Monk's Hut Cake

Sour cherries are rolled into a thin layer of dough and baked to look like cylindrical pies. The pies are layered with thick sweetened sour cream to represent a log cabin. Most of the cakes look more attractive before they are sliced. This cake is different; its beauty opens when you slice it. Besides Monk's Log Cabin, it has many other names — Cherry Hill, Cherry Honeycomb, Hut (or Roof) Under the Snow, etc. This cake also has many recipe variations. The dough can be pate brisee, puff pastry, or soft cookie dough. Those who want to keep the dough crumbly use buttercreams. Those who wish the dough to become moist use thick sour cream whipped with sugar. Tart cherries are the only ingredient that is the same. In the U.S., sour cherries are different from Europe, and the variety that comes close to what can be used for this cake is Balaton. Montmorency tart cherries lack the flavor.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a stand mixer bowl, measure the flours, mahleb (if using), and salt, mix and sift. Add cold cubed butter and stir on low speed with a paddle attachment until the mixture looks like crumbs. Add ice-cold water and, with the same paddle attachment, knead the dough until smooth. Stop, remove the dough, shape into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for an hour in a fridge.

Step 2

Give the frozen pitted sour cherries about 12 hours to thaw in a bowl in a fridge, then strain the juice to use it for other purposes. Combine cherries and corn starch. Option 1. Roll the dough 3mm (1/8") thick, ~ 6" wide, and ~ 22" long. Cut it to 15 strips 1.5" wide and 6" long. Option 2. Divide the dough into 15 portions 34-35g each. Shape them into logs and cover them with plastic wrap to prevent drying.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 425F. Make an egg wash by mixing 1 egg yolk with 1 tbsp of cold water and a pinch of salt. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Step 4

Place 10 cherries on each strip of the dough.

Step 5

Pinch the long edge shaping them into a pie as shown in the pictures.

Step 6

Lightly brush the pies with the egg wash and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Let rest on a cooling rack until they are room temperature.

Step 7

In a cold bowl, combine heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, xanthan gum (if using), and natural cherry flavor extract (if using). Using a whisk, whip until thick.

Step 8

Add Noosa Lemon yogurt and fold it into a whipped cream using a silicone spatula. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Step 9

Start with 5 cherry pies on the cake base. Cover them generously with a portion of cream, spreading it with a spatula. Arrange the rest of the pies layering them with cream to make a pyramid as shown in the picture.

Step 10

Cover the whole cake with the rest of the cream. Shave chocolate holding Microplane above the cake. Let it rest refrigerated for at least 24 hours, to let the dough absorb some moisture from the cream. If you like the dough softer, keep the cake rest for 2 or 3 days. Use a sharp knife with a long blade making a sawing motion (do not press down!).

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