Kirsch mousse torte

  

For those who can appreciate a non chocolate cake, this torte is rich in flavor and quietly aromatic. Genoise, mousse and meringue give a less dense texture that makes a second piece easy to eat...

              Genoise

              240gr (5)                           eggs

              120gr                                granulated sugar

              135gr                                cake flour, shifted

              as desired                         vanilla extract

              Ladyfingers

              55gr                                  bread flour

              44gr                                  cornstarch

              77gr (4 small)                     egg yolks

              132gr (4)                           egg whites

              82 gr                                 granulated sugar

              as preferred                      vanilla extract

              as needed                         powdered sugar

             Syrup

             30ml                                  Kirsch

             170gr                                 water

             170gr                                 granulated sugar

             Pastry cream

             430ml                                milk

             96gr                                  granulated sugar

             77gr (4 small)                     egg yolks

             32gr                                  cornstarch

             25gr                                  butter

             1/2                                   vanilla pod

             Kirsch mousse

             480gr                                pastry cream

             52ml                                 Kirsch

             15gr                                  sheet gelatin, softened in cold water 

             500ml                                heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

             1 cup                                raspberries

            Italian meringue

            60gr (2)                             egg whites

            97gr                                  granulated sugar

            15gr                                  glocuse or corn syrup

            23gr                                  water

I think the best way is to start with the genoise. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl placed over a bain marie ( do not cook the eggs) untill warm (approximately 45C ). Attach the bowl to a mixer and whip at medium speed for 8-10min until the mixture is cool, pale and forms thick ribbons. Fold in carefully with a spatula the flour (do not deflate the batter) and pour the batter into a 20cm-diametre greased pan. Bake at preheated oven to 190C for 20min untill light brown. When done, let cool at room temperature before cutting. From the whole cake i suggest using two layers, one thick and one thinner. Continue with the pastry cream by warming the milk with 2/3 of the sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan. Meanwhile whisk the yolks with rest of the sugar and add the cornstarch until fully incorporated. When the milk comes to boil, temper the yolk mixture with 1/4 of it and pour it back to the pan whisking vigorously until the cream has boiled . Remove the vanilla pod and fold in the butter untill melted. Let the cream cool covering with plastic wrap if necessary.

For the ladyfingers, shift flour and cornstarch together. Whip the yolks with vanilla and 8gr sugar until thick and simultaneously whip in another bowl the egg whites with the rest of sugar to stiff peaks. With a spatula fold the yolk mixture into the whites until partially combined and gently incorporate the flour ( do not overmix, fold with care). Pipe 10cm long batter sticks in two rows and onto a silicone mat or paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake at a preheated oven to 200C for 10min. As long as the ladyfinger bands are quite flexible, use them to line a 24m-diametre cake pan.

To make the syrup, simply boil water and sugar for 2min, let cool and stir in the Kirsch. Use the syrup to moisten the ladyfingers and the bottom, thick layer of genoise (placed between the ladyfingers). Cover it with raspberries. As for the mousse, bring Kirsch to a simmer, remove from the heat and add the softened gelatin sheets. Stir until dissolved and whisk it in the pastry cream. When no lumps remain, fold in the whipped cream and pour half of the mixture over the genoise base. Continue with the second cake layer on top of the mousse. Moisten it with syrup and cover again with the rest of the filling. Freeze the cake until set.

For the Italian meringue heat water with 89gr of sugar. When it reaches 100C (or when it starts boiling) whip the egg whites in a mixer adding gradually the rest of the sugar. At the point that the syrup has reached 120C, remove from heat and quickly pour it like a stream between the the sides of the bowl and beater of the mixer and into the whipping whites. When the mixture is fully incorporated , turn the mixer at high speed for a minute and then keep whipping at medium speed until meringue is cool. Pipe or spread it on top of the cake and burn with the 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.