Smorgastarta (Sandwich Cake)
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 or more servings
- Total: 2 hr 50 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 50 min
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Spread:
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120 grams) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Hot-Smoked Salmon Filling:
1/2 cup reserved cream cheese spread
1/4 cup (60 grams) full-fat sour cream
5 ounces (142 grams) hot-smoked salmon, flaked or finely chopped
2 tablespoons (6 grams) chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon (15 grams) drained, prepared horseradish
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
Egg Salad Filling:
6 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/4 cup (52 grams) mayonnaise
1/4 cup (10 grams) finely chopped chives
1/4 cup (10 grams) finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Assembly:
8 slices white Pullman bread
4 slices whole wheat Pullman bread (or an additional 4 slices white Pullman bread)
For Decoration:
Sliced deli ham, cut into star-shapes with a star-shaped cutter
Fresh herbs: chives, flat-leaf Italian parsley and dill sprigs
Thinly sliced Persian cucumbers
Thinly sliced radishes
Thin lemon slices, quartered
Hard-boiled egg wedges, optional
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Special equipment:
a star-shaped cookie cutter- Line a 9-by-9-inch metal baking pan with plastic wrap, allowing for a 4-inch overhang on all sides.
- To make the cream cheese spread: In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese. Using a hand mixer, beat until creamy. Add the heavy cream, salt and a couple grinds of black pepper. Beat until very smooth and spreadable. Remove all but 1/2 cup of the spread into a bowl (to be used in the hot-smoked salmon filling) and place the remaining spread in the refrigerator to chill.
- To make the hot-smoked salmon filling: Into a medium mixing bowl, add the reserved 1/2 cup of the cream cheese spread. Add the sour cream, hot-smoked salmon, dill, horseradish, lemon zest and juice and some black pepper. Stir well until combined but slightly chunky.
- To make the egg salad filling: Into a medium mixing bowl, add the eggs, mayonnaise, chives, parsley, Dijon, salt and pepper and stir until fully incorporated and smooth, but still a little chunky.
- To assemble: Line the bottom of the pan with 4 slices of the white Pullman bread. Spread evenly with the egg salad. Top with a layer of the 4 slices of the whole wheat Pullman bread and gently press down to adhere to the egg salad. Top with the salmon salad. End with the last layer, gently pressing down the remaining 4 slices of white Pullman bread on top of the salmon salad. Once again, gently press down to evenly compress the layers. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate to allow the layers to set, 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Remove the cream cheese spread 30 minutes prior to decorating the smorgastarta to bring to room temperature.
- Unmold the cake and remove the plastic wrap. Place onto a serving platter. Using a sharp knife, trim the sides of the smorgastarta, if needed. Using an offset spatula, spread the cream cheese all over, as if frosting a cake.
- To decorate: Decorate the sides and top of the cake as desired with the ham cut-outs, herbs, cucumbers, radishes and lemon slices. Add egg wedges, if desired. Finish with a pinch or two of freshly ground black pepper.