Hot Dog Cakes. An International Incident.

So this is our first International Incident Party for 2011 and I'm pretty excited.  This month's theme is Hot dog. Penny from Jeroxie Blog, is again hosting this great monthly event.  If you would like to join, please visit our forum.

I've had this vision to create a cake that looks like a hot dog after making my hamburger cupcakes.  I thought that this was the perfect opportunity.  This also ticks off another challenge I set myself that I will conquer all dishes that have intimidated me.  I have always been afraid of making choux pastries.  I love to eat it, Yes.  But to make it, I have been too afraid to just think about it.  I don't know why I was so afraid of it.  I was quite easy, actually.

Devil's Food Cake
(I only used one of the cakes.  I froze the other one for use another time)
185g softened butter
1 3/4 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups self raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 tsp instant coffee granules
1/2 tsp red food colouring
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk

1.  Preheat oven to 180degC (160 fan forced).  Grease and line two deep 18cm round cake pans.
2.  Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Fold in sifted flours, soda, cocoa and coffee.  Combine the colouring, water and milk and pour into dry ingredients.
3. Bake about 25-30mins.  Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

45g cream cheese

45g butter, softened

1/2 cup icing sugar

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a small bowl until as white as possible.  Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar.

To make the sausages, crumb one of the cakes and add the cream cheese frosting.  Mix thorough till well combined.  Take about 1 heaped tablespoon and shape like a sausage.  Let it sit in refrigerator for an hour to set.

Choux Pastry Buns
80g butter
1 cup water
1 cup plain flour
3 eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 220degC (200 Fan forced).  Prepare two oven trays.
2.  Combine butter with the water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Add flour and beat with a wooden spoon over the heat until the mixture comes away from the sides of pan and forms a ball.  Transfer to a small bowl and the beat in the egg with a electric mixer until it becomes glossy.
3.  Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with 1cm plain tube.  Pipe 10cm lengths of the mixture 3cm apart on to the trays.  Bake for 12 mins.  Reduce the temperature to 180degC (160 fan forced) and bake another 10 mins or until they are browned lightly and crisp.  Carefully cut the "buns" in half and remove any soft center.  Bake for another 5 mins or until eclairs are dried out.  Leave to cool.

Pastry Creme Recipe
2 cup milk
1 vanilla bean, split
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup caster sugar
4 tablespoons cornflour

1. Bring milk & vanilla bean to the boil in small saucepan.
2. Discard vanilla.
3. Meanwhile, beat egg yolks, sugar & cornflour in small bowl with electric mixer until thick.
4. With motor operating, gradually bet in hot milk mixture.
5. Return custard mixture to saucepan; stir over heat until mixture boils & thickens.

 To assemble the hot dog, pipe the pastry cream into both halves of the choux pastry.  Take the sausage and sandwich in between the choux pastry buns.  For the ketchup and mustard, I used red and yellow writing gel.

Bon Appetite,
Cherrie

Please check out what everyone else brought to the Hot dog party