Tuesday, December 25, 2012


                              Ladyfingers
                              58gr                                                                        bread flour
                              3                                                                             eggs
                              85gr                                                                        granulated sugar
                              43gr                                                                        cornstarch
                              400ml                                                                      strong coffee
                              a few drops of lemon juice
                             
                              Cream cheese filling
                              4gr                                                                           gelatin
                              3                                                                              egg yolks, room temperature
                              50gr                                                                          tia maria
                              75gr                                                                          granulated sugar
                              25gr                                                                          water
                              28gr                                                                          powdered sugar
                              240ml                                                                        heavy cream
                              225gr                                                                         cream cheese
                              cocoa powder, vanilla powder


For the ladyfingers separate the egg yolks from the whites and whisk the last with one third of the sugar and the lemon juice to soft peaks. At this point and while still whisking add another third of sugar mixed with shifted cornstarch. Finish whisking to stiff peaks. Remove the meringue from the mixer bowl and whisk in the egg yolks with the remaining third of the granulated sugar until pale and thick. Combine the two mixtures without completely incorporating and shift in the flour. Fold the mixture gently with as few turns as needed for homogenisation and spread the batter on a 38x29cm rectangle of parchment paper. Bake at a preheated oven at 180C for about 15min, or until the sponge is golden on top and springs back when lightly touched. For the filling soften the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Keep the chantilly in fridge and start boiling the water with sugar watching the temperature with a candy thermometer. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks with the vanilla and as soon as the syrup reaches 120C pour it like a string into the yolks while whisking at high speed. Continue until the mixture has cooled down and is pale and thick.


 
Set aside, immerse the gelatin leaves in cold water to soften and fill the pot used for boiling the syrup with the tia maria. Return the pot to low heat and when the liquid is hot but not boiling add the softened gelatin. Stir to dissolve completely. Pour and mix have of it in the cream cheese and then fold in the whisked egg yolks. Add the last half of the gelatin mixture, stir well and combine with the whipped cream using a spatula. Keep in fridge until set enough to be spreadable. Trim the ladyfinger sheet to a 36x27cm rectangle and cut it lengthwise to 3 three 9x36cm pieces (or in any shape and size that can fit your cake frame). Put the first one on the bottom of a 9x36cm cake frame and moisten with the coffee. Spread one third of the cream on and shift cocoa powder on top. Cover with a second cake layer and moisten with coffee. Fill with cream, shift cocoa powder and place the last sponge piece. Add coffee as previously and keep in fridge with the remaining cream. When set and ready to serve, remove the frame, spread a layer of cream thick enough to hide the cake beneath and cover about 2/5 of the surface lengthwise using some parchment paper. Shift cocoa powder on top of the rest and remove the paper to reveal a two-stripe pattern. On the previously covered side pipe the remaining filling with a plain round tip. Finally cut to 9 individual pieces and keep refrigerated.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

 
                             Chocolate cake
                             1                                                                     cocoa genoise
 
                             Chocolate rum mousse
                             225gr                                                              chocolate
                             300ml                                                             heavy cream
                             30ml                                                               rum
                             3                                                                    egg whites
                             110gr                                                              light corn syrup
 
                             Syrup
                             220gr                                                              water
                             150gr                                                              granulated sugar
                             30gr                                                                rum
 
First prepare the syrup simply by bringing the water with sugar to boil for 2min. Let cool and keep the rum from adding it until use. Continue with the genoise as explained in the linked post and cut it to 3-5 layers depending on the volume it has gained and the thickness you can achieve. Set aside and start melting the chocolate in a bain marie. Meanwhile boil the corn syrup in a small saucepan and simultaneously start whisking the egg whites to meringue. As soon as they get quite foamy but not stiff, pour in the hot syrup in a string while whisking at high speed. When the meringue is set and cooled down, stop whisking, transfer it in a separate bowl and whip the heavy cream with the rum at high speed to soft peaks. When the chocolate has completely melted and is quite lukewarm, fold it into the meringue with gentle and quick movements so that it is incorporated before getting set. At last fold in the whipped cream and use immediately for filling. For the assembling, brush generously each genoise layer with the syrup one after another while spreading equal portions of mousse in between. For that purpose use a 20cm-diameter ring where the cake should be kept refrigerated preferably overnight. Finally unmold and shift cocoa powder on top. Optionally decorate with syrup moistened genoise leftovers.