Earl Grey Mousse Cake

Specially designed this cake for a colleague birthday, she like Earl Grey so what better way to celebrate her birthday by making her a very earl grey flavored cake. The Earl Grey infused mousse is accompanied by a rich dark chocolate sponge at the bottom, the flavour of the dark chocolate and the Earl Grey compliment each other very well I must say.

Recipes (makes one 10 inch round cake)

For the chocolate sponge

300g           Sugar
125g           Plain flour
pinch of salt
118g          Cocoa powder
1/3 tsp       Baking powder
1/3 tsp       Baking soda
1/3 cup      Butter milk
1               Egg
42g           Melted butter
1/3 cup     Earl Grey tea

Method

- Preheat oven 160 degree C and prepare a 10 inch round cake ring
- Sift all dry ingredient together
- Mix the egg and buttermilk
- Melt butter and add to tea
- Add the butter/tea to the buttermilk mixture
- Pour liquid to the dry ingredient and mix till just combine, do not over mix
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, till stick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove and cool in the ring.

For the Earl Grey Mousse 

180g              Milk
180g              Cream
31g                Earl Grey tea leave
60g               Egg yolk
90g               Sugar
15g               Lemon juice
7g                 Gelatin (soak in about 3 tbsp of cold water)
290g             Whipped cream

Method

- Bring the milk, cream and tea leave to a boil and leave to infuse for 5 min.
- Strain mixture and weight out 270g
- Mix egg yolk with sugar and lemon.
- Pour into tea mixture
- Return to pot and cook gently till 85 degree C
- Add soaked gelatin, once gelatin dissolved, strain and cool to 30 degree C
- Fold in whipped cream

Assembly 

- Trim the cake and lay in the bottom of a 10 inch cake ring
- Pour the mousse over the cake
- Set in the fridge over night

Carrément Chocolat (Recipes by Pierre Hermé)

Came across this recipe by French pasty chef Pierre Hermé months and months ago and been dying to try it out. This cake is named Carrément Chocolat in French which simply means Downright Chocolate, but there is no way to simplify the description of this cake. You get 5 textures of chocolate in one single bite. Starting with the base of a lightly set chocolate brownie, a layer of chocolate cream, a layer of chocolate mousse, a layer of chocolate glaze to cover the cake and topped with a thin brittle sheet of dark chocolate. The whole process of making the cake can take up to 2 days and it involve many but easy to do steps. Rest be asure that you will definitely be rewarded for your hard work!! 

Recipes 

Chocolate Cake

125g              72% Chocolate chopped

125g              Unsalted butter, cut into cubes

110g              Castor sugar

2                    Large Egg

35g               Plain flour, sifted 

• Preheat oven to 170 degree C, butter a 8 inch square or round mold, Sprinkle with flour
• Melt chocolate over a bain marie or microwave
• Place cut butter into chocolate, mix to incorporate 
• Add sugar, mix to incorporate 
• Add egg, mix to incorporate 
• Add flour, mix to incorporate 
• Pour batter into mold and bake for 20 mins. 
• The cake should look underdone. Unmold and cool on a rack
• Place the cake into the bottom of a cake ring of the same size as the cake. 

Smooth Chocolate Cream 

70g               72% Chocolate, chopped 

100g             Whole milk

100g             Heavy cream

50g (2 1/2)   Egg yolk

50g              Castor Sugar

• In a saucepan, bring milk and cream to a boil
• In a bowl, beat egg yolk and sugar till pale yellow
• Once the milk/cream boil, slowly pour a little of the boiled milk into the beaten egg yolk, whisking at the same time. until all the milk have been added to the egg yolk. 
• Return to the saucepan and stir over gentle heat until the mixture reach 85 degree C.
• Place 1/3 of mixture over the chocolate and stir well. Repeat till fully incorporated
• Process the mixture with a handheld immersion blender. 
• Pour cream over the cooled cake. 
• Refrigerate for an hour (minimum) then into the freeze for an hour before adding the mousse. 

Chocolate Mousse 

170g          72% Chocolate, chopped

80g            Whole milk

1                egg yolk

4                egg white

20g            Castor sugar

• Melt the chocolate over a bain marie or microwave 
• Boil the milk and pour the milk over the chocolate beating until smooth
• Add egg yolk and incorporate well. 
• In a stand mixer with wire whisk, beat egg white until foamy, add sugar slowly and beat until stiff peak form. 
• Incorporate 1/3 of the egg white into chocolate mixture. 
• Fold the remaining beaten egg white into the chocolate
• Pour the chocolate mousse over the chocolate cream in the mold. 
• Place in fridge for 2 hours (minimum), freeze for 2 hours before next step. 

Thin Chocolate Sheet

100g           72% chocolate, chopped

• Melt chocolate over bain marie or microwave
• Cool at room temperature until thickens
• Reheat slightly until reach 88 to 90 degree F
• Pour chocolate over a sheet of acetate and spread it out
• Before it set, cut out the shape the same size as the cake. 
• Place another acetate sheet on top and add a weight to prevent chocolate from warping as it dries. 
• Refrigerate for 2 hours

Chocolate sauce 

 50g      70% Dark chocolate chopped
 95g       Plain water
 35g       Castor Sugar
 50g       Heavy Cream

•  Combine all ingredients into a heavy bottom sauce pan.
•  Bring to a boil while stirring constantly.
•  Lower heat and continue heating till mixture is able to coat the back of your spoon.

Chocolate Glaze

100g      70% dark chocolate, chopped
80g        Heavy cream
20g        French butter (room temperture)
100g      Chocolate Sauce

• Heat the cream in the microwave for 30 sec on high
• Pour cream into chocolate and stir to melt the chocolate
• Add in butter in 4 equal parts
• Add in the chocolate sauce

Final Assembly

• Remove the cake from the mold 
• Pour the warm chocolate glaze onto the cake and spread evenly using a spatula
• Leave to set for a few minutes and then transfer to a cake plate. 
• Remove the chocolate sheet from the acetate and place it on top of the cake
• Set the cake in the fridge to defrost for 2 hours before eating. 

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Snickers Cheese cake bars

Snickers bar... nougat topped with caramel and peanuts en-robed with milk chocolate...  imagine this inside a rich creamy cheese cake with a oreo bottom crust. This is the treat to give yourself are a hard day of workout.. not like I am having much recently.. too busy cooking and baking!!

Was surfing the net when I came across recipes for snicker cheesecake and I thought to myself "I am so going to make this one day" and so here we are.. my creation and take on the snicker cheesecake cut into little bite sizes pieces... the end result?? I can help but pop one after another into my mouth.. haha...

Recipes

Crust

2              Packs of oreo cookies (cream remove)
50g          Butter (melted)

• Preheat oven to 180 degree C
• Line the bottom of a 7 inch round or square baking tin with greaseproof paper
• Blend the cookies in a food processor with the melted butter
• Press the crumbs into the baking tin
• Bake for 10 minutes

Filling

400g           Cream cheese
1                  Egg
1/4 cup      Castor sugar
8                  Mini Snickers bar chopped into small pieces (add more if you like)
2 tsp            Vanilla extract

• Cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla together in a stand mixer until well mixer
• Fold in the snicker bar
• Pour cheese mixture onto the crust
• Bake for 20 to 25 min
• Set aside to cool then place in fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight
• Remove and cut into square cubes 

Chocolate Mousse Cake

This cake is made specially for a buddy of mine to celebrate his 30th birthday!!! Have a disappointing attempt at the macarons as it ended up with a cracked shell...darn!! But I did not have time to remake the macarons as I need to prepare for that day lunch which I was hosting so end up having to make do with the not so nice looking chocolate macarons, at least it taste yummy still.. haha....

The recipes given below is more then enough to make 1 large 6 inch round cake and 6 more miniature one which I ended up with eventually, of course you can feel free to adjust the recipes according to the amount you need. The sponge and the chocolate glazes are recipes adapted from Pierre Herme while the mousse itself it adapted from William Curley.

If what my friends say is true... I hope they are, then this cake is really yummy and whole the effort to make it. Although I would say it not that difficult to make at all if you already know how to make a chocolate mousse and make a sponge cake.

Recipes: 

Chocolate Sponge 

32g                     Dutch Process Coco powder
28g                     Cake flour
3 Tbsp                Potato Starch
60g                     Butter (Melted / Cooled)
7                         Egg yolks
120g                   Castor Sugar
5                         Egg whites

• Preheat oven to 180 degree C
• Sift flour, starch and coco powder and set aside
• Whisk egg yolk with 60g of sugar till pale yellow
• Whisk egg white till soft peak then add 60g of sugar slowly and whisk till stiff peak(French Meringue )
• Fold the 1/3 of dry mixture to egg white then add 1/3 of egg yolk, repeat till everything is Incorporated.
• Mix a few table spoon of the mixture to the butter and mix well.
• Pour this butter mixture back into the batter and fold.
• Bake for 20-25 mins

Chocolate Mousse 

120ml           Milk
50g              Egg Yolk
24g              Sugar
256g            Bittersweet chocolate (Chopped)
440g            Whipping Cream

• Place milk in sauce pan and bring to boil. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolk and sugar until light in colour about 2 -3 min
• Pour half of the boiled milk to the egg yolk and mixture and mix thoroughly
• Pour this back into the pan and cook over low heat, stirring continously until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon
• Take off heat and pass through a sieve onto the chocolate 
• Mix till smooth and emulsified then leave to cool. 
• Whisk the cream until soft peaks form.
• Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate and use 

Chocolate Mirror Glaze

1/4 cup           Cold water
2 tsp               Powder gelatin
150g              Castor sugar
1/3 cup           Water
1 1/4 tbsp       Corn syrup
95g                 Coco powder
1/3 cup           Heavy cream

• Mix the 1/4 cup cold water with gelatin and set aside
• In small saucepan, whish together sugar and water over medium heat. When sugar melted, remove from heat and add corn syrup follow by whisking in the cocoa powder. You will end up with a glossy mixture
• Stir in the cream and return to the heat. Bring to a boil stirring constantly
• Strain into a bowl and leave to cool to about 50 degree C
• Add in gelatin and stir till dissolve
• Strain again and let cool till room temperature before pouring onto cake

Assembly 

• Cut the cake into 3 layers, (You will only need 2, the 3rd is for the mini cakes)
• Using a 6 inch round cake ring, place the first layer of cake on the bottom
• Top this layer with mousse 
• Lay the next layer and top with mousse again. 
• Chill in fridge for 4 hours or over night. 
• To remove the move, use a hot towel to wipe the ring or use a blow hot air using a hair dry at the ring. 
• Place the cake in the freezer for at least 2 hours before glazing to make the glazing easier.
• Decorate the cake as you wish... Enjoy

Peppermint Chocolate Cake... Mother's Day Special

It's Mother's Day today and what better gift for my beloved mother who have taken care of me for the past 29 years then to bake for her on this special day to show how much she means to me. Took the whole day to make this although it could have taken much lesser time if I have a better organized kitchen!! Haha..

After a great holiday at Club Med Cherating last weekend, was inspired to create a peppermint chocolate cake. Couldn't find anything online hence decided to come up with my very own recipe.

The recipe consist of a 3 parts, there is the cake, the peppermint cream, the Chocolate Glaze. Decoration are optional, it will taste great even without the fancy stuff that I made...

Recipe. . . . .

Chocolate Cake

170g      Cake Flour
13g        Coco Powder
3/4 tsp   Baking Powder
1/4 tsp   Baking Soda
1/2 tsp   Salt
170g      Dark Chocolate (At least 60%)
170g      Unsalted Butter
1 tsp      Vanilla Extract
                                           100g      Castor sugar
                                           100g      Light brown sugar
                                           3            Eggs
                                           105ml    Buttermilk / Wholemilk

To make the cake

1. Pre-heat oven to 160 degree C
2. Prepare / grease a 7 in by 3 in round baking tin.
3. Melt the chocolate in a microwave and set aside to cool. (30 sec on high, mix, 10 sec on high)
4. Sift all the dry ingredients together and have it ready 
5. Beat butter together with sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy (Pale Ivory in colour) 
6. Add vanilla extract then add egg one at a time. 
7. When eggs is well in cooperated, pour in melted chocolate 
8. Mix in 1/3 of the dry ingredient follow by 1/3 of the milk until everything is in cooperated. 
9. Pour batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45 to 55 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
10. Remove from mold and cool to room temperature before cutting into 3 equal layer. 

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cream

650g        Whipping Cream
120g        Fine sugar
2 tsp        Peppermint extact or to taste
1/2 tsp     Green colouring
3/4 tsp     Powder Gelatin
40ml        Cold Water
50g         Shaved chocolate

To make the peppermint cream

1. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the cream, sugar, colouring and mint extract
2. Combine the gelatin with the cold water to allow it to bloom (Abt 1 min)
3. Whisk the cream till just before soft peaks form
4. Pour in the gelatin mixture and whisk till firm
5. Mix in the shaved chocolate
6. Set cream aside in fridge to chill. 

Chocolate Glaze (Adapted from Pierre Hermé)

This chocolate glaze consist of 2 parts, you will first have to make the chocolate sauce which will have left over after making the glaze.. you get use the same chocolate sauce for your desert like ice cream etc.. totally awesome chocolately goodness...

Chocolate sauce 

 50g      70% Dark chocolate chopped
 95g       Plain water
 35g       Castor Sugar
 50g       Heavy Cream

To make the chocolate sauce

1.  Combine all ingredients into a heavy bottom sauce pan.
2.  Bring to a boil while stirring constantly.
3.  Lower heat and continue heating till mixture is able to coat the back of your spoon.

Chocolate Glaze

100g      70% dark chocolate, chopped
80g        Heavy cream
20g        French butter (room temperture)
100g      Chocolate Sauce

1. Heat the cream in the microwave for 30 sec on high
2. Pour cream into chocolate and stir to melt the chocolate
3. Add in butter in 4 equal parts
4. Add in the chocolate sauce

Finishing the Cake 

1. Sandwich the layers of cake with the peppermint cream 
2. Completely frost the outside of the cake with the peppermint cream
3. Pull into freeze for about 1 hours to chill the cream, this will make the subsequently chocolate glaze much easier to apply
4. Pour chocolate glaze on the top and work your way to coat the entire cake. 
5. Chill in fridge and enjoy!!! Bon Appetit!!