How To Cook: |
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1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chilled butter, 3 cups of the flour and the sugar and, with your fingertips, rub until the mixture resembles flakes of coarse meal.
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2. Beat in the egg and continue to mix until the pastry is smooth. Shape it into a ball, wrap it in wax paper, and refrigerate 1 hour, or until the dough is firm.
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3. With the back of a spoon, rub the preserves through a fine sieve set over a 1-quart saucepan, then cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they dissolve into a thin puree. Set aside off the heat.
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4. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Cut the chilled pastry in half and shape each half into a rectangle. One half at a time, roll the pastry between two sheets of lightly floured wax paper into a rectangle approximately 10 inches wide and 15 inches long.
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5. With a pastry brush, coat each of 2 cookie sheets with 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle them with flour, tipping the sheets from side to side to coat them evenly. Then invert the sheets and tap them against a hard surface to dislodge any excess flour.
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6. Use the wax paper to lift the pastry onto the sheets. Bake 40 minutes, or until the pastry begins to turn a pale gold. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.
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7. With a metal spatula, spread the raspberry puree evenly over one sheet of the pastry, covering it completely and smoothly. Slide the second sheet of pastry gently onto the first.
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WHITE ICING:
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1. With a spoon stir the sugar, water and lemon juice together in a large mixing bowl to form a thin paste.
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2. Spread the icing smoothly over the top layer of pastry with the spatula, and set the cake aside to cool to room temperature.
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3. With a small, sharp knife or pastry wheel, slice the Aleksander torte into strips 1 inch wide and 2 inches long.
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