڈیلاکی میت تین روز تک مختلف سرکاری عمارتوں
میں رکھی جائے گی تا کہ لوگ ان کا آخری دیدار کر سکیں۔ اس دوران شہریوں کی
بڑی تعداداپنے ہیرو سے عقیدت کا اظہار کر نے کے لئے جمع ہوگی۔ نسلی تعصب کے
خلاف جدوجہد سے تاریخ پر ان مٹ نقوش چھوڑنے والے نیلسن منڈیلا کی تدفین
اتوار کو ان کے آبائی گاوٴں ”کونو “ میں کی جائے گی۔
برف سے ڈھکی پٹری پرراستہ بناتی ٹرین کا دلکش مناظر
لندن
…این جی ٹی …کئی دن تک مسلسل بر ف باری ہونے کے بعد سڑکیں ،گھر اور یہاں
تک کے سمندر کا پانی بھی جم جاتا ہے جسکے باعث پیدل چلنے والوں کیساتھ ساتھ
گا ڑیاں چلانے کیلئے بھی راستہ تلاش کر نا،ناممکن ہو جاتاہے۔یہ تصویر ایسی
ریل گاڑی کی ہے جس نے بغیر کسی نقصان کے برف سے ڈھکی پٹری میں اپنے لئے
راستہ بنا کر سب کو حیران کر دیا۔ بر ف کے باعث پٹری ،پُل اور اس ریل کا
تما م تر راستہ برف سے ڈھکا ہو اتھا لیکن اس کے باوجودچُھک چُھک کرتی ریل
کے ڈرائیور کی ذہانت سے یہ چلتی رہی اور اپنے ساتھ ساتھ دیگر ریلوں کیلئے
بھی راستہ صاف کردیا۔
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