Chocolate marquise with marshmallow topping

 

  Recipe for the thickened cherry sauce of the photo is not included but a sour cherry jam can be used instead.

         Hazelnut sponge cake   

         65gr                                              butter

         85gr                                              sugar

         60gr                                              yolks

         90gr                                              egg whites

         40gr                                              cake flour

         50gr                                              ground hazelnuts

          as prefered                                   vanilla powder

            

         Chocolate marquise

        350gr                                             couverture

        4                                                   yolks

        4                                                   egg whites

        150gr                                             sugar

        130gr                                             butter, at room temperature

        130gr                                             heavy cream

       

        Marshmallows

        60gr                                              egg whites

        190gr                                            sugar

        48gr                                              corn syrup

        120gr                                            water

        12gr                                              granulated gelatin

        as prefered                                   vanilla powder 

        a handful                                      corn flour with powder sugar

Marshmallows are preferably made first and may be left overnight to set uncovered and unrefrigerated. Before getting started with the kind of italian meringue they are made of, combine the gelatin with 48gr of the water and set it aside for at least 5min. In a small saucepan bring the rest of the water with syrup and sugar to boil watching its temperature rise with a candy thermometer. A few minutes before it reaches 120^oC start whipping the whites on low speed and as soon as it gets that hot remove from heat, add the gelatin and let it dissolve within a few seconds. With the mixer on high speed, pour the syrup alongside with the vanilla between the whip attachment and the sides of the bowl and into the quite foamed egg whites . Keep whipping until the bowl cools to slightly warm in the touch and finally spread the meringue on a silicone mat on the bottom of a 20x27cm frame or pan (for a thickness 2cm). Several hours later dust with powdered sugar and corn flour so that the marshmallows won't stick, and cut to small cubes. For the sponge cake beat butter until creamy, add 55gr of the sugar and then beat in the yolks one at a time. Mix the dry ingredients together and with the rest of the sugar whip the egg whites to stiff meringue. Fold the meringue and the flour mixture alternately into the butter, spread the batter on the bottom of a 20x24cm frame and bake at a preheated oven to 180^o-190^oC for 13min.

Continue with the marquise by melting chocolate in a bain marie, seperately beating the butter until soft and whisking the cream to soft peaks. Set them aside and prepare an italian meringue with the whites and 70gr of the sugar that may be moistened with the addition of a little water. Empty the bowl from the meringue and start whipping the yolks. Simultaneously prepare by the same way another syrup with the rest of the sugar and when it reaches 120C pour it into the egg yolks whipping on high speed until they completely cool down. Fold the whipped yolks into the butter and whisk in the chocolate. Finally incorporate the meringue and chantilly in several stages ,without deflating the mixture, and fill with the mousse a covered with plastic wrap on bottom 20x24cm frame. Freeze for a few hours. To assemble first spread cherry jam on the cake and optionally moisten with kirsch. You may either place the whole chocolate part on top, or cut it to individual pieces and roll them in cocoa powder as long as they're still frozen and hard. To complete, add the arshmallows on top and burn with a torch.

Chocolate Black Forest

One of the favourite classics, slightly changed with chocolate chantilly and sour cherries but still characterized by the distinctive Krsch flavor.

         Cocoa genoise

         125gr                                    cake flour

         125gr                                    granulated sugar

         5                                          eggs

         20gr                                     cocoa powder

         as preferred                         vanilla powder

       

        Chocolate chantilly

        250gr                                     couverture

        250gr                                     heavy cream

        125gr                                     milk

        100gr                                      drained, compote sour cherries

        1Tbs                                      Kirsch

        Syrup

        100gr                                    water

        100gr                                    sugar

        60-80gr                                 Krsch (as prefered)

Finally 240gr heavy cream, 2Tbs powdered sugar, fresh cherries and chocolate flakes for decoration.

At first, preheat the oven to 180C (air) and shift flour, vanilla and cocoa together. Whip the eggs with sugar at high speed untill they whiten and form thick ribbon. Fold carefully the flour mixture into the beaten eggs using a rubber spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients without overmixing and deflating the foam. Fill a 20cm-diameter ring with foil on bottom ,bake for aproximately 27min and let cool. For the mousse, warm the milk and use it to melt chopped chocolate. Let the mixture reach room temperature and whip the cold cream to soft peaks untill it has a yogurt-like consistency. Fold cream into chocolate with a spatula -without overmixing- and refrigerate untill set. Soak cherries in a small amount of their can syrup and add the Kirsch. To prepare the sugar syrup, bring water and sugar to boil for 2min set aside to cool and add Kirsch. Proceeding with genoise, cut the cake in layers (a properly baked and puffy genoise gives 4 layers) and start constructing the torte in a 20cm-diameter ring.

 Moisten the first layer with syrup and cover with a small amount of mousse and plenty of cherries. Continue with the rest of the chantilly untill all layers are used. Freeze for an hour and remove the ring.

Whip the decorating cream and sugar to chantilly and cover with it top and sides of the cake forming any shape you prefer. Finish with the cherries and flakes.