Lemon Ginger Cake with Pistachios

Serves:	10
Recipe Type:	Non Veg.
Preparation Time:	120 M
Cooking Time:	20 M
Difficulty:	Difficult

Ingredients:

• For Lemon Curd
• 7 large Eggs
• 4 large Egg Yolks
• 1 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, diced
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 2½ tbsp (packed) Lemon Peel, finely grated
  
  For Cake
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2¼ cups Sugar
• 5 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 1½ cups (3 sticks) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 1-1/3 cups Whole Milk
• 2½ tbsp (packed) Lemon Peel, finely grated
• 8 large Egg Whites, divided (at room temperature)
• 1 cup Blackberry Preserves
  
  For Mousse
• 1/4 cup Water
• 2 tsp unflavored Gelatin
• 4 large Egg Whites, (at room temperature)
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp White Chocolate Curls
• 1/4 cup natural, unsalted Pistachios (about 2 ounces), chopped
• 2 tbsp Crystallized Ginger (about 1½ ounces), chopped

Cooking Instructions:

• FOR LEMON CURD:
• Whisk eggs and yolks in large bowl. Combine lemon juice, butter, and sugar in medium metal bowl.
• Set over saucepan of simmering water; stir until sugar dissolves. Gradually, add hot lemon mixture into egg mixture, while you whisk vigourously.
• Return mixture to bowl set over water; whisk constantly until mixture thickens and instant-read thermometer registers 180°F, about 5 minutes.
• Pour curd through fine strainer set over bowl; stir in lemon peel.
• Place plastic wrap directly on surface of curd. Refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours or overnight. (It can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated).
• FOR CAKE:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Lightly butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
• Line the bottom of pans with parchment rounds. Sift first five ingredients into large bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
• Add butter, milk, and lemon peel and beat on medium-high speed until thick batter forms, about 2 minutes. Add 4 egg whites; beat until smooth.
• Add remaining 4 egg whites; beat until well blended and smooth.
• Divide batter between prepared pans (about generous 4 1/2 cups for each); smooth tops with offset spatula.
• Bake cakes until golden and tester inserted into centers come out clean, about 45 minutes.
• Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; remove parchment and cool completely. (It can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.)
• Cut domed tops from both cakes, making each cake 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 inches high.
• Using long serrated knife cut each cake horizontally in half.
• Place 3 cake layers on separate cardboard rounds or plates (reserve fourth cake layer for another use). Spread 1/3 cup preserves over top of each of 3 cake layers.
• Transfer 1 cup curd to large bowl; reserve for mousse.
• Divide remaining curd among layers (generous 3/4 cup for each); spread evenly over preserves to edge of layers. Refrigerate layers separately while preparing mousse (do not stack cake layers).
• FOR MOUSSE:
• Pour 1/4 cup water into small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.
• Place saucepan over low heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes (mixture will be lukewarm). Stir gelatin into reserved 1 cup lemon curd.
• Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and 3 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until stiff but not dry.
• Fold egg whites into curd mixture in 2 additions; set aside until mousse begins to set slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Spoon 1/3 of lemon mousse (scant 1 cup) atop each layer, then spread gently to edges using offset spatula. Chill layers until mousse firms up slightly, about 30 minutes.

Suggestions:

• Place 1 of cake layer on platter.
• Gently top with second, then third, being careful not to press down firmly. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep refrigerated.)
• Garnish top edge of cake with white chocolate curls. Sprinkle pistachios and crystallized ginger in center of cake.