There’s a few things I totally loved about these cakes – the first one is the delicate coffee aroma. Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, you’ll still enjoy this cake – the flavor is delicate and mild and it only brings out the best of chocolate. Another thing I totally loved and was quite impressed with was the praline powder which can easily become a praline paste if you continue pulsing it in the food processor, adding 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil while doing so. It’s so delicious! Both powder and paste and be used in a variety of desserts so it’s a great thing to have around. And last but not least, I loved making them – from the first idea to a sketch then a dessert, everything was fun and so enjoyable. True passion, isn’t it?!
Ingredients:
Genoise:
· 4 eggs
· 85g sugar
· 115g all-purpose flour
· 20g cornstarch
· 1 pinch salt
· 40g butter, melted
Coffee syrup:
· 100ml coffee
· 50g sugar
Mascarpone mousse:
· 150g mascarpone cheese
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 4g gelatin + 20ml cold water
· 150g white chocolate, melted and chilled
· 150ml heavy cream, whipped
Coffee cremeux:
· 150ml heavy cream
· 75ml strong brewed coffee
· 2 egg yolks
· 20g sugar
· 60g milk chocolate, chopped
· 4g gelatin + 20ml cold water
Chocolate praline mousse:
· - Praline powder:
· 60g sugar
· 30ml water
· 60g hazelnuts
· - Mousse:
· The praline powder from above
· 2 egg yolks
· 50g sugar + 25ml water
· 4g gelatin + 20ml cold water
· 150g dark chocolate, chopped
· 300ml heavy cream, whipped
Chocolate coffee glaze:
· 50ml heavy cream
· 80ml water
· 150g sugar
· 100g glucose
· 150ml milk
· 50g cocoa powder
· 1 pinch salt
· 1 teaspoon instant coffee
· 11g gelatin + 55ml cold water
Directions:
Genoise:
1. Mix the eggs with sugar for a few minutes until tripled in volume.
2. Sift the flour with salt and cornstarch and incorporate it in the whipped eggs using a spatula, adding one tablespoon of flour at a time and mixing gently.
3. Take a few spoonfuls of batter in a bowl and stir in the butter. Transfer the mix back in the batter and mix gently.
4. Pour the batter in a 40x30cm baking tray lined with baking paper.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 180C.
6. When done, allow to cool then cut small circles of genoise and place them in your mini-cake rings (line the cake rings with acetate sheets prior to that). Place aside.
Coffee syrup:
1. Mix the coffee and sugar in a bowl and cook over medium flame for 5 minutes.
2. Allow to cool then brush the genoise circles with the coffee syrup. Place aside.
Mascarpone mousse:
1. Bloom the gelatin with cold water for 10 minutes.
2. Mix the mascarpone with vanilla then add the melted gelatin and chocolate.
3. Fold in the whipped cream then pour 2-3 tablespoons of mousse into each cake ring. Place in the fridge to set.
Coffee cremeux:
1. Bloom the gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes.
2. In a saucepan, mix the cream, coffee, egg yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt and place over low heat.
3. Cook for 5-10 minutes until it begins to thicken.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Mix until melted then add the gelatin.
5. Allow to cool to room temperature then pour the cremeux over the mascarpone mousse and place back in the fridge.
Chocolate praline mousse:
1. - Praline:
2. Mix the sugar and water in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until it begins to caramelize, washing down the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water as it cooks.
3. When it has a golden, amber color, remove from heat and add the hazelnuts. Mix to coat them well and transfer on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
4. Allow to cool and set then break and place into a food processor.
5. Pulse until you get a fine powder and place aside.
6. - Mousse:
7. Bloom the gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes.
8. Mix the sugar and water in a saucepan and place over low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar melts.
9. In the meantime, start mixing the yolks until they turn pale and thick. Gradually pour in the hot sugar syrup, mixing all the time until double in volume.
10. Add the melted gelatin then the chocolate and mix well. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature.
11. Fold in the whipped cream then add the praline powder.
12. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of mousse over the coffee cremeux and place back in the fridge to set.
Coffee Glaze:
1. Bloom the gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and place over low heat.
3. Cook for 5-7 minutes from the moment it begins to boil until it looks thickened and dark.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Add the gelatin, mix well, then pass the glaze through a fine sieve.
6. Allow to cool completely before use.
7. To glaze the cakes, place them in the freezer at least one hour then remove the cake rings and acetate sheets. Place the cakes on a wire rack over a pan to collect the glaze as it drips off the cakes. Carefully pour the glaze over each cake and allow it to drip off as needed.
8. Transfer on cake boards or platters and place back in the fridge.
Amaretto Truffles:
1. Mix the heavy cream and salt in a bowl and place over low heat. Bring to the heating point then remove from heat and add the chocolate.
2. Mix well until melted and smooth then add the butter and Amaretto.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a few hours.
4. Take one teaspoon of mixture and shape it into a bowl. Roll right away through cocoa powder.
Decor:
1. To decorate the cakes, I melted some chocolate, tempered it slightly and spread it on an acetate sheet which I then wrapped around a small cake ring and placed in the fridge to set.
2. Add a truffle and the décor is finished.
3. Enjoy!
Source;Click
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