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.