Savarine

These European Pastries are a favorite. The pastry is soaked in syrup for a unique flavor. Mmmm Mmmm.


Savarine

Ingredients:
(yields 6 servings)



BATTER:
4 eggs (separated)
5 Tbsp sugar
5 Tbsp plain bread crumbs
**TIP: I have found that Progresso brand bread crumbs work best, others are too salty.
Spray Baking Pam for greasing the bundt tray
Bundt Tray

SYRUP:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp imitation rum
Lemon Zest **TIP: Wash the lemon and grate the yellow part of the lemon skin into the syrup. You can use as much or as little of this as you want, or none at all.

FILLING:
1 Cool Whip container whipped cream - 16 oz
Apricot Jam
Maraschino Cherries or Fresh Strawberries (to place on top of each pastry)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. In 2 large bowls, separate the eggs - yolks in 1 bowl, whites in the other.

2. In the bowl with the yolks, add the 5 Tbsp of sugar, gradually, 1 Tbsp at a time. Mix with a wire whisk until creamy. Next, add 5 Tbsp bread crumbs, 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing with the wire whisk until well blended.

3. In the other bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the egg whites until they are stiff and to the consistency of whipped cream.

4. Next, take 1 big spoonful at a time of the beaten egg whites, and gently fold them into the yolk bowl. Make sure to be gentle when folding in the egg whites as you want the final mixture to have volume. Continue until you have added all of the egg whites to the yolk mixture.

5. Lightly spray the bundt pan with Spray Baking Pam just before you place the batter into it. Once you have sprayed the pan, gently place batter into each mold about 3/4 full.

**TIP: Make sure not to spray the pan until you are ready to put the batter into it. Doing this beforehand will cause the Pam spray to settle and the bottom and harden the pastry as it cooks.

6. IMMEDIATELY place the bundt tray into the oven and bake at 325 F degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven after 15 minutes and allow to cool for 5 minutes in bundt tray, then remove each pastry individually and place on wire rack to cool completely.

7. While the pastries are cooling, you can make the Syrup: In a saucepan, melt together all of the ingredients listed under "Syrup". Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, allow to cool completely.

8. When pastries have cooled completely, cut each one in half. Next, take the cooled syrup and using a spoon, pour syrup over each pastry. (Don't be shy with the syrup!)

9. Using a butter knife, spread a bit of apricot jam (about 1/2 tsp per pastry) on the inside of the bottom half of the pastry.
Next, add whipped cream in between the layers of pastry (I like to use a pastry bag with a decorative tip to make it look nice). Place the top half of the pastry onto the whipped cream, and then add a bit of whipped cream to the very top of the pastry.
To finish it off, add either a maraschino cherry or a fresh strawberry on the top of each pastry.

Enjoy!