Chocolate roll with citrus cream

                       Sponge cake

                       3                                                         yolks

                       3                                                         egg whites

                       3                                                         eggs

                       123gr                                                   granulated sugar

                       53gr                                                     cake flour

                       20gr                                                     cocoa powder

                       40gr                                                     powdered sugar

                       as preferred                                         vanilla

                       Citrus cream

                       180gr                                                   heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

                       100gr                                                   white chocolate

                       60gr                                                     orange juice with or without liqueur

                       2,4gr                                                   gelatin sheets, softened in cold water

                       2Tbs                                                    mandarin or orange marmalade

                       1tsp                                                     orange zest

                       Ganache

                       170gr                                                   heavy cream

                       170gr                                                   chocolate

For the citrus cream warm the orange juice until slightly hot but not boiling and stir in the softened gelatin. When it's completely dissolved  reheat if necessary to slightly warm up the mixture and pure it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted, using microwave if needed, and add the zest and marmalade. Set aside to cool until lukewarm and finally fold in the whipped cream. Keep in fridge until set and spreadable, even overnight.

Continue with the sponge cake by shifting the flour with cocoa powder and separately combining the eggs yolks, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk the mixture at high  speed until thick ribbon stage and pale in color. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with powdered sugar to meringue  Add the meringue to the yolk mixture alternately with the flour and fold as few times as possible and carefully not to deflate until combined. Spread the batter on a 30x40cm lined sheet pan and bake at a preheated convection oven to190C for about 12min until it has gained a slight color and springs back when touched.

Then let it cool, turn it upside down and remove the parchment paper from the bottom. Spread the cream on that surface after giving it a little stir to soften and roll the sponge cake lengthwise  in an tight and even manner. Keep it in fridge rolled in the parchment paper and make the ganache by combining the chocolate with the heated until hot cream. Stir until completely smooth and finally pure over the sponge cake roll. Refrigerate for the cake to set and optionally serve with orange confit and and chocolate decorations.

PRINSESSTÅRTA

 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.  

Mille feuille

“ Our October 2012 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Suz of Serenely Full. Suz challenged us to not only tackle buttery and flaky puff pastry, but then take it step further and create a sinfully delicious Mille Feuille dessert with it!

                      ”  

Well, not quite puffed but sure delicious in this vanilla, chocolate and pear version. 

                        (four 6x12 servings)
                        Puff pastry

                        --- Butter block

                        300gr                                               margarine

                        6gr                                                  lemon juice

                        75gr                                                bread flour

                        --- Dough

                        13gr                                                  salt

                        272gr                                                water, cold

                        57gr                                                  butter, cold

                        4gr                                                    lemon juice

                        145gr                                                cake flour

                        375gr                                                bread flour

                        White chocolate pastry cream
                        450gr                                                  milk
                        90gr                                                    sugar
                        54gr                                                    flour
                        90gr                                                    eggs
                        1/3                                                     vanilla pod
                        90gr                                                    white chocolate

                        Chocolate layer
                        2                                                         eggs, room temperature
                       38gr                                                     sugar
                       57gr                                                     chocolate

                       Poached pears
                       4                                                          small pears
                      175ml                                                    water
                      130ml                                                    white wine
                      15ml                                                      passion fruit juice or orange juice
                      160gr                                                     sugar
                      1tsp                                                       lemon zest
                      1/2Tbsp                                                 orange zest
                      4                                                           mint leaves
                      1/5                                                        vanilla pod

Prepare the puff pastry a day earlier  starting with the dough. Shift both flours together on a kneading surface, add the butter in chunks and cut it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in most of the water with the salt dissolved in it. Combine the dry with the liquid ingredient and adjust the consistency with the addition of the remaining water. The dough should be fairly sticky while holding together, rough looking and should be kneaded as little as possible. Then let it rest in the fridge for at least 30min. For the butter block work by hand the margarine with flour and lemon juice until pliable but not melted and shape a 15x15cm square. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm. At a point were the dough and butter block have the same consistency, roll the dough into a 23x23cm square and place the butter block in the center so that its corners are aligned with the midpoint of each dough side. Pull up the corners of the dough and join their peaks on top and in the center of the butter block. Pinch the edges together to seal completely the butter. First press and then roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 30x40cm rectangle working it as little as possible. Then conceivably divide the the long dimension in thirds and fold the dough by bringing the outer thirds towards the center and one on top of the other while brushing the excess flour between the layers. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 30min. Next, by rolling the folded dough the first  turn is completed. Repeat the same process three more times and fold the final dough one last time leting it folded to rest in the fridge  overnight.

For the poached pears first peal them, cut them in half and place them in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Boil for approximately 30min until just tender checking occasionally with a fork. To make the pastry cream warm milk with vanilla in a saucepan and whisk the eggs with flour and sugar in a separate bowl. Just before boiling, pour one third of the milk into to eggs whisking constantly and combine the mixture with the rest of the milk over heat. Keep whisking until thick and boiling and then remove from heat. When not too hot but still warm enough add the white chocolate and stir to dissolve. When cool, cover with plastic and keep in fridge. For the chocolate layer melt the chocolate over a bain marie and beat with a hand whisker the yolks with 10gr sugar until thin ribbon stage. While beating the yolks whisk the egg whites with the rest of the sugar in meringue. When beaten, the yolks should be quite warm. So if they are still cold from the fridge, give them a few whisks over the bain marie. Finally add in the melted chocolate and combine. Whisk in part of the meringue to soften the mixture and then fold carefully the rest with a spatula. Spread the batter on a parchment paper sheet covering -as much as you can since the batter is quite runny- just a 12x24cm rectangle and bake at a preheated oven to 190C for 8-10min.  When ready and cool cut to four 6x12cm pieces. For the puff pastry roll the dough just to combine the folded layers and keep a portion needed for a 38x26 rectangle 3mm thick. Roll it to that dimensions, dock with a fork and let rest 20min at room temperature. Then bake at a preheated oven to 190C for 12-14min, an additional 15-20min covered with parchment paper and a cooling rack on top and finally 30 more minutes at 180C without the paper. Let cool and cut 12 6x12cm rectangles, 3 layers for each serving. Spread a little pastry cream on the bottom one to place the chocolate layer on top and repeat it on its surface. Place the second puff pastry layer and pipe some pastry cream near the its sides. Fill the center with the half of each pear cut to slices and cover with more cream. Finish with the last puff pastry piece and ether spread some cream for the leftover crumbs to stick, ether dust with powered sugar and caramelize with a torch. Decorate with the remaining pear half and optionally garnish with puff pastry lattice.             

Almond macaroon cake

 

                          Almond genoise

                          160gr                                                                 cake flour, shifted

                           5                                                                        eggs

                           120gr                                                                 granulated sugar

                           70gr                                                                   almond powder

                           as preferred                                                       vanilla powder

                          Syrup

                          30gr                                                                    granulated sugar

                          40gr                                                                    water

                         Cocoa crumble 

                         75gr                                                                     flour

                         75gr                                                                     butter, melted

                         100gr                                                                   almond powder

                          75gr                                                                    dark brown sugar

                          15gr                                                                    cocoa powder

                          2gr                                                                      salt

                          Macaroon cookies

                          175gr                                                                   almond powder

                          75gr                                                                     granulated sugar

                          40gr                                                                     white whine

                          2                                                                          egg whites

                          60gr                                                                     powdered sugar

                          35gr                                                                     cointreau

                          White chocolate mousseline pastry cream

                          350gr                                                                    milk

                          70gr                                                                      granulated sugar

                          42gr                                                                      flour

                          70gr                                                                      eggs

                          18gr                                                                      butter

                          as preferred                                                          vanilla

                          120gr                                                                    cream, whipped to soft peaks

                          4gr                                                                       gelatin

                          53gr                                                                     white chocolate

                          Topping

                          120gr                                                                   heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

Start with the crumble by mixing all the ingredients together into a crumbly dough. Press some of it on the bottom of a 20cm-diameter ring and into a 5mm thick layer and coarsely brake the rest on a separate pan. Set aside and start with the macaroons. Bring the almond powder, granulated sugar, one egg white and half of the wine together in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until homogeneous, add the rest of the wine and keep stirring for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat, let slightly cool and incorporate the last egg white and 50gr of the powdered sugar. Fill a pastry bag attached with a plain tip, pipe about 3cm-diameter balls of batter on parchment paper, dust with the remaining sugar and bake at preheated oven to 175C along with the cocoa crumble for approximately 5min. The last may be done sooner.

As soon as they are done start whisking the eggs and sugar needed for the genoise to thick ribbon stage and preheat the oven to 180C. When ready, fold in the flour mixed with the almond powder and vanilla, pour the batter in a 20cm-diameter cake ring and bake for 25-27min until the cake is risen in the middle and proved to be done by the toothpick test. For the syrup, which can be made anytime as long as it is cooled when used, boil sugar with water for a couple of minutes and for the mousseline first prepare its base as any pastry cream. Whisk eggs with flour and sugar until no lumps remain, warm the milk, and before boiling point temper with 1/3 of it the egg mixture. Return the combination to heat and stir continuously until boil. Remove from heat, soften the gelatin in cold water and incorporate it to the hot cream stirring until it is completely dissolved.

Then add the butter with the white chocolate, let the cream cool but not set, and in the meantime soak about half of the macaroons -cut to quarters- in the cointreau. As soon as the cream has cooled, fold in the whipped cream and incorporate the macaroon pieces. Place the crumble layer on the bottom of the cake ring -trimming optionally 5mm off the edges- and spread half of the mousse. Cover with half of the genoise (the second layer is not needed) moisten with the syrup, and fill with the rest of the mousseline on top. Refrigerate until set and finish with a whipped cream coating. Garnish with the remaining macaroons and cocoa crumbles.

Coconut and white chocolate torte

                        Pistachio dacquoise

                        40gr                                                                    egg whites                 

                        40gr                                                                    granulated sugar      

                        18gr                                                                    almond flour

                        17gr                                                                    pistachio flour

                        5gr                                                                      cake flour

                        as preferred                                                        vanilla

                       Coconut and yogurt mousse

                       200gr                                                                   coconut cream

                       100gr                                                                   powdered sugar

                       130gr                                                                   strained yogurt

                       7gr                                                                      gelatin sheets, softened

                       300gr                                                                   heavy cream whipped to soft peaks

                       White chocolate and yogurt cream

                       90gr                                                                     white chocolate

                       90gr                                                                     strained yogurt

                       2,4gr                                                                    gelatin sheets

                       135gr                                                                   heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

                     
                      Caramel

                      40gr                                                                      sugar

                      30gr                                                                      butter

                      50gr                                                                      hot coconut cream, heavy cream or puree

                      20gr                                                                      glucose

                      as preferred                                                          vanilla

                    
                     Glacage

                     100gr                                                                     coconut cream

                     50gr                                                                       milk

                     25gr                                                                       water

                     25gr                                                                       sugar

                     100gr                                                                     white chocolate

                     5gr                                                                        gelatin sheets, softened

                    Coconut spongecake

                    1/2                                                                        coconut spongecake

                    30gr                                                                      sugar

                    40gr                                                                      water

First prepare the white chocolate mousse by meting the chocolate and warming the yogurt at least to room temperature. Then heat a minimum amount of water or coconut cream just enough to dissolve in the gelatin and  when hot, add the softened in cold water gelatin sheets. Mix well with the melted chocolate, combine with the yogurt and finally fold in the whipped cream. Seal the bottom of a 20cm-diameter cake ring with plastic wrap, fill it with the mousse and keep in the freezer. Meanwhile prepare the caramel by heating and melting half of the sugar to brown color. Add the cream, butter, and then the rest of the ingredients and boil to 107C. Let cool and refrigerate until use.

For the dacquoise whisk the egg whites with the sugar until stiff, shift in the dry ingredients, fold gently, spread on a 17-20cm-diameter circle on parchment paper and bake at a preheated oven to 180C for about 15min until golden on top. Let cool and optionally trim any protruding edges. Starting with the coconut mousse, mix yogurt with the sugar and then heat some of the coconut cream until hot to dissolve in the softened gelatin. When the gelatin has completely melted, combine with the rest of the cream and yogurt and freeze for a while the mixture until it quite sets and is easily folded into the whipped cream. When ready, start assembling the cake. Remove the frozen mousse from the cake ring (keep it in the freezer), place the dacquoise on the bottom and cover with the first layer of coconut mousse.

Freeze and meanwhile prepare the syrup for the coconut spongecake by bringing water with sugar to boil. Let cool and then place the spongecake over the coconut mousse moistening with the syrup. Pour some more of the coconut filling over it, place the frozen mousse layer on top and cover it with the caramel where you may add chopped pistachios or coconut flakes. Keep in the freezer and prepare the glacage. Combine the sugar, water and milk in a saucepan warming until hot, dissolve in the gelatin, melt in the chocolate and  cool it down adding the coconut cream. At this point return to the cake and finish with the last layer of coconut mousse on top. Freeze again until completely set and meanwhile keep the glacage at room temperature. When set, cover with the glaze, garnish with ground pistachios and refrigerate.