Cold Cake with Jam and Mascarpone Cream

To prepare a delicious caramel and mascarpone cream cake, we will start by ensuring we have all the necessary ingredients at hand. The first step is to focus on caramelizing the sugar. So, in a pan, we add the 10 tablespoons of sugar and place it on the stove over medium heat. It is essential to constantly stir with a wooden spatula to avoid the formation of crystals and to ensure that the sugar melts evenly. Once the sugar turns golden and liquid, we quickly spread it over the entire surface of the pan, thus creating a perfect layer of caramel. We let it cool, and in the meantime, we will take care of the other ingredients.

We carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks, making sure there are no traces of yolk in the whites, as this would prevent us from achieving a firm foam. In a large bowl, we beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they become a stiff foam. Then, we gradually add 2-3 tablespoons of the sugar we used earlier, continuing to mix until we obtain a glossy and well-incorporated foam. Now, we add the yolks and semolina, gently folding with a spatula to avoid losing air in the mixture. It is important to be careful and to mix with up-and-down movements.

After the mixture is well homogenized, we carefully pour it into the prepared pan, over the melted sugar. We place the pan in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius and let it bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top turns golden and passes the toothpick test. While the top is baking, we take care of the milk. We boil the milk and, once the top is baked, we carefully pour the hot milk over it, allowing it to absorb the liquid and become moist and flavorful.

Once the top has completely cooled, we evenly spread a layer of fruit jam, our preferred choice, but we recommend cherry or raspberry jam to contrast with the sweetness of the caramel. Then, to finish this cake, we add a generous layer of mascarpone cream or whipped cream, which we spread evenly over the entire surface. Now it’s time to let the cake chill in the refrigerator, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to stabilize. The next day, when we serve it, we will enjoy an amazing cake with a perfect contrast between the crunchy caramel underneath, the moist top, and the fine cream on top. Bon appétit!