Old fashioned blueberry semolina cake with blueberry vanilla glaze

Simple cake for a cosy weekend tea time :) This a hard combination to resist - juicy blueberries in a moist yoghurt cake. Well... just try it yourself!

Ingredients:

80 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
200 grams fine semolina
160 grams caster sugar
150 grams yoghurt
3 eggs
⅔ cup melted butter, cooled
half of vanilla pod (keep the rest for the glaze)
300 grams fresh blueberries

Sift the flour, baking powder, semolina and caster sugar together and place in a bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla and yoghurt.

Pour the eggs mixture along with the melted butter into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the blueberries and fold through very gently.

Pour the mixture into the cake mould and bake in a pre-heated 170°C oven until golden and cooked through - about 40-50 minutes. Also you can bake it in a muffin pan or individual cake pans. If so adjust the baking time to 20-30 min. 

Remove from the oven and let the cake sit in the mould for about 5 minutes then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool.

For the blueberry glaze:

2 tsp blueberry juice (from fresh or frozen blueberries),
half of vanilla pod,
1 tsp lemon juice,
icing sugar to the right consistency (about 3/4 cup)

To make blueberry juice mash the blueberries in a medium sized bowl releasing lots of dark blue juice. Remove the blueberry skins from the juice and discard.  Add lemon juice and vanilla seeds, then add icing sugar until right consistency. Pour the glaze over cake.

My first wedding cake

No recipe today sorry. Just wanna show you my first ever wedding cake. It was such a mission from start to finish, but finally it's ready and I hope bride will love it. 
What's inside? I decided to make it simple - classic chocolate cake with swiss meringue buttercream all covered with fondant. I made about 60 sugar gum roses! It was my first experience with sugar gum as well.
And... I have a new order for a wedding cake in August.

Tiramisu cake

I made this cake as a present for a house-warming party. It was a first time I made tiramisu in a cake form, so I modified my classic recipe a little bit to make it work. I added gelatine to keep it stay and for the stronger texture.

Ingredients:

2 ready made round sponges (21cm diameter and about 3-4cm thick)
1,5 package lady-fingers biscuits
1 tbsp good quality cocoa powder (I used Dutch-processed)

Tiramisu cream:
250g mascarpone,
250ml heavy cream,
3 eggs,
100ml Kahlua (any coffee liqueur or Irish Cream would work well)
1 leaf gelatine (you can add 1 more leaf for stronger texture or for the summer time),
1/2 cup caster sugar,
1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla essence,


Soak gelatine leaf in cold water. Set aside.
Put the mascarpone in a small bowl and gently fold in the liqueur and vanilla seeds (or vanilla essence). Set aside.
Put the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar on a double boiler and whisk until sugar dissolved and mixture is hot on touch. Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy then gently fold in the mascarpone mixture.
Whip the cream until soft peaks and fold in the mascarpone mixture.
Drain the water from the gelatine and dissolve it in microwave or over a double boiler.
Whip the egg whites until soft peaks, continuing whipping slowly add the dissolved gelatine and whip until glossy. Slowly fold in the mascarpone mixture.


Syrup:

100ml strong espresso,
4 tbsp sugar,
50ml Kahlua.

Mix all ingredients and stir until sugar dissolved. Allow to cool.

To assemble:
Put one circle of sponge on the bottom of 23cm spring-form cake pan. Arrange lady-finger biscuits around the sides of the pan. Moist the sponge with prepared syrup then cover with the half of mascarpone cream. Cover with second sponge, moist it with the syrup then cover with the remaining mascarpone cream. Dust over with the cocoa powder. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Chocolate Feijoa and Banana Bundt Cake

We have a crazy amount of feijoas this year. I'm making different jams, salads and of course cakes. I adapted this recipe for feijoas. The result is a velvety not too sweet cake with a delicate feijoa tang.

Ingredients 

1 ¾  cup flour 

1 cup sugar

¾ cup cocoa powder 

1½ tsp baking powder

1½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt 

1 cup buttermilk

1½ cup peeled and mashed feijoas

1 mashed ripe banana

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1egg

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

For glaze:

100 g melted chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F).  Coat bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, feijoas, banana and brown sugar.  Add egg, then stir in oil and vanilla extract.

Gently add flour mixture to liquid, mixing until just combined.  Some lumps are good, but make sure to fully incorporate.  Pour into bundt pan and bake about 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool on wire racks for 20 minutes and then remove from pan.  Let cool fully on wire racks.   

For the chocolate glaze:  Melt the chocolate in microwave or over a double boiler then pour it on cake.

Chocolate mousse cake

The fudgy consistency of this cake and the silken texture of the tofu mousse are delicious combination.

Ingredients:

250 g good quality chocolate,
200 g butter,
1 tbsp coffee powder, dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water
6 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cup gluten-free flour mix (or normal flour)


Preheat oven to 180C. Spray 2 23 cm spring-form cake tins with baking spray and line with baker paper.

Melt chocolate and butter over a gentle heat until melted but not too hot. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Slow add egg whites in 4 lots. This process takes about 10 minutes but it is worth it. Add vanilla, coffee and flour on a very low speed then gradually beat in the chocolate mixture.

Carefully pour into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cover tins with a damp tea towel to trap the steam and keep the crust soft. Cool in the tins.

For the mousse:

300 g chocolate,
640 g silken tofu (must be silken)
1/2 cup simple sugar syrup (or 50 ml maple syrup, or 50ml liquid honey, or 50 ml agave nectar )
1 leaf gelatin (optional)

Simple sugar syrup is made up of 2 parts of sugar and 1 part of water. Bring the water to boil, dissolve the sugar into the boiling water, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat once sugar is dissolved completely. Allow to cool before use.

To make the mousse, melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in microwave. Place silken tofu and sugar syrup in the blender or food processor. Blend until smooth add the melted chocolate and blend again. I also added 1 leaf gelatin dissolved in 2 tbsp of water.

To assemble, slice the top of the cakes to form even surface. Line the original spring-form with cling film, allowing a good overhang. Place one cake into the bottom, covet with a thick layer of mousse, add the second cake and finish with remaining mousse . Fold the cling film over or cover with a dinner plate and refrigerate for 4 hour or overnight.

To serve, remove from the tin, transfer to serving platter and smooth the sides of the cake with a palette knife. Decorate with fresh seasonal fruit or berries, ganache or topping of your choice.

St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes and Cake

I made those cupcakes for our St. Patrick's Day lunch which we have every year in our company. I always bring something sweet. So this year I decided to make green cupcakes. Yum!

Orange and almond cupcakes:
100 gr. butter at room temperature,
1 egg,
5 egg yolks (keep egg whites for butter cream),
1 1/2 cups sugar,
grated zest of 1/2 orange,
1 tsp orange essence,
100 ml cream,
100 ml milk,
2 cups plain flour,
1 cup ground almonds,
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp green food colouring.

Preheat oven to 170C. Prepare a muffin pan and cases.

Whip the butter until light and fluffy, add sugar and beat until pale. Add egg and egg yolks one at the time beating well after each addition.

Mix cream, milk, orange essence, food colouring and orange zest. In a different bowl mix almonds, flour and baking powder.

Add liquid and flour mixtures to the butter and eggs each in three batches starting and finishing with the flour.

Divide the butter between muffin cases and bake for about 20 min.


Swiss meringue butter cream (Recipe by Martha Stewart):  
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 large egg whites
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.

2.Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.

4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

And finally, the cake! 
Made from the same butter and the same butter cream. Just covered with fondant and decorated with shamrocks. I'm not really good in this sort of cake decorations, but I think it's still cute. No?

Iced honey mascarpone and almond cake with fig salad

This is my new favourite - awesome almond cake with figs - absolute divine.  To be honest I'm not a big fun of mascarpone and also I don't like honey, but in this cake I love them. Try it with a glass of a sherbety, grapey Moscato.
You’ll need to start this recipe at least a day ahead. Recipe adapted from Gourmet Traveller Magazine.

Ingredients:
12       figs, quartered
125 gm       raspberries (optional)
1 tbsp       amaretto
To serve:       honey

Almond dacquoise
200 gm       unblanched almonds
6       eggwhites
110 gm (½ cup)       caster sugar
60 gm       icing sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
50 gm       plain flour

Honey mascarpone
3       egg yolks
110 gm       honey (I used 50 gm honey and 60 gm brown sugar)
750 gm       mascarpone (I used 400 gm mascarpone and 500 ml whipped cream)
60 ml (¼ cup)       amaretto




1     For dacquoise, preheat oven to 150C. Process almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Whisk eggwhites in an electric mixer until soft peaks form, add caster sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. Fold in icing sugar, then almonds and flour and spoon into a piping bag. Trace three 18cm circles onto baking paper-lined oven trays. Pipe dacquoise within template into circles, bake for 15 minutes or until just golden, cool on trays for 5 minutes, then turn onto baking paper sprinkled with icing sugar and cool completely.

2     For mascarpone, combine egg yolks and honey in a heat-proof bowl and whisk over simmering water for 7-8 minutes or until pale and thick. Transfer to an electric mixer and whisk until cold. In a bowl, gently mix amaretto and mascarpone, then fold in egg yolk mixture.

3     To assemble, place a dacquoise circle, trimming edges to fit, into a baking paper-lined 20cm springform pan, spread with one third of mascarpone all the way to the edges and down the sides, then top with another circle. Repeat with remaining mascarpone and dacquoise, finishing with a layer of mascarpone and freeze overnight.

4     Fifteen minutes before serving, remove cake from freezer and place in refrigerator. Combine figs and raspberries in a bowl, drizzle with amaretto and stand for 10 minutes. To serve, remove cake from pan, arrange fig salad on top and drizzle with honey.

Beetroot, chocolate and orange loaf

Beetroot is actually very sweet and keeps this rich chocolate loaf wonderfully moist. Make it for your friends, then ask them to guess the mystery ingredient. This loaf has a surprisingly smooth velvety texture and rich chocolate taste. Really good with yoghurt.

Ingredients (Makes 8 slices)
1 large cooked beetroot, about 180 gr,
225 gr flour,
100 gr cocoa,
1 Tbsp baking powder,
225 gr sugar
3 eggs,
juice and grated zest of a half large orange (reserve zest from the other half for decoration)
2 tsp vanilla essence,
200 ml sunflower oil,
100 gr dark chocolate (not too bitter), chopped into pieces
2 tbsp orange liqueur (optional)
Chocolate for frosting  (optional)
Crème fraiche or yoghurt, to serve

1. Heat the oven to 190C, Line a 900gr loaf tin with baking paper.

2. Tip the beetroot into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Add a pinch of salt, sugar, eggs, orange juice, zest, vanilla and liqueur. Mix well.

3. Mix together flour, cocoa and baking powder, then add it to the liquid mixture, stir well.

4. Add the oil in a steady stream, while whizzing, as if you were making a mayonnaise.

5. When all the oil has been added, stir in the chocolate, then tip the mix into prepared loaf tin. Bake for about 1 hour until an inserted skewer comes out practically clean. Leave the loaf to cool on a rack.

6. Cover the loaf with a melted chocolate and decorate with orange zest if desired. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche or thick yoghurt.



Enjoy!

Poached Cherry Zuccotto

Zuccotto is a traditional Italian desert with origins in Florence. Some say the cupola shape was inspired by the Duomo in Florence, Italy; others speculate that zuccotto is a play on zucca, which is the Italian word for pumpkin. Zuccotto is a wonderful dessert for a festive occasion. Make it up to three days in advance – it improves with time. It's not too sweet inside and I like it, but if you like it sweet feel free to add  more sugar. Also, I recommend to add a little bit of pink food colouring into the central part of the filling.

Ingredients:

4 medium eggs
150g caster sugar
pinch of salt
100g flour
30g cocoa
½ teaspoon baking powder
25g butter, melted
500g cherries, stones removed
1/3 cup sugar
juice of 1 orange
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur or brandy
200g ricotta
4 tablespoons icing sugar
¼ cup finely chopped candied orange peel
300ml double cream
food colouring (optional)


Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Butter a 30cm x 20cm Swiss roll tin and a 20 cm round tin, then line the base with baking paper.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt until thick and pale. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together over the mixture and gently fold in then fold in the butter. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 15 minutes. Turn out and cool on a rack.

Put the cherries in a saucepan with the sugar and orange juice. Cover and simmer over a very low heat for 10 minutes until tender. Strain the cherries and set aside, reserving the juice. When the juice is cool, add 2 tablespoons of the Grand Marnier and set aside.

Line a 6-7 cup pudding basin or bowl with plenty of plastic wrap. Cut the sponge into long triangular pieces and use to line the inside of the basin. Moisten the sponge, including the piece for the top, with the reserved cherry juice.

Place the ricotta and 3 tablespoons of the icing sugar and the remaining tablespoon of Grand Marnier in a bowl and beat until smooth. Fold in the orange peel and half the poached cherries. Whisk the cream to just beyond soft peaks (it should be firm but not overwhipped). Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the ricotta mixture and fold in gently. Spread this mixture over the sponge.

Place the remaining cherries, food colouring and icing sugar in a food processor and blend to a purée. Place the cherry purée in a bowl and fold in the remaining whipped cream. Fill the centre of the sponge with this mixture. Place the remaining piece of sponge on the top then cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 3 days.

Turn out on to a plate to serve.

Serves 8-10

Three milk cake with pomegranate & pistachio

Beautiful and light cake with fantastic marshmallow topping and bright crystals of  pomegranate & pistachio. Perfect treat for summer time. Yes, it's a summer here in New Zealand. 
Start with recipe at least 1 day ahead. This is an original recipe from Cuisine magazine, but I usually divide the cake dough between two equal tins to make a two not too high cakes. Also I like to double the marshmallow topping.

For the cake:

225 gr flour,
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 large eggs, separated
225 gr caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup full-cream milk

Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter a 21x21 loaf or cake tin and line with baking paper.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Place egg whites in a large bowl and whisk to firm peaks with a mixer. While still whisking, gradually add the sugar.
Turn the motor to the lowest speed and whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla and lemon juice.
Fold in the flour mix and the milk. Spoon into the tin and bake for 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

For the three milks

200 ml condenced milk
150 ml cream
150 ml full-cream milk

Combine all the ingredients in a jug. Turn the baked cake on to a wire rack and cool for about 10 minutes. Cut off the dark sides and discard. Place the cake in a dish slightly bigger than the cake and poke holes in the top with a skewer. Pour half oh the milk mix over, reserving the remainder. Cool overnight to soak up the milks.

For the marshmallow topping:

2 egg whites,
125 gr caster sugar,
1 tsp lemon juice,
1/2 tsp rose water,
2 sheets leaf gelatine (or 1,5 teaspoons powdered)
125 ml boiling water

Whisk the egg whites to firm peaks then gradually whisk in the sugar and finally the lemon juice and rose water. Soak the leaf gelatine in a dish of cold water for 2 minutes. Squeeze out the excess moisture then dissolve the gelatine (or add powdered here) in the boiling water. Slowly pour the gelatine into the agg mixture while whisking. Continue whisking until the mix is cool and firm (about 8 minutes).
Pile the marshmallow mixture on top of the cake. It doesn't matter if the sides are uneven as you can tide these up after it has set. Chill for at least 1 hour or for up to a day.

To serve:

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds,
1/2 cup pistachios, lightly roasted and chopped.

Remove the cake from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Using a knife dipped in hot water, tidy up the sides oh the marshmallow if desired then cut the cake into 6-8 pieces. Place each in a bowl and pour a little extra three-milk mix. Sprinkle with pomegranate and pistachios.



Enjoy!

Banana and chocolate cakes with creamy banana frosting

Banana and chocolate cakes:
2 very ripe bananas,
2 eggs,
180 gr flour,
70 gr fine coconut,
50 ml vegetable oil (I used grape seed oil)
4 tbsp sour cream or buttermilk,
100 gr brown sugar,
pinch of salt,
1 tsp baking powder,
2 tbsp banana liqueur (orange liqueur or use a few drops of banana essence),
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder.

Preheat oven to 200C

Combine flour, salt, baking powder and coconut.

Mash bananas with a potato masher, add sour cream and liqueur, stir well and set aside.

Beat eggs with sugar until fluffy, add oil and beat again. Add egg mixture to bananas, stir until combined, then add flour and stir.

Put 1/3 of the dough in a different bowl, add cocoa powder, stir.

Spoon the mixture into medium greased muffin pans leaving space for chocolate mixture. Spoon the chocolate mixture in the centre of each muffin. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Creamy banana frosting

80 gr cream cheese at room temperature,

150 ml cream,

3 tbsp brown sugar,

3 tbsp instant banana pudding,

2 tbsp banana liqueur,

few drops of yellow food colouring (optional).

Beat cream cheese with sugar until fluffy, add cream and pudding, beat until soft peaks, then add liqueur and food coloring.

Use frosting to decorate completely cooled cakes.

Chocolate cakes with feijoa mousse

Last month of autumn and the end of feijoa season here in New Zealand now. I use to hate this fruit a couple years ago, but now I love them. It's such a wonderful fruit with interesting intense flavor. I think that feijoas is the most "kiwi fruit" then the kiwi fruit is. Every second Kiwi family has the own feijoa tree in the garden and I hope they like feijoas as I do :)

Chocolate Genoise (recipe from here)
6 whole eggs
180 grams sugar
80 grams cornstarch
80 grams flour
20 grams cocoa powder
20 grams butter, melted and cooled

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the eggs and the sugar. Place this bowl over a double boiler and continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the eggs feel hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer and whip in high speed until the eggs triple in volume and they form a thick ribbon.

Sift the cornstarch, flour and cocoa powder together into a bowl. Add the sifted mixture to the whipped eggs in three batches folding each time slowly to avoid deflating the batter too much. Finally add the melted butter and fold so that the butter doesn't all fall to the bottom of the bowl.

Divide this batter into two half sheet pans that have been sprayed and lined with parchment paper. Spread the batter evenly and bake in a 190C oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cake cool. The cake can be wrapped in plastic and frozen.

Feijoa mousse:
8 small feijoas (4 large)
3 tbsp sugar
100 ml of water,

100 g Cream Cheese at room temperature
100 ml cream
4-5 tbsp sugar
1 tsp gelatin
1 egg white



I put feijoas in hot sugar syrup for about 10 minutes because they became very dark in the air. You can also add a few drops of green coloring in the syrup. So scoop out feijoa pulp and put it in hot sugar syrup. Wait for 10 minutes, then remove them from syrup and blend in a food processor until smooth.
Soak gelatin in a 2 spoons of water.
Beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of sugar until forming peaks.
Separately, whip the cream with a spoonful of sugar to the soft peaks.
Separately, whip feijoa with Cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth.

Melt the gelatin in the micro for 10 sec. and pour it into a bowl with feijoa mix. Stir, add the whipped egg whites, stir, then quickly add the whipped cream and stir until combined.

To Assemble
80 ml cream
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp sugar
mint leaves,
1-2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Line ring molds with acetate paper and place them on a sheetpan. Measure the circumference of the ring mold and cut a strip of cake accordingly. Place the strip of chocolate genoise around the ring mold and a disk on the bottom.  Pipe the feijoa mousse inside the ring mold almost to the top. Top with another disk of genoise.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Whip cream with cocoa and sugar until forming peaks. Decorate top of cake with cream, mint leaves and pistachios.

Enjoy!

Cake Pops Again: Pumpkin & White Chocolate Easter Chickens

I made them from leftovers of my favorite pumpkin cake. It's so easy to make them and also a lot of fun for kids to decorate them. Use ready pumpkin cake and instructions from this cake balls recipe.

St. Patrick's Day Cake Balls

I made those cute cake balls for our St. Patrick's Day lunch, which we have every year in our company. 

Ingredients (make about 25-30 cake balls):
4 eggs,
1/2 cup cake flour,
1/2 cup starch,
4 tbsp vegetable oil,
1 cup sugar,
pinch of salt,
1 tbsp liquid green food coloring,
1 tsp coconut essence (or vanilla essence),
1 tsp baking powder.

Cream filling:
200 ml double cream,
4 tbsp condensed milk (or 4 tbsp sugar).

about 400 gr. white chocolate.

Cake:
Preheat oven to 180C. Lay a baking sheet with a parchment paper.

Whip egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Separately, beat egg yolks with sugar until white, then add vegetable oil, food coloring and coconut essence, stir until smooth.

Mix starch, flour and baking powder and add to the yolks and stir well. Then add beaten egg whites and stir carefully.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool the cake for 10 minutes, then cool completely on the rack. Discard browned crust from the cake surface.

Cut the cake on pieces, then put them in food processor and make crumbles.

For assemble: 
Whip the cream with 4 tbsp of condensed milk  until soft peaks and mix thoroughly with cake crumbles.

Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 25-30)

Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)

Melt chocolate in microwave or on stove per directions on package.

Put each ball on a stick, then roll balls in chocolate.(I made double chocolate covering).

Butternut squash cakes with chocolate mousse

For the cakes:
1/2 cup Butternut squash puree (dry roasted in oven and pureed in blender) (u can use pumpkin puree),
1 cup brown sugar,
6 eggs,
2 tbsp melted butter,
1/2 cup cake flour,
1/2 cup starch,
1 tsp baking powder,
1/2 vanilla pod,
pinch of salt.

For the chocolate mousse:
400 ml double cream,
2 egg whites,
4 tbsp cocoa powder (dutch processed),
2 tbsp Irish cream liquor,
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of cream of tartar,
1 tbsp gelatin powder.

Cakes:
Preheat oven to 180C. Lay a baking sheet with parchment.

Beat egg yolks with sugar until white. Separately, whip whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Add butternut squash puree to the egg yolks and stir, when add a melted butter and seeds from vanilla pod, stir until smooth.

Mix starch, flour and baking powder and add to the yolks and stir well. Then add beaten egg white and stir carefully.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Cool the cake for 10 minutes, then cool completely on the rack.

Using mold rings cut 8 round bases, then cut each base in half with a very sharp bread knife. You should get 8 bases and 8 tops (or 10 depending on the diameter of your rings). Put mold rings on the parchment, then place one cake base in each ring.

Mousse:
Soak gelatin in 1 tablespoon of water.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar and 2 tbsp of sugar until soft peaks, set aside. Melt the gelatin 10 seconds in the microwave and stir well until completely dissolved. Add to the beaten egg whites and stir thoroughly.

Whip cream with remaining sugar to hard peaks, add to the mixture and stir carefully but quickly.

Fill the prepared forms with mousse, leaving a bit of room for cake tops. Cover with the remaining cake tops and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Decorate your cakes with grated butternut squash and mint or with melted chocolate.

Enjoy!

Chocolate cakes with mango mousse and raspberries

 
Cake bases:
100 gr dark chocolate
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 eggs
50 gr. brown sugar
1 tablespoon starch
1 tablespoon self rising flour
pinch of cream of tartar and a pinch of salt.


Preheat oven to 180C. Lay a baking sheet with parchment. Melt the chocolate.

Beat egg yolk with sugar until white. Separately, whip whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Mix starch, flour and cocoa and add to the yolks and stir well, then add the melted chocolate. Then add beaten egg white and stir carefully.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Cool the cake for 10 minutes, then cool completely on the rack.

Using mold rings cut 6 round bases. Put mold rings on the parchment, then place one cake base in each ring.


Mango mousse:
1 cup mango puree (from fresh or canned mangoes),
3 tbsp sugar (or more depending of mango sweetness),
1 tsp gelatin,
250 ml heavy cream,
pinch of cream of tartar,
1 tsp lime juice,
1 egg white.

about 150 gr fresh raspberries.

Soak gelatin in 2 tbsp of water and set aside.
Whip egg white with cream of tartar and 1 tbsp of sugar to soft peaks.
In a other bowl whip cream with remaining sugar until soft peaks.
Heat gelatin in microwave for 20 seconds and stir well until completely dissolved, then add gelatin to the mango puree. Add whipped egg white and lime juice, stir gentle, then add whipped cream and stir again.

To assemble:
Put raspberries on each chocolate cake then top them with mousse. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Decorate your cakes with raspberries and fresh mint.



Enjoy!

Chocolate cakes with almond mousse and cherries

Cake bases:
100 gr dark chocolate
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 eggs
50 gr. brown sugar
1 tablespoon starch
1 tablespoon self rising flour
pinch of cream of tartar and a pinch of salt.

Mousse:
10 fresh large cherries,
100 ml. milk
4 tbsp sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp starch
1 tsp gelatin powder
100 ml. heavy cream + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg white
1 tablespoon Cream fresh or sour cream,
2 tbsp amaretto or a few drops of almond essence.

Cakes:
Preheat oven to 180C. Lay a baking sheet with parchment. Melt the chocolate.

Beat egg yolk with sugar until white. Separately, whip whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Mix starch, flour and cocoa and add to the yolks and stir well, then add the melted chocolate. Then add beaten egg white and stir carefully.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Cool the cake for 10 minutes, then cool completely on the rack.

Using mold rings cut 8 round bases, then cut each base in half with a very sharp bread knife. You should get 8 bases and 8 tops (or 10 depending on the diameter of your rings). Put mold rings on the parchment, then place one cake base in each ring.

Mousse:
Soak gelatin in 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk egg yolk with milk, add starch and sugar, put on a slow heat and cook stirring, until mixture is thick. Add liqueur or essence. Put mixture into a shallow dish and cover with cling film. Cool to room temperature.

Melt the gelatin 10 seconds in the microwave and stir well until completely dissolved. Add to the cooled mixture and stir thoroughly.

Cut cherries in small pieces.

Beat egg white with a pinch of salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks, add to the mixture. Whip cream with 1 tablespoon sugar to hard peaks, add to the mixture and stir carefully but quickly.

Add chopped cherries, mix gently and lay on prepared forms, leaving room for cake tops. Cover with the remaining cake tops and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Decorate your cakes with melted chocolate and chopped cherries, almond kernels and mint.





Enjoy!

Tangelo Cakes with Rhubarb Cream

Ingredients
Tangelo Confit
2 tangelos, cut into 5mm-thick slices and seeds removed
2 cups water
1 cup sugar

Rhubarb Cream
250g rhubarb, cut into slices
¼ cup tangelo juice
¼ cup sugar
4 tablespoons mascarpone

Tangelo Cakes
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
½ cup tangelo juice (from about 2 tangelos)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
12 slices tangelo confit

Method
Tangelo Confit
Place the tangelos in a saucepan with the water and sugar, and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 20 minutes until tender. Cool in the syrup.

Rhubarb Cream
Place the rhubarb, tangelo juice and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until the rhubarb is tender (around 10 minutes). Taste and add a little more sugar if necessary (it depends on the sweetness of the tangelos and rhubarb).

Allow to cool completely then mix gently with the mascarpone. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tangelo Cakes
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 12-cup muffin tray with oil and line the bases with rounds of baking paper. In a bowl beat the eggs and sugar until combined. Add the tangelo juice and olive oil.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl. Add the flour into the wet mix a third at a time, combining well. This will make quite a runny batter. Pour into the muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin. Top each cake with a slice of tangelo confit. Serve either warm or cold with a spoonful of the rhubarb cream. Serves 12.



Enjoy!

Pistachio and white chocolate cake

Cake:
6 eggs
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar
5 tbsp boiling water
180 g. peeled pistachios
2 tbsp cake flour
2 tbsp cornstarch

Filling:
5 oz white chocolate
2 cups whipping cream

To cover:
150 g white chocolate
5 tablespoons cream
3 tbsp cocoa butter (butter)

Additional: peeled and chopped pistachios for decoration

1. Make the filling a day in advance. Bring the cream to a boil and add to a chopped chocolate. Stir gently until chocolate melted and allow to cool. Keep refrigerated until next day.
2. Preheat oven at 375F. Draw eight 9" circles on a parchment paper.
3. Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks adding gradually 1/3 cup of sugar. Set aside.
4. Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Put pistachios into a blender or food processor and grind very fine (until it start forming paste). Stir pistachio paste into boiling water. Add slowly to the yolks.
6. Sift flour and cornstarch over yolk mixture, add 1/3 of the whipped whites and fold in gently. Repeat with remaining whites.
7. Spoon 1/2 cup of the batter into drown circles and bake for 5-8 min until springs back, when touched. Allow to cool.
8. Whip cooled filling. Spread prepared cake circles with the chocolate filling. Do not cover sides and top of the cake with the filling.
9. To cover the cake, melt the chocolate with cream, add cocoa butter. Stir gently to blend and cover the cake top and sides. You can dust cake with shredded coconut and cover sides with chopped pistachios.



Enjoy!