Spiced Parsnip Petit Fours
2
- Prep Time40 mins
- Total Time1 hr
- Makes12 petit fours
Produced by Chantal Braganza and Sun Ngo; Photography by Maya Visnyei; Food Styling by Eshun Mott; Prop Styling by Catherine Doherty
To achieve its thin, even layers, the cake is baked in a half-sheet pan, then stacked and cut to fit snugly into silicone moulds lined with white candy melts. No moulds? Double the frosting recipe. Spread over the exterior of the cake and smooth with an offset spatula or a bench scraper. Chill until firm, then use a spoon or squeeze bottle to drip melted white chocolate or candy melts onto the top edge of the cake, allowing it to ooze over. Then coat the top of the cake with chocolate as well. Let set before serving.
Cake
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 orange, zest and juice divided
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 large eggs, at room temperature
4 parsnips, peeled and grated
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
Frosting
1 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1⁄4 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract, optional
1/2 tsp salt
Decoration
800 g white candy melts
1 to 2 sheets edible silver leaf
silver dragées, optional
Instructions
Position rack in centre of oven, then preheat to 350F. Lightly grease a rimmed half-sheet pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment. Set aside.
Cake: Melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low. When butter becomes foamy, stir often until it smells nutty and turns dark brown, 5 to 7 min. Immediately remove from heat and pour melted butter and any brown bits into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let stand, stirring often, until it cools to room temperature.
Meanwhile, whisk flour with baking powder, baking soda, 1 tsp salt and spices in a medium bowl.
When butter is cooled (it will be opaque and solid), add brown sugar, oil and orange zest. Beat on medium-high speed until lightened in colour, about 4 min. Scrape down sides of bowl and beaters, then add maple syrup. Beat for 1 min. Reduce speed to medium. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Gradually beat in flour mixture until just incorporated. Drizzle orange juice over batter. Add parsnips, walnut pieces and coconut. Beat at short bursts on low speed to combine.
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake, rotating pan halfway, until evenly golden and a toothpick inserted into centre of cake comes out clean, about 15 min. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 min, then turn cake out onto rack to cool completely. Remove parchment and use to reline sheet pan.
Frosting: Combine cream cheese and 3⁄4 cup butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally, until smooth, about 4 min. Reduce speed to low. Gradually beat in icing sugar until combined. Increase speed to medium. Beat until frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 min. Beat in vanilla, almond extract and 1⁄2 tsp salt for 2 min. Set aside.
Using the wire rack, flip cooled cake back into lined sheet pan. Spread 2 cups frosting overtop to edges. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 15 min. Trim edges from chilled cake to straighten (save the scraps for a snack). With the long edge facing you, slice cake into four 4-in-wide long pieces. With a large offset spatula, stack the layers. Refrigerate cake for 15 min. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake as uniformly and evenly as possible.
Decoration: Microwave candy melts in a large microwave-safe bowl on medium-high, stirring halfway, 1 to 2 min. Spread a thin layer of candy melts inside twelve 2-in. cube silicone moulds. Let stand until firm, about 15 min.
Cut layer cake to fit moulds, then press into moulds. Spread a layer of candy melts over cake to seal. Refrigerate until candy melt is firm before turning out, about 15 min. Press edible silver leaf into the surface. Garnish with silver dragées to serve.
Switch it up
Substitute the nutmeg, allspice and cloves in the cake batter with 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or chai masala.
Kitchen tip
Half-sheet pans are half the size of full-sheet pans and measure 13 × 18 in., with rimmed edges. They’re handy for toaster ovens, small-batch desserts and roasting side vegetables.
This recipe is part of a series of dazzling holiday pastries created for Chatelaine by Tara O'Brady.
