Monday, May 27, 2013

 Thanks korena for this great challenge and another excuse to make cake! This variation combines white and dark chocolate with strawberry and vanilla. As for the marzipan (first time made from scratch) I used matcha powder and starwberry jam (a little bland but gives great scent). Delicious!

                                 Sponge cake
                                 4                                                                           eggs
                                 113gr                                                                     granulated sugar
                                 75gr                                                                       flour
                                 38gr                                                                       cornstarch
                                 40gr                                                                       butter, melted
                                 as preferred                                                           vanilla

                                 White chocolate mousse
                                 167gr                                                                      white chocolate
                                  40gr                                                                       water/liqueur
                                  93gr                                                                       heavy cream
                                  333gr                                                                     heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
                                  3,33gr                                                                    gelatin sheets soaked in the water

                                  Chocolate pastry cream 
                                  280gr                                                                      milk
                                  34gr                                                                        flour
                                  60gr                                                                        granulated sugar
                                  1                                                                             egg
                                  150gr                                                                       chocolate
                                  as preferred                                                             vanilla

                                  Marzipan                                                                  (about 400gr)
                                  33gr                                                                         glucose
                                  185gr                                                                       almond flour
                                  185gr                                                                       powdered sugar
                                  about 5Tbs                                                               simple syrup
 
                                  Simple syrup
                                  150gr                                                                        water
                                  150gr                                                                        granulated sugar
 
                                   as needed                                                                 strawberry jam
                                   about 10                                                                   small strawberries
 
 
For the sponge cake shift the flours together (along with vanilla powder if using) and beat the eggs with sugar to thick ribbon stage. Then fold in the flour mixture in two portions with a spatula as not to deflate the batter and meanwhile add and incorporate the melted butter. Bake in a 20cm-diameter ring and at a preheated oven to 190C for 20min. For the simple syrup just boil water with sugar for about 2min. Continue with the pastry cream by heating milk in a saucepan. In a separate bowl whisk the egg with sugar, flour and vanilla (add some of the milk if the mixture is too thick) until smooth and temper with one third of the hot milk. Combine the mixtures and put on heat stirring constantly. As soon as the cream has thickened and starts to boil remove from heat and add the chocolate. Set aside to cool and refrigerate until needed. Meanwhile heat the heavy cream needed for the white chocolate mousse just until hot and melt in the white chocolate. With the low heat left melt the gelatin mixture, stir it in the chocolate and let cool to about 30C. Then combine with the whipped cream and keep in fridge. Meanwhile cover a hemispherical (20x10cm) metal bowl with plastic wrap and mark about 4cm from the top to the bottom (that's where the layered cake will be placed in assembling).


Fill with white chocolate mousse until quite below that point and place the strawberries in the center (the mousse may have to be chilled and set at that point so that the strawberries are more stable). With the strawberries in place keep the bowl in the freezer and continue with the sponge cake. Cut it in four layers and trim the two down to 16cm-diameter. Put the small one on the bottom, moisten with syrup and spread some chocolate pastry cream. Spread some strawberry jam on the other small piece and put it on top of the chocolate with the jam facing down. Moisten with syrup and also spread some chocolate pastry cream. Keep in fridge and as soon as the molded mousse is quite set, put the layered sponge cake on top with the chocolate facing up. Fill the gaps between that and the bowl with the rest of the white chocolate mousse (now the bowled is completely full), spread some strawberry jam on a 20cm-diameter sponge layer and place with the jam side facing down on the top of the bowl. Moisten with syrup and freeze overnight. Finish with the marzipan which -if not store-bought- can be prepared simply by blending to coarse crumbs and kneading. Color (with matcha and strawberry jam in this case) it, shape the flower and for the rest roll and cut about 25 3x18cm and 3mm thick stripes with a pointy end. Cover the cake after unmolded and still well frozen.  

Sunday, May 5, 2013


                                 Savarin dough ( for 18 muffin tins )
                                 120gr                                                              milk
                                 5,5gr                                                              instant yeast
                                 300gr                                                              flour
                                 25gr                                                                sugar
                                 165gr                                                               egg
                                 40gr                                                                 coconut milk
                                 65gr                                                                 butter, room temperature
 
                                Savarin syrup
                                600gr                                                                 water
                                420gr                                                                 sugar
                                50gr                                                                   coconut liqueur
                              
                               Coconut cream filling
                               40ml                                                                   coconut milk
                               30ml                                                                   coconut liqueur
                               5gr                                                                     gelatin sheets
                               160gr                                                                  heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
                               160gr                                                                  coconut cream
                               50gr                                                                    sugar

                              Coconut ganache
                              100gr                                                                   chocolate
                              100gr                                                                   coconut cream
                             
                              Glaze
                              50 ml                                                                  apricot Jam
                              2 Tbs                                                                  water

 
It is better to start with the coconut cream, even a day in advance. Boil the coconut cream with the sugar for a minute and set aside to cool while soaking the gelatin in the milk and liqueur. When the cream is still hot, stir in the softened gelatin until dissolved and pour in the remaining liquids. Refrigerate until quite set to a creamy consistency and fold in the whipped cream. Keep in fridge until use. For the dough, warm the plain and coconut milk lightly and stir in the yeast until dissolved. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine all the ingredients except of butter and mix for a few minutes. Then add gradually the butter to incorporate and keep beating until the dough is smooth, elastic and tends to separate from the sides of the bowl. At this point, let it rest covered in a warm environment until tripled in size. Meanwhile proceed with the ganache. Warm the coconut cream until hot, stir in the chocolate to melt and refrigerate.
 
 
After the fermentation time, punch down the dough and use a spatula and a spoon to portion it into individual forms such as muffin tins. Let them double in size in warm conditions and bake at a preheated oven to 180C for about 17-20min. Let cool and prepare the syrup by combining the water and sugar over heat. As soon as it boils, remove from heat, add the liqueur and soak in the savarins. Remember to completely moisten them with syrup -but not as much as to brake- and for that reason make holes on the bottom of each one with a fork. When finished, optionally trim the edges and if using cases like muffin tins get their bottom facing up and cut in half . Pipe some ganache in the center of each half and surround it by piped coconut cream. When finished with every savarin, replace their caps and brush them with glaze, made after warming the apricot jam with water. Finally refrigerate until cool and garnish as preferred.