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.  

Coconut and chocolate savarin

                                 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.

Opera

 

                                Joconde
                                142gr                                                               almond flour
                                170gr                                                               granulated sugar

                                43gr                                                                 cake flour

                                198gr (4)                                                          eggs

                                99gr (3 big)                                                      egg whites

                                43gr                                                                 melted butter

                                as preferred                                                     vanilla

 

                               Coffee syrup

                               115gr                                                                water

                               115gr                                                                granulated sugar

                               30ml                                                                 coffee liqueur

                               185ml                                                               strong brewed coffee

 

                               Ganache

                               197gr                                                                bittersweet chocolate

                               197gr                                                                heavy cream

                               12ml                                                                 coffee liqueur

 

                               Coffee reduction

                               250ml                                                               water

                                         1^1/2    Tbs                                                            espresso instant coffee granules

 

                               Buttercream

                               183gr                                                                butter at room temperature

                               57gr                                                                  margarine 

                               58gr (2)                                                             egg whites at room temperature

                               82gr                                                                  sugar

                               42gr                                                                  corn syrup

                               29gr                                                                  water

                               25ml                                                                 coffee reduction

 

                               Glaze

                               90gr                                                                  water

                               180gr                                                                sugar

                               118gr                                                                heavy cream

                               56gr                                                                 cocoa powder

                               8,4gr                                                                gelatin sheets

 

Start with the glaze by softening the gelatin in cold water. In a saucepan bring sugar, water and cream to a boil. Shift in the cocoa powder and when completely dissolved ( you can pass it through a strainer if needed ), bring the mixture back to boil and cook for about 4min whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and let it cool to 82C. Then stir in the softened gelatin, combine well, cover the saucepan with plastic film, let cool and keep refrigerated for at least 12h before use. For the joconde whisk the egg whites with 1/3 of the sugar to stiff peaks and transfer the meringue to a separate bowl. With the mixer still fitted with the whisk attachment beat the rest of the ingredients except for butter for a few minutes. Then fold in the melted butter and gradually add the meringue incorporating carefully not to deflate the mixture. Divide and spread the batter on two approximately 36x30cm sheet pans covered with parchment paper and bake at a preheated oven to 185C for 8-10min.

 

 

For the coffee reduction dissolve the coffee in water and boil until reduced to 1/5. Set aside to cool and prepare the syrup by combining water with sugar in a saucepan and boiling for about 1min. Let cool and then proceed with the ganache. Warm the heavy cream until hot, pure it over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Finally add the liqueur and refrigerate just until spreadable. For the buttercream mix margarine with butter until well combined and bring water with sugar and corn syrup to boil. When they reach 100C start whisking the egg whites. As soon as the temperature rises up to 115C, pour the syrup like a string between the whisk attachment and the bowl and into the egg whites while whisking at high speed. Continue until the meringue has cooled and gradually add the softened butter whisking after each addition.

 

In the meantime also incorporate the coffee reduction. When finished set aside and start assembling. First combine the previously prepared simple syrup with the coffee and liqueur. Then divide each joconde layer in half cutting alongside its smaller dimension and choose a piece as the bottom one. Moisten the bottom layer with the coffee syrup and spread half of the buttercream on top. Repeat the procedure for the second joconde layer but cover it with ganache using just as needed. Place the third, moistened joconde layer followed by the remaining buttercream portion and finish with the last joconde on top. Keep in fridge and meanwhile melt the glaze over low heat. As soon as it has cooled again to the right consistency to be pured over and spread without dripping from the sides, apply as much glaze as needed on top of the cake and return to fridge. Let it set there, trim up to 1cm from the sides if preferred and finally cut aproximately 32 pieces.