Coffee Parfait
TIER 2
Coffee Parfait
Taking the same recipe as Tier 1, we just replace water for espresso in the sugar syrup. The coffee brings a slightly more bitter flavour which complements the sweeter profile of the parfait really well. The star of the show is the dehydrated chocolate mousse. Think crunchy meringue shards, but made with a rich chocolate mousse. Finally it’s served with an almond cocoa crumble and a cold chocolate sauce.
6
INDIVIDUAL PARFAITS
Ingredients
Makes 6 individuals parfaits
Coffee Parfait
300g Double Cream
80g Egg Yolks
85g Caster Sugar
35g Espresso
15g Honey
Pinch of Flaked Salt
Chocolate Almond Crumble
55g Ground Almonds
40g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
40g Light Brown Sugar
50g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
25g Cocoa Powder
Pinch of Flaked Salt
Dehydrated Chocolate Meringue
190g Double/Heavy Cream
200g Dark Chocolate, 70% Cocoa Solids, Finely Chopped
135g Egg Whites
55g Caster/White Sugar
Pinch of Flaked Salt
Chocolate Sauce
50g Whole Milk
30g Espresso
50g Double/Heavy Cream
10g Caster/White Sugar
40g Dark Chocolate, 70% Cocoa Solids
Pinch of Flaked Salt
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Digital thermometer
Silicon cylinder mold
Silicon mat
Raplette (optional)
Method
Coffee Parfait
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg yolks and whisk on a medium speed.
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- 80g Egg Yolks
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add the espresso, honey and sugar. Place this onto a medium heat.
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- 85g Caster Sugar
- 35g Espresso
- 15g Honey
3. Continue to cook the sugar mixture until it reaches 118C/244F. It can be a little bit tough as the coffee will cause the mixture to bubble up quite a lot. So if you get to around 114-116C on your digital thermometer that will be totally fine! Remove it from the heat and immediately slowly pour it over the whisking egg yolk mixture. Be careful not to pour the mixture directly onto the whisk or it will splatter. Whisk for 5 minutes on a medium high speed or until the mixture is thick, pale and holds a ribbon. Remove the bowl from the mixer and set it aside.
4. Add the cream, a pinch of flaked salt to a medium bowl and whisk by hand until it forms a medium soft peak.
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- 300g Double Cream
- Pinch of Flaked Salt
5. Whisk the cream into the egg yolk base in two parts. You should end up with a nice smooth mixture.
6. Pour the mixture evenly across a silicon cube mold and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Almond Crumble
1. Preheat the oven to 175C/345F non-fan assisted.
2. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the ingredients and mix on a medium low speed with a paddle attachment until it forms a crumble-like consistency.
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- 55g Ground Almonds
- 40g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
- 40g Light Brown Sugar
- 50g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
- 25g Cocoa Powder
- Pinch of Flaked Salt
3. Squeeze the mixture between your hands to clump it together slightly. Pour the mixture onto a lined baking tray and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Dehydrated Chocolate Mousse
1. Preheat the oven to 100C/215F non-fan assisted.
2. Add the chopped chocolate to a tall measuring jug and set it aside.
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- 200g Dark Chocolate, 70% Cocoa Solids, Finely Chopped
3. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Once it is hot, but not boiling, pour it over the chocolate. Allow it to sit for 2 minutes, then use a hand blender to blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
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- 190g Double/Heavy Cream
4. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and whisk on a medium speed until frothy.
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- 135g Egg Whites
5. Slowly add the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Then once you have added all the sugar, keep whisking until you have a medium stiff peak.
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- 55g Caster/White Sugar
6. Take ⅓ of the meringue and whisk it through the chocolate base to even out the textures.
7. Fold the remaining meringue through in two parts along with a pinch of flaked sea salt.
8. Take a silicon baking mat and spread a thin layer of the mousse evenly across it. A raplette is a great tool to get an even thickness but using a palette knife is fine too. You will have excess mousse so pour it into jars and chill in the fridge to have as a dessert!
9. Slide the silicon mat onto a baking tray and bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes. The mousse should feel firm to the touch and if you break a piece off it should snap like a meringue shard.
10. Remove it from the oven and set aside. This is best made on the same day otherwise it will begin to soften. If it does, just pop it back in the oven t §00C for 20-30 minutes until it is firm again.
Chocolate Sauce
1. Add the espresso, cream, milk and sugar to a small saucepan. Place this on a medium heat.
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- 50g Whole Milk
- 30g Espresso
- 50g Double/Heavy Cream
- 10g Caster/White Sugar
2. Meanwhile add the chocolate to a tall jug.
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- 40g Dark Chocolate, 70% Cocoa Solids
3. Once the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate and blend until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and then transfer it into a pouring jug, covered, and refrigerate for an hour.
Assembly
1. Remove the frozen coffee parfaits from the freezer and place them onto your serving plates.
2. Add a few tablespoons of the crumble around the base.
3. Snap off a large shard of the dehydrated chocolate mousse and rest this against the side of the parfait.
4. When ready to serve, pour the cold chocolate sauce over the top.
5. These are best after sitting at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften slightly but just be aware they will melt around the edges just slightly (the crumble will hide this!)
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Jaffa Cakes
TIER 1
Jaffa Cakes
This recipe was heavily inspired by a cake I had at Ottolenghi’s bakery in London, where they sell a gluten-free orange and almond cake. I’ve never been able to find the recipe, so this is my attempt at trying to recreate it. A slightly more advanced take on a Jaffa Cake, it has a soft brown butter financier, filled with an bright orange compote and finished with a glossy chocolate glaze. It may look simple, but the combination of textures and the depth from the brown butter take it to another level.
6
INDIVIDUAL CAKES
Ingredients
Makes 6 individual cakes
Orange Compote
80g Orange Peel
330g Orange Segments
100g Caster/White Sugar
5g Pectin NH
5g Lemon Juice
Brown Butter & Orange Financier
260g Unsalted Butter
230g Egg Whites
4g Orange Zest
215g Powdered/Icing Sugar
110g Self Raising Flour (or 110g Plain/All-Purpose Flour + 1 Tsp Baking Powder)
115g Ground Almonds
1g Fine Sea Salt
Chocolate Glaze
125g Dark Chocolate, 70% Cocoa Solids
12g Honey
8g Water
37g Unsalted Butter
Toasted Flaked Almonds To Garnish
Special equipment
Food processor
Jumbo muffin tin
Piping bags
Method
Orange Compote
1. Cut the oranges into quarters and remove the segments from the peel.
2. Cut the segments into chunks and add the required amount into a saucepan.
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- 330g Orange Segments
3. Cut the peels into small chunks and add this into the pan.
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- 80g Orange Peel
4. Place it onto a medium heat.
5. Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar and pectin and set it aside.
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- 100g Caster/White Sugar
- 5g Pectin NH
6. Cook the orange mixture for about 3-5 minutes, until the segments have started to break down.
7. Whisk in the sugar mixture and cook it for a further 1-2 minutes, ensuring it reaches a boil.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
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- 5g Lemon Juice
9. Pour the entire mixture into a large food processor and blend briefly – about 10 seconds.
10. Pass the mixture through a sieve, onto a baking tray, scraping the bottom of the sieve to catch all of the compote.
11. Press a sheet of clingfilm on the surface and chill for 2-3 hours or overnight.
Brown Butter Orange Financier
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F non-fan assisted (145C/295F fan assisted). Lightly grease a jumbo muffin tin with butter and coat the inside with flour, tipping out any excess.
2. Into a small saucepan, add the unsalted butter. Place the pan over a medium heat.
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- 260g Unsalted Butter
3. Continue to cook the mixture, whisking occasionally until it is a deep golden brown colour, and smells very nutty. Be careful not to burn it.
4. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a clean bowl on a tared scale, and weigh 220g of brown butter. Set this aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.
5. Into a medium bowl, add the egg whites and whisk for 30 seconds until frothy.
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- 230g Egg Whites
6. Tip in the sugar and orange zest and whisk again to combine. If the icing sugar is quite lumpy, sift it in.
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- 4g Orange Zest
- 215g Powdered/Icing Sugar
7. Whisk in the self raising flour, ground almonds and salt until there are no streaks of flour.
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- 110g Self Raising Flour (or 110g Plain/All-Purpose Flour + 1 Tsp Baking Powder)
- 115g Ground Almonds
- 1g Fine Sea Salt
8. Finally, pour in the cooled brown butter and whisk to combine.
9. Pour the batter equally into the prepared tin, just below ⅘ of each cavity.
10. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes or until an even golden brown colour.
11. Once baked, remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then pop them out onto a wire cooling rack. The cakes are too soft to place straight onto a wire rack from the oven, so need to stay in the tin to hold their shape. Cool for a further 15-30 minutes.
12. Once cooled, use a small serrated knife to cut a hole out of the top of the financier. Keep the lid of the cake and set this aside.
13. Remove the orange compote from the fridge and briefly stir it to loosen it, then add it into a piping bag.
14. Pipe the compote into the hole in each cake, just to the top, then add the lid of cake back on top.
15. Place the cakes back in the fridge.
Chocolate Glaze
1. Into a small bowl, add all of the ingredients for the glaze.
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- 125g Dark Chocolate, 70% Cocoa Solids
- 12g Honey
- 8g Water
- 37g Unsalted Butter
2. Place the bowl onto a pan of gently simmering water, and stir it with a spatula until it is smooth.
3. Immediately remove it from the heat and transfer it to a bowl that is just slightly bigger than your cake. If the bowl is too big, it will be difficult to get enough depth to the glaze to effectively dip it.
4. Remove the cakes from the fridge and immediately dip them into the glaze. Flip them upside down and then set them on a wire rack.
5. The glaze can appear slightly bumpy so if you want a really smooth finish you will need to do a second dip of the glaze.
6. Place the cakes in the fridge or freezer just briefly to set the glaze on top so it is no longer wet to the touch.
7. Warm the glaze back up over a bain marie, transfer if back into the small bowl, and dip the cakes a second time.
8. Let the glaze set for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle some toasted flaked almonds on top to finish.
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Chocolate Fondant Cake
TIER 1
Chocolate Fondant Cake
I love this dessert for how simple yet decadent it is, but my favourite part is how well it works as a make ahead option. During testing, I baked it, left it in the fridge overnight, then reheated it the next day and it still had an incredible gooey centre. Serve it simply with softly whipped vanilla cream.
8-10
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Makes 8-10 servings
300g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Chopped
100g Milk Chocolate, Chopped
200g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
190g Caster/White Sugar
60g Light Brown Sugar
335g Whole Eggs
20g Egg Yolks
3g Flakey Sea Salt
90g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
15g Cocoa Powder
Special equipment
20cm/8” cake ring mold
Stand mixer or electric hand whisk
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 145C/295F non-fan assisted (130C/365 Fan). Take a 20cm/8” cake ring mold and lightly grease it with butter then dust the inside with cocoa powder. Tap out any excess.
2. Place this onto a piece of parchment paper, slightly scrunched around the edge of it so it hugs the cake ring slightly. Lift this onto a baking tray lined with a silicon baking mat.
3. Add the chopped chocolate to a medium bowl and place this over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir this occasionally until it is completely melted, then set this to one side to cool slightly.
- 300g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Chopped
- 100g Milk Chocolate, Chopped
4. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, (or a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer), add the room temperature butter and sugars. Beat this on a medium speed with the paddle attachment for 3-4 minutes, or until thicker and paler in consistency. Scrape down the sides.
- 200g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 190g Caster/White Sugar
- 60g Light Brown Sugar
5. Slowly drizzle in the eggs (previously whisked together in a bowl) and scrape down the bowl a few times as you add the eggs to ensure the butter is fully incorporated. Don’t worry if once you add the eggs the mixture looks slightly split.
- 335g Whole Eggs
- 20g Egg Yolks
6. Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and mix just until it forms a smooth, chocolate batter.
7. Finally, sift in the flour and cocoa powder, and sprinkle over the salt. Stir this together with a spatula until there are no more dry ingredients.
- 3g Flakey Sea Salt
- 90g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
- 15g Cocoa Powder
8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake ring and spread it flat with a spatula.
9. Place it into the centre of the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
10. Once baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes (this will give a very gooey consistency) or even longer. You can even refrigerate it, then place it back into a hot oven (200C/390F for 5 minutes) and then serve it. This will make the centre soft again (although not quite as soft as when you serve it the same day). This is best served with some freshly whipped cream.
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Chocolate Fondant with Strawberry Sorbet
TIER 2
Chocolate Fondant with Strawberry Sorbet
This is a more refined take on the Tier 1 recipe. The fondants are baked in individual ring moulds and plated with chocolate soil and raspberry sorbet. The soil adds crunch and a subtle saltiness, while the sorbet brings brightness and balance to the plate. All the elements can be prepared in advance, then the fondants are baked just before serving.
4
FONDANTS
Ingredients
Makes 4 Fondants
Strawberry Sorbet
90g Water
160g Caster/White Sugar
35g Liquid Glucose or any invert sugar
2g Locust Bean Gum or NH Pectin
450g Strawberry Puree
Citric Acid To Taste (1-2g)
Fine Sea Salt To Taste
Chocolate Crumble
50g Caster/White Sugar
50g Ground Almonds
30g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
20g Cocoa Powder
3g Flakey Salt
35g Unsalted Butter, Melted
Chocolate Fondant
200g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Chopped
200g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
200g Icing/Powdered Sugar
220g Whole Eggs
75g Egg Yolks
55g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
45g Cocoa Powder
Pinch of Flakey Sea Salt
Special equipment
Digital thermometer
Hand blender
Ice cream machine
4 7×3.5cm (2.7×1.3”) metal ring molds
Stand mixer or electric hand whisk
Piping bags (optional)
Method
Strawberry Sorbet
1. Place a medium bowl inside a large bowl that is filled with ice water. Set this to one side.
2. Into a medium saucepan, add the water, sugar, glucose and locust bean gum.
- 90g Water
- 160g Caster/White Sugar
- 35g Liquid Glucose or any invert sugar
- 2g Locust Bean Gum or NH Pectin
3. Whisk the mixture over a medium heat until it reaches 85C/185F on a digital thermometer.
4. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into the medium bowl you set aside, over the ice. Stir this occasionally until it reaches around 10C/50F on a digital thermometer.
5. Transfer the cooled mixture to a tall measuring jug, then pour the strawberry puree on top. Blend till smooth with a hand blender.
- 450g Strawberry Puree
6. Add in the citric acid (or lemon juice) and blend. Taste the mixture and add more if needed to suit your taste.
- 1-2g Citric Acid
7. The mixture can be churned immediately in your ice cream machine, or left in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
8. When you are ready to churn it, add a pinch of salt and stir this through. Then pour it into your machine, churning according to the machine instructions. It usually takes around 15-30 minutes until it is a thick, scoopable texture.
9. Once it is done, it will still be slightly soft, so transfer it to a tupperware and place it back in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Then it will be the perfect scooping texture.
Chocolate Soil
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F non-fan assisted (145C/295F fan-assisted)
2. Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir together with a spatula.
- 50g Caster/White Sugar
- 50g Ground Almonds
- 30g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
- 20g Cocoa Powder
- 3g Flakey Salt
3. Pour in the melted butter and stir together to form a crumbly chocolate mix.
- 35g Unsalted Butter, Melted
4. Tip the crumble onto a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely. If you would like the soil to be a finer consistency you can blend it briefly in a food processor but it’s optional! Store the mixture and set to one side.
Chocolate Fondant
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375C non-fan assisted (175C/345F fan-assisted).
2. Lightly grease four 7×3.5cm (2.7×1.3”) metal ring molds with soft butter and then coat with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess. Place these onto a baking tray lined with a silicon mat or baking paper.
3. Place the chocolate into a bowl and place this over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally until it has melted. Remove it from the heat to cool for 5 minutes.
- 200g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Chopped
4. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on a medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until it is very thick and pale.
- 200g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 200g Icing/Powdered Sugar
5. Lower the speed, and drizzle in the eggs slowly, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
- 220g Whole Eggs
- 75g Egg Yolks
6. Pour in the cooled chocolate and mix to combine, scraping down the bowl as needed.
7. Finally, sift in the flour and cocoa powder, along with a good pinch of the salt. Stir this through with a spatula until you have a smooth, thick batter.
- 55g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
- 45g Cocoa Powder
- Pinch of Flakey Sea Salt
8. Add the mixture to a piping bag and pipe it into the greased ring molds, filling them about ¾ of the way up.
9. Place the tray into the centre of the oven and bake for 14 minutes. They should feel slightly firm/bouncy when you touch the edge and then the centre should look slightly molten.
Assembly
1. While they are baking, prepare the plates. Take the chocolate soil and pour 1-2 tbsp on the side.
2. Remove the sorbet from the freezer and let it warm up for a few minutes before using a warm spoon to scoop some on top of the soil. Do this, just before the fondant comes out of the oven.
3. Once the fondants are baked, place a palette knife underneath each one and carefully lift it onto the serving plate.
4. Carefully remove the ring mold and peel away the baking paper. Serve immediately.
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Coffee & Peanut Financier
TIER 1
Coffee & Peanut Financier
I’m a huge fan of “finger” style desserts and the great thing about this recipe is that it builds all the fundamental elements you’ll need to take on tier 2. The financier is almost like a brownie texture with a smooth coffee cremeux and a simple chocolate glaze. Peanut and coffee is a delicious combination but feel free to swap the peanuts with any other nut. The financier also stores really well so you can bake it, wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge for a few days until you need it.
12-14
FINANCIERS
Ingredients
Makes 12-14 Financiers
Coffee Cremeux
5g Powdered Gelatin + 30g Water
400g Double Cream
115g Egg Yolks
60g Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod
75g Espresso
1g Freshly Ground Coffee
Small Pinch of Flaky Salt
Chocolate Peanut Financier
200g Unsalted Butter
560g Dark Chocolate (70%)
160g Plain Flour
200g Icing Sugar
16g Baking Powder
2g Fine Sea Salt
520g Double Cream
400g Egg Whites
160g Ground Peanuts or Almonds
Chopped Peanuts To Garnish
Chocolate Peanut Glaze
300g Dark Chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
30g Neutral Oil
30g Chopped Peanuts
Special equipment
Digital thermometer
Hand blender
13×9” cake tin
Stand mixer
Piping bag
Large round tip nozzle
Method
1. Into a small bowl, add the gelatin and water to a small saucepan and let it bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Into a medium saucepan, add the cream, espresso, coffee grounds and beans from the fresh vanilla pod. Place it over a medium heat until steaming.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until combined.
4. Pour the hot cream over the egg mixture, whisking to combine, then add it back into the saucepan. Place it over a medium heat.
5. Cook to 80-82C on a digital thermometer, then immediately pass it through a sieve, on top of a tall measuring jug.
6. Scoop in the bloomed gelatin and blend till smooth with a hand blender. Sprinkle in a pinch of flaky sea salt and stir it through with a spatula. Pour the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours.
7. For the financier, preheat the oven to 160C/320F non-fan assisted (145C for fan assisted). Lightly grease a 13×9” cake tin with soft butter. Cut a strip of parchment paper long enough to cover the base of the tin and extend up and over two opposite sides, creating “handles.” Press it into the tin so it sticks to the base and sides. Then cover the other sides with two strips of parchment.
8. Add the chocolate and butter to a medium bowl and melt this over a pan of gently simmering water. Once melted, set it to one side to cool slightly.
9. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, icing sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the ground peanuts on top and whisk to combine.
10. Pour the cream and egg whites on top and whisk by hand just until combined and there are no streaks of dry ingredients.
11. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk again to combine.
12. Pour the smooth batter into the lined tray and bake in the oven for 70-75 minutes.
13. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes before refrigerating for 1 hour.
14. When the financiers have cooled, use the parchment handles to lift it out of the tin and onto a chopping board. Cut it into 12-14 rectangles, or as small/large as you would like to make them.
15. Remove the coffee cremeux from the fridge and add the mixture into a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium speed until it has thickened to a medium stiff peak. Add the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle.
16. Pipe long lines of the cremeux along the top of the financier, and then use a slightly warm knife to trim off the ends so they are flush with the edge of the financier.
17. Place some chopped peanuts into the top of the cremeux, then place the financiers into the freezer for 3-6 hours or until they are solid.
18. When they are frozen, prepare the glaze. Add the chocolate and oil into a bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water, stirring until it is melted.
19. Remove it from the heat and stir through the chopped peanuts. The glaze needs to be around 45C/113F when you use it. Pour the mixture into a tall but thin rectangular container. Take the temperature and heat it up if needed or allow it to cool further.
20. Remove the financiers from the freezer and place a knife into the bottom. Dip the financier into the glaze until it is completely covered, then lift it up, allowing the excess to drip off before quickly flipping it over and placing it onto a tray.
21. Repeat this with the remaining financiers.
22. The financiers can be left at room temperature for 30 minutes then served, or stored in the fridge until needed.
Coffee Bean Petit Gateaux
TIER 2
Coffee Bean Petit Gateaux
The showstopper! This style of dessert was made famous by pastry chef Cedric Grolet but no one ever seems to show you how to actually make them! The recipe has quite a few elements to prepare with a coffee cremeux, chocolate financier, recomposed streusel and a chocolate glaze. I’m a coffee snob, so I would always recommend using the freshest coffee you can get for the best flavour. If you don’t have the fancy coffee bean silicon mold, then feel free to freeze it in any small silicon mold you’ve got.
8-10
COFFEE BEANS
Ingredients
Makes 8-10 Coffee Beans
Coffee Cremeux
5g Powdered Gelatin + 30g Water
400g Double Cream
115g Egg Yolks
60g Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod
75g Espresso
1g Freshly Ground Coffee
Small Pinch of Flaky Salt
Chocolate Financier
130g Double Cream
100g Egg Whites
50g Icing Sugar
40g Ground Almonds
40g Plain Flour
4g Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
50g Unsalted Butter
140g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids)
Coffee Hazelnut Praline
220g Roasted Hazelnuts, Skinned
80g Pecans
12g Whole Coffee Beans
200g Sugar
50g Water
1 Vanilla Pod
Flakey Salt
Streusel
110g Light Brown Sugar
110g Ground Hazelnuts or Almonds
95g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
2g Bicarbonate of Soda
1g Fine Sea Salt
110g Cold Unsalted Butter, Cubed
Recomposed Streusel
215g Streusel
50g Dark Chocolate (70%)
25g Unsalted Butter
70g Coffee Hazelnut Praline
Chocolate Glaze
350g 55% Chocolate
300g Cocoa Butter
30g Neutral Oil
Cocoa Powder to Finish
Special equipment
Digital thermometer
35x25cm baking tray
Food processor
Stand mixer
Piping bag
Coffee bean silicon mold
Method
1. Into a small bowl, add the gelatin and water to a small saucepan and let it bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Into a medium saucepan, add the cream, espresso, coffee grounds and beans from the fresh vanilla pod. Place it over a medium heat until steaming.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until combined.
4. Pour the hot cream over the egg mixture, whisking to combine, then add it back into the saucepan. Place it over a medium heat.
5. Cook to 80-82C on a digital thermometer, then immediately pass it through a sieve, on top of a tall measuring jug.
6. Scoop in the bloomed gelatin and blend till smooth with a hand blender. Sprinkle in a pinch of flaky sea salt and stir it through with a spatula. Pour the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours.
7. For the financier, preheat the oven to 160C/320F non-fan assisted (145C for fan assisted). Lightly grease a 35x25cm baking tray with soft butter and line it with parchment paper – alternatively use a silicon sponge roll mat. Add the chocolate and butter to a medium bowl and melt this over a pan of gently simmering water. Once melted, set it to one side to cool slightly.
8. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, icing sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the ground almonds on top and whisk to combine.
9. Pour the cream and egg whites on top and whisk by hand just until combined and there are no streaks of dry ingredients.
10. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk again to combine.
11. Pour the smooth batter into the lined tray and bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes.
12. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes before refrigerating for at least 1 hour. You can also freeze this.
13. For the coffee hazelnut praline, into a medium saucepan, add the sugar and water. Place it on a medium heat, and cook the mixture until it reaches 116C/240F on a digital thermometer.
14. Once at temperature, pour in the hazelnuts, pecans, coffee beans and the beans from a fresh vanilla pod. Stir constantly with a spatula. The mixture will initially look quite clumpy, then the sugar will crystallise, but eventually, as you keep stirring, the sugars will caramelise and you should have a deep golden caramel surrounding the nuts. It will take around 3-5 minutes.
15. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and tip the caramelised nuts onto a baking tray lined with a silicon mat. Sprinkle some sea salt flakes on top and let it set completely at room temperature for 30 minutes.
16. The praline should then be completely cool and solid to the touch. Break it into pieces and add it into a high-powered food processor. Blend for 3-4 minutes, scraping it down every so often, until you have a smooth, nutty paste. Store in an airtight container.
17. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add all of the ingredients for the streusel.
18. Mix on a low speed until the butter has broken down and the mixture is sandy in texture.
19. Transfer this to a baking tray, lined with a silicon mat and spread it out. Place it into the freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 175C/345F non-fan assisted.
20. Place the chilled mixture into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After around 15 minutes it should be slightly golden around the edges. Remove it from the oven and stir it all together with a spatula then place it back in the oven to bake until it is an even golden colour.
21. Once baked, allow it to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
22. For the recomposed streusel, add the chocolate, butter and praline into a bowl and place this over a pan of simmering water. Stir it together until the chocolate and butter have completely melted. Remove it from the heat.
23. Tip in the cooled streusel and stir to combine. Ensure if there are any large pieces of streusel, that you crush them slightly so they are smaller, before adding them in.
24. Pour the mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper and place a second sheet on top. Use a rolling pin to roll it relatively thin, then place it into the freezer for 30 minutes.
25. To assemble the dessert, remove the coffee cremeux from the fridge and whisk it to a medium peak in a stand mixer – avoid whipping it too stiff. Add the mixture into a piping bag.
26. If your coffee bean silicon mold has a cutter, use this to cut the out inserts from the recomposed streusel and financier. Sandwich them together with a little bit of cremeux. If you don’t have a cutter, then you can use a sharp knife to cut the required shapes that will fit your coffee bean mold. You can also freeze this dessert in any silicon mold you have!
27. Take the coffee bean silicon mold (or any silicon mold) and pipe the cremeux into the mold, filling it up about ¾ of the way. Use a spatula to press the cremeux to the edges, then place the financier/streusel insert into the cremeux. Top up the mold if needed with cremeux and then smooth the top with a palette knife. Repeat this for all of the molds you have. Place the molds onto a tray and freeze them for at least 12 hours.
28. Once frozen, remove them from the molds then place the desserts back in the freezer on a tray lined with a silicon mat for a further hour.
29. For the glaze, add the chocolate, cocoa butter and oil into a medium bowl. Place this over a pan of gently simmering water and stir it until it is completely melted.
30. The glaze needs to be at 45C/113F when you dip the desserts. Pour the mixture into a small, deep container that is just slightly larger than your dessert.
31. Remove one dessert at a time, and place a knife into the base. Dip the dessert into the so that it is covered right to the edge, then lift it up and hold it at a 45 degree angle until the dripping slows. Then lift it upright until it has set.
32. Dip a pastry brush back into the glaze and quickly brush this all around the bean to ‘rough’ it up slightly.
33. Finally, dust a thin layer of cocoa powder on top of the coffee bean then very quickly and carefully blow torch it to darken the cocoa powder slightly. Lift it onto a small serving dish.
34. Repeat this for all the remaining desserts, and then leave them in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight before serving.
Black Forest Swiss Roll
TIER 2
Black Forest Swiss Roll
Black Forest gâteau is one of my all-time favourites, and the mix of cream, fruit, and chocolate is exactly what a good Swiss roll should be about too! This version layers the chocolate sponge from Tier 1 with cherry jam, mascarpone cream, and finishes with a stunning chocolate glaze. Watch the video to help you master the perfect roll, and you’ll catch the little accident I had along the way 😅.
1
SWISS ROLL CAKE
Ingredients
Makes 1 Swiss Roll Cake
Mascarpone Vanilla Cream
4g Powdered Gelatin, 250 bloom
24g Cold water
400g Double/Heavy Cream, Divided
1 Fresh Vanilla Pod
130g Mascarpone
20g Icing/Powdered Sugar
Chocolate Sponge
80g Egg Yolks
75g Caster/White Sugar, Divided
150g Egg Whites
45g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
25g Cocoa Powder
50g Vegetable Oil
35g Whole Milk
Chocolate Glaze
160g Dark Chocolate, 70% Cocoa Solids, Chopped
370g Double/Heavy Cream
10g Unsalted Butter
10g Glucose or Honey
Cherry Jam To Fill
Special equipment
Hand blender
39x27cm baking tray.
Electric hand whisk
Stand mixer
Piping bag
St Honore nozzle
Method
Mascarpone Vanilla Cream
1. Into a small bowl, add the powdered gelatin and cold water. Stir them together and set to one side for 5 minutes to bloom.
2. Into a tall jug, add the mascarpone and set this to one side.
3. Pour 330g of cream into a small saucepan, along with the sugar and the beans scraped from a fresh vanilla pod.
4. Place this over a medium heat, stirring until the mixture is steaming.
5. Remove it from the heat and pour it over the mascarpone. Scoop in the bloomed gelatin, and blend with a hand blender until smooth.
6. Finally, pour in the remaining 70g of cold cream and blend again. Pour the mixture onto a deep baking tray and cover the surface directly with clingfilm.
7. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours.
Chocolate Sponge
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/355°F Non-Fan Assisted.
2. Lightly grease a 39x27cm baking tray. Cut a rectangle of parchment paper so that it fits neatly inside the tray, and press it in.
3. Into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, and 20g of caster sugar. Whisk the mixture with an electric hand mixer (or in a stand mixer) until it is thicker in volume and pale in colour. About 1-2 minutes. Set this to one side.
4. Into a medium bowl, add the egg whites and using an electric hand whisk (or stand mixer) whisk on a medium-low speed. Once the mixture is frothy, increase the speed to medium and slowly add the remaining 55g of caster sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until you have a medium-stiff peak to the meringue.
5. Gently fold the first third of meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Once incorporated, add the second third, fold it through and then the final third.
6. Next, sift in the plain flour & cocoa powder, and fold the mixture carefully until there are no more streaks of dry ingredients.
7. Finally, pour in the vegetable oil and whole milk. Use a spatula to fold this in, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
8. Pour the batter onto the lined tray, and then using a spatula, spread the batter out evenly.
9. Bake the sponge for 12 minutes then allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Assembly
1. Once the sponge has cooled, flip it out of the tray and gently peel off the parchment paper. Then carefully flip the sponge over onto a large, clean sheet of parchment paper, so that the smooth top side (the side that wasn’t touching the tray during baking) is facing down.
2. Position the sponge with the long edge facing you. Choose one of the short ends—either the left or right edge—and slice off a thin piece at a 45-degree angle using a serrated knife. This angled cut makes it easier to start the roll neatly and helps it tuck in smoothly. Then, at the opposite end, score three lines, about 1cm/0.4” apart, being very careful not to cut through the sponge.
3. Take a few tablespoons of cherry jam and spread this evenly across the sponge using a palette knife.
4. Then, remove the mascarpone cream from the fridge, and scoop half of it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the remaining half back in the fridge to use later.
5. Whisk the cream on a medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until you have a medium stiff peak.
6. Use an offset spatula to spread the cream in a very even layer across the sponge, right to the edges.
7. Starting from the short edge that you didn’t cut, begin to roll the sponge tightly using the parchment paper underneath to guide and lift the sponge as you go. Use firm but gentle pressure to keep the roll even and tight. Once fully rolled, wrap the parchment paper around the log. Then, place a flat tool like a bench scraper against the roll, and with your other hand, gently pull the loose end of the parchment paper. This will tighten the log and help create a more defined cylinder shape. Place the Swiss roll onto a tray and refrigerate for 1 hour, then into the freezer for 15 minutes.
Chocolate Glaze
1. Just before you remove the Swiss roll from the freezer, prepare the glaze, as we will use this immediately.
2. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate and set this to one side.
3. Add the cream and glucose (or honey) to a small saucepan. Note – if you are using a cream with a lower fat percentage (35% for example), you will need less cream, around 260g.
4. Place this over a medium-low heat and stir until the mixture is steaming.
5. Immediately remove it from the heat, and pour it over the chocolate, and add the butter on top.
6. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then use a hand blender to blend until smooth. Avoid adding any air bubbles as you blend it.
7. Remove the Swiss roll from the freezer and place a wire rack over a tray to catch any excess glaze. To elevate the Swiss roll and allow the glaze to drip cleanly down the sides, set a few small ring molds under the roll so it sits slightly above the wire rack. This will keep the bottom from sticking and ensure an even coating all around.
8. Take the glaze and slowly pour it evenly all over the Swiss roll.
9. Let the excess drip off and the glaze set for a few minutes before taking a small knife and wiping away any drips that have set on the underside of the cake.
10. Use a large offset spatula to carefully lift the Swiss roll onto your serving plate, then with a sharp knife that has been heated, cut both ends of the Swiss roll to reveal the swirl. Clean up the plate to ensure a nice presentation. Leave this at room temperature for 30 minutes.
11. Take the remaining mascarpone cream and whisk it to a medium stiff peak. Add this into a piping bag fitted with a St Honore nozzle.
12. Pipe a zigzag of cream down the centre and serve.
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Boston Cream Pie
TIER 1
Boston Cream Pie
A childhood favourite of mine, a Boston cream pie often comes as a donut, but it’s also fantastic in cake form. It starts with two layers of vanilla sponge, which are filled with a thick layer of smooth vanilla crème pâtissière. The cake is then finished with a thin chocolate glaze.The beauty in the cake lies in how it is layered in the tin, and using acetate really helps to get a smooth, clean finish.
7"
CAKE
Ingredients
Makes 1 7-inch Cake
Vanilla Sponge
245g Caster Sugar
245g All Purpose/Plain or Cake Flour
15g Baking Powder
2g Fine Sea Salt
245g Whole Eggs
100g Vegetable Oil
85g Whole Milk
145g Unsalted Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Crème Pâtissiére
500g Whole Milk
1 Fresh Vanilla Pod
75g Caster/White Sugar
120g Egg Yolks
40g Cornstarch
1g Fine Sea Salt
45g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
Chocolate Glaze
100g Chocolate (55% Cocoa Solids)
50g Unsalted Butter
80g Double/Heavy Cream, Slightly Warm
Special equipment
2 x 7″ springform/removable base cake tins
Acetate
Hand blender (optional)
Stand mixer (optional)
Method
Vanilla Sponge
1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C/355F non-fan assisted.
2. Lightly grease the bottom of two 7” cake tins, and place a circle of parchment on the base. Lightly grease the sides and coat them with flour, tipping out any excess.
3. Place the butter & vanilla into a saucepan and melt it over a low heat. Once it has just melted, set it to one side to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, sieve together the dry ingredients – sugar, flour, salt & baking powder. Whisk until they are evenly combined.
5. In a separate jug, whisk together the eggs, oil & milk.
6. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl, whisking to combine until you have a smooth batter with no more streaks of flour.
7. Finally, pour in the melted butter and mix the batter slowly until everything is evenly combined and you have a smooth batter.
8. Pour 500g of batter into each cake tin.
9. Place the cakes in the oven and bake for around 30-35 minutes, at which time the cake should be golden and a skewer should come out clean.
10. Once baked, remove them from the oven and run a knife around the outer edge of the cake tin to ensure it releases. Then carefully flip it onto a wire rack.
11. Let the sponges cool for a few minutes, then flip them onto a sheet of cling film and wrap them, before refrigerating. 3-4 hours will be enough but overnight works great too!
Crème Pâtissiére
1. In a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, add the milk and the scraped vanilla pod just until it is steaming.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and thickened.
3. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture over the sugar and eggs mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until it begins to bubble, then cook for 1 minute.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve placed over a large bowl.
6. Blend (or whisk) in the butter until the mixture is smooth. Cover the surface with cling film and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Assembly
1. Once the cakes have chilled, use a serrated knife (or cake leveller) just to trim the top of the cakes off – don’t cut off too much!
2. Take a 7” cake tin with a removable bottom/springform tin/cake ring and line the inside with acetate. Place this onto a tray.
3. Take one of the sponges, and lift it into the tin/ring mold. Ensure the acetate is tight around the cake – if you need to, adjust the acetate and re-tape it so that there are no gaps between the acetate and the cake.
4. Remove the créme pâtissiére from the fridge and add it into a stand mixer (or whisk by hand) and whisk for around 2 minutes until the mixture becomes much smoother in texture. It might initially look slightly lumpy/gelatinous but as you whisk it will smooth itself out.
5. Scoop the créme pâtissiére on top of the sponge and use a spoon to spread it to the edges, creating an even layer.
6. Next, take the second layer of cake and flip it upside down so that the side you cut is now facing down. Lift this on top of the créme pâtissiére and carefully press it in with your hands.
7. To make the chocolate ganache, add the chocolate and butter to a bowl and place this over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir it until it has completely melted.
8. Take some slightly warm cream and pour this in, and then stir with a spatula until smooth.
9. Working quickly, immediately pour the ganache on top of the sponge, and then tilt the tin/ring mold so that it spreads evenly to the edges.
10. Place the entire cake in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set (or overnight) then remove it from the fridge.
11. Lift it out of the tin/ring mold and peel off the acetate. If any of the créme pâtissiére has stuck, simply smooth the edge of the cake with an offset spatula so that it is neat.
12. It is best served, left at room temperature for 30m-1 hours so that the chocolate can soften slightly.
13. To give it a nice finish as you serve it, gently blow torch the chocolate to give it a quick shine!
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Raspberry Sachertorte
TIER 2
Raspberry Sacher Torte
This is a new and improved version of my original Sachertorte. It has 2 layers of chocolate financier (which is delicious baked on its own too!), with a layer of raspberry compote in the centre. We then sandwich that in a chocolate mousse which uses a pâte à bombe base. The whole thing is frozen and finished with a shiny chocolate ganache glaze. I’d recommend a good quality hand blender for this glaze, to avoid adding too many air bubbles.
7"
CAKE
Ingredients
Makes 1 7-inch Cake
Chocolate Financier
210g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids)
75g Unsalted Butter
75g Icing Sugar
60g Ground Almonds
60g Plain Flour
6g Baking Powder
1g Fine Sea Salt
150g Egg Whites (Room Temperature)
195g Double/Heavy Cream
Raspberry Compote
180g Raspberry Puree
40g Caster/White Sugar
3g Pectin Nh
15g Lemon Juice
Chocolate Mousse
90g Egg Yolks
45g Whole Eggs
70g Caster/White Sugar
200g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids)
(a) 150g Cream (35-48% Fat)
(b) 275g Cream (35-48% Fat)
Chocolate Glaze
200g Dark Chocolate (55% Cocoa Solids), Chopped
240g Cream (35-40% Fat) – Ideally we want a cream that is lower in fat here as it will make the glaze more fluid. I used 39% fat.
40g Soft, Unsalted Butter
20g Raspberry Liqueur (Optional)
Special equipment
9×13” baking tray
6.3”x1.7” (16×4.5cm) ring mold
Stand mixer
Digital thermometer
Hand blender
7″ ring mold
Method
Chocolate Financier
1. Take a 9×13” baking tray, and lightly grease the bottom, lining it with a sheet of parchment paper. Pre-heat the oven to 175C/345F Non-fan assisted.
2. Into a small bowl, add the chocolate and butter and place this over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until it has completely melted and then set it to one side to cool slightly.
3. Into a medium bowl, add the icing sugar, ground almonds, salt, flour, and baking powder. Whisk these together until they are combined.
4. Pour in the egg whites and whisk again until smooth.
5. Pour in the cream and whisk until smooth.
6. Finally, slowly pour in the chocolate mixture while whisking, until you have a thick chocolate batter.
7. Pour the batter into the lined tray and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
8. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven and then remove and allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, before refrigerating for 2-3 hours – chilling it will make it easier to cut without falling apart!
Raspberry Compote
1. If you don’t have raspberry puree, you can simply blend 180g of fresh raspberries and use that.
2. Pour the raspberry puree into a medium saucepan and place it on a medium low heat.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the sugar and pectin.
4. Once the puree is steaming, whisk in the pectin sugar mixture and keep cooking until it reaches a boil.
5. Remove it from the heat, and whisk in the lemon juice.
6. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cover the surface directly with clingfilm. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Assembly Part 1
1. Once the financier has chilled, use a 6.3”x1.7” (16×4.5cm) ring mold to cut two discs. If you don’t have enough space to cut two full discs, you can cut a second disc, and then cut some scraps and press the cake together slightly. Don’t worry too much if you don’t have a ring mold this exact size, you just want something smaller than the ‘main’ 7” ring mold that we are using later. This is the insert layer that gets sandwiched in between the chocolate mousse.
Note – we will need the spare financier scraps later to decorate the cake so set them to one side. When you have a moment, very briefly blend them to a crumb, then get them onto a tray and into the freezer to use later.
2. Lift one of the discs into the bottom of the 6.3” ring mold, which is on a tray lined with a silicon baking mat.
3, Remove the raspberry puree from the fridge and stir it to loosen it.
4. Pour this into the ring mold and spread it to the edges so that you have an even layer.
5. Place the second chocolate sponge on top and gently sandwich it together.
6. Place the ring into the freezer for 2-3 hours or until frozen.
Chocolate Mousse
1. The key to this mousse is ensuring that the temperatures are correct otherwise, it could split or go grainy.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the chocolate and place this over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir this until melted, then turn off the heat, but keep it on the water so it stays warm & fluid.
3. Then, add the whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.
4. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and whisk by hand until it reaches around 60C/140F on a digital thermometer.
5. Immediately remove the bowl from the heat, place it onto a stand mixer and whisk on a medium speed.
6. Meanwhile, add the cream (a) into a small saucepan and place it over a medium heat, stirring until it is steaming.
7. Remove the cream from the heat and pour it over your melted chocolate, then use a hand blender to emulsify them together.
8. At this point we need to check the temperatures of both ingredients. The chocolate/cream needs to be between 40-50C (104-122F) and the egg yolk mixture needs to be between 20-25C (68-77F) when we combine them. This will ensure they combine properly.
9. If you find one is colder than the other, just gently stir it over a pan of very gently simmering water.
10. Once both components are at temperature, gently fold the egg yolk mixture (which will have thickened) into the chocolate in three parts until smooth. Set this bowl to one side.
11. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the remaining cream (b). Whisk this until it forms medium soft peaks, do not overwhip it.
12. Take the soft cream and fold it into the chocolate base in three parts until you have a smooth mousse.
13. Take a 7” ring mold and tightly wrap the bottom with clingfilm (you can line it with acetate if you want – this will just make it slightly easier to demold). Place it onto a tray lined with a baking mat.
14. Scoop a small portion of the chocolate mousse into the ring mold, then remove the raspberry/chocolate insert from the freezer. Pop it out of the ring mold and press it into the chocolate mousse.
15. Top up the rest of the ring mold with the chocolate mousse, using a palette knife to completely smooth the top. You may have a little extra chocolate mousse – get this into some ramekins and chill it to have a nice dessert later!
16. Place the entire dessert into the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours, until frozen solid.
Chocolate Glaze
1. Once the glaze is ready we are going to pour it immediately over the cake so be prepared with the frozen cake nearby and a rack ready to pour it on. It can help to demold the mousse from the ring mold, then place it back in the freezer so when you are ready to glaze you don’t need to faff around getting it out of the mold.
2. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate.
3. Add the cream into a small saucepan, and gently stir it until it is steaming.
4. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the chopped chocolate.
5. Let it sit for a minute, then use a hand blender to blend it until smooth. Really try to avoid adding any air bubbles here.
6. Add in the soft butter and raspberry liqueur (optional) and blend again until smooth.
7. Remove the frozen mousse from the freezer and place it onto a glass, with a tray and wire rack underneath.
8. Pour the glaze evenly over the entire cake.
9. The glaze will set quickly, so once it has stopped dripping, use a knife to just trim away the drips.
10. Remove the blended-up crumbs from the freezer and press these into the bottom of the cake.
11. Then carefully lift it onto your serving plate. You might damage it slightly lifting it up/moving it, so just patch up any bits with more blended crumb!
12. Let it defrost for 2 hours at room temperature, then serve.
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Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
TIER 1
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Unlike a traditional dense cheesecake, this one has a light, mousse-like texture (Triple Chocolate… Choussecake?!). The process is simple as we start by making a ganache with cream cheese, then fold in whipped cream to create that incredible texture. Each layer is easy to replicate since the measurements are nearly identical, with just a few small tweaks. The only tricky part is waiting for each layer to set! But once it’s ready to serve, you’re left with a beautiful ombré effect.
1
8" CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
Makes 1 8-inch Cheesecake
Chocolate Cookie Base
120g Oreos
20g-40g Unsalted Butter
Milk Mixture
275g Whole Milk
30g Honey
White Chocolate Layer
75g Milk Mixture (Above)
60g White Chocolate, Chopped
75g Double/Heavy cream
90g Cream Cheese, Full Fat
60g Double/Heavy cream
Milk Chocolate Layer
75g Milk Mixture (Above)
60g Milk Chocolate, Chopped
6g Cocoa Powder
75g Double/Heavy cream
90g Cream Cheese, Full Fat
60g Double/Heavy cream
Dark Chocolate Layer
75g Milk Mixture (Above)
65g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Chopped
75g Double/Heavy cream
90g Cream Cheese, Full Fat
60g Double/Heavy cream
Special equipment
Food processor
8×2.75” ring mold
Acetate (optional)
Hand blender
Stand mixer
Method
Chocolate Cookie Base
1. Add the Oreos into a food processor and blend to a fine crumb. If you want, you can remove the white filling and just use 120g of Oreo biscuits.
2. Pour these into a medium bowl and set it to one side.
3. Add the butter into a small saucepan and place it on a low heat until melted.
4. Slowly pour about half of the butter mixture into the Oreos and stir to combine. Keep adding butter until the mixture resembles slightly wet sand. Oreos don’t require as much butter to pull together unlike a traditional biscuit base so add it slowly to avoid a very wet biscuit mixture.
5. Take an 8×2.75” ring mold and place a piece of acetate along the inside. Acetate isn’t completely necessary as we are freezing the mousse. If you don’t have acetate you can simply heat the outside of the ring mold with a hair dryer/heat gun when you need to demold it. Acetate just makes this process much easier and you end up with a slightly cleaner finish. Place the ring onto a baking tray.
6. Pour the Oreo mixture into the base of the ring and use the back of a measuring cup or something flat, to smooth the base out so that it is even. Place the tray into the freezer.
Milk Mixture
1. Add the milk and honey into a small saucepan, and place it over a medium-low heat until it is steaming – stirring occasionally. We are going to split this mixture between all three cheesecake bases.
The process for making the layers is identical, so it is easiest to set up three measuring jugs at once, each with the chopped chocolate in, then pour in the weighed milk mixture.
White Chocolate Layer
1. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate, and pour over 75g of the hot milk mixture. The mixture needs to be hot so that the chocolate melts. Let it sit for 2 minutes before blending until smooth.
2. Add in the cream cheese, and the 75g of double/heavy cream. Blend again until smooth and there are no lumps of cream cheese. Cover the surface with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 hours (or longer if needed).
Milk Chocolate Layer
1. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate, and cocoa powder, and pour over 75g of the hot milk mixture. The mixture needs to be hot so that the chocolate melts. Let it sit for 2 minutes before blending until smooth.
2. Add in the cream cheese, and the 75g of double/heavy cream. Blend again until smooth and there are no lumps of cream cheese. Cover the surface with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 hours (or longer if needed).
Dark Chocolate Layer
1. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate, and pour over 75g of the hot milk mixture. The mixture needs to be hot so that the chocolate melts. Let it sit for 2 minutes before blending until smooth.
2. Add in the cream cheese, and the 75g of double/heavy cream. Blend again until smooth and there are no lumps of cream cheese. Cover the surface with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 hours (or longer if needed).
Assembly
The assembly process is slightly tedious, as you have to wait for each layer to set before you can add the next one!
1. Remove the white chocolate layer from the fridge and place it into a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium speed, until the mixture thickens and holds a medium peak. Set this to one side.
2. Into a bowl, add the remaining 60g of double/heavy cream and whisk until it holds a medium peak. Note – 60g can actually be quite tough to whisk if you are using an electric stand mixer so it is worth mixing 100g so that the whisk attachment can actually catch it, then just weigh the required 60g of cream.
3. Take the 60g of whipped cream, and fold this through the white chocolate layer, until smooth and combined. The final texture of the mixture should be thick, but still soft and slightly runny. We want a texture where we can pour the mousse into the tin and it will almost settle itself without too much assistance!
4. Remove the chilled chocolate base from the freezer and pour the white chocolate layer in. It should spread to the edges and settle, but if not just use a palette knife or a spoon to gently spread it, so that it is even. You can even give the tray a bit of a tap on the work surface to help it settle. Place the tray into the freezer for 30-60 minutes, or until the white chocolate layer feels firm enough to the touch to support another layer of mousse.
5. Repeat this exact same process with the milk chocolate and dark chocolate layers, freezing the mousse in between the milk and dark chocolate each layer. Note that because these layers have more cocoa solids, they will become thicker more quickly as you whisk them, so be careful not to over-whisk them and let them become too thick.
6. Once you have added the dark chocolate layer, place the entire cheesecake into the freezer. If you need to serve this quickly, 2-3 hours in the freezer will be absolutely fine, but you can also freeze it overnight too.
7. When you are ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the freezer, and lift it onto your serving dish. Carefully pull off the ring mold and then peel away the acetate, to reveal a smooth cheesecake. The cheesecake now needs 2 hours to defrost before you can eat it (maybe slightly less if you only freeze it for 2-3 hours). Or, you can defrost it for 2 hours then get it straight into the fridge.
8. Just a note that the longer you leave it at room temperature, you will begin to see the base ‘weep’. This is just because the sugar draws moisture from the cheesecake mixture. Nothing has gone wrong, it’s just a natural scientific occurrence of the ingredients of the hygroscopic properties of sugar!
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Chocolate Orange Swirl Cookies
TIER 1
Chocolate Orange Swirl Cookies
These stunning cookies use the same base dough, one flavoured with orange and the other flavoured with cocoa powder. The doughs are laid on top of each other and carefully rolled into a tight log to create the spiral effect. You can get creative and colour one of the doughs, or even make a quick ganache and sandwich the cookies together!
18-20
COOKIES
Ingredients
Makes 18-20 Cookies
Chocolate Dough
170g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
2g Fine Sea Salt
30g Cocoa Powder
80g Icing/Powdered Sugar
30g Ground Almonds
110g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
40g Whole Eggs
Orange Dough
200g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
2g Fine Sea Salt
80g Icing/Powdered Sugar
30g Ground Almonds
110g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
Zest 1 Medium Orange
40g Whole Eggs
Egg Wash
1 whole egg, whisked
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Silicon mats (optional)
Rolling pin
Method
Chocolate Cookie Dough
1. Add all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer, along with the cubed butter.
2. Mix on a medium low speed for 2-4 minutes, until the butter has broken down, and the mixture has a breadcrumb/sandy-like texture.
3. Pour in the egg mixture and mix for about 20 seconds, the dough will not pull together however, so remove the bowl from the mixer and squeeze the dough with your hands, until it forms a dough.
4. Place the dough in between two silicon mats or pieces of parchment paper and roll it to about 3-5mm thick – the thinner the better really. You want to roll it as best as possible into a neat rectangle shape as that will reduce the wastage later on.
5. Place the dough into the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.
Orange Cookie Dough
1. Add all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer, along with the cubed butter.
2. Mix on a medium low speed for 2-4 minutes, until the butter has broken down, and the mixture has a breadcrumb/sandy-like texture.
3. Pour in the egg mixture and mix for about 20 seconds, the dough will not pull together however, so remove the bowl from the mixer and squeeze the dough with your hands, until it forms a dough.
4. Place the dough in between two silicon mats or pieces of parchment paper and roll it to about 3-5mm thick – the thinner the better really. You want to roll it as best as possible into a neat rectangle shape as that will reduce the wastage later on.
5. Place the dough into the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.
Assembly
1. Once the doughs have chilled remove them from the fridge, and apply a light egg wash to the chocolate dough. Then, lift the orange dough on top, gluing it in place.
2. Leave them at room temperature to soften for just a few minutes – this will make them easier to roll.
3. Once softer, with the chocolate dough on the bottom, carefully roll the dough, lengthways (with the short side of the rectangle of dough facing you), into a tight log. Wrap this in clingfilm and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour
4. Before they are done chilling, preheat the oven to 150C/300F, non-fan assisted.
5. Once chilled, use a very sharp knife to cut the log into discs of equal thickness – about 5mm, then lift the biscuits onto a tray lined with a silicon baking mat.
6. Immediately place the tray into the oven and bake until lightly golden around the edges – about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool then serve.
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Chocolate and Raspberry Soufflé
TIER 1
Chocolate and Raspberry Soufflé
I’ve cheated a bit in Tier 1 and used the chocolate soufflé recipe from my book, because you honestly can’t beat it! But I tried adding a frozen raspberry insert in the middle, which oozes out once baked, and it really takes the dessert to the next level from both a flavour and a wow factor perspective. Make sure you use good quality chocolate with 50-60% cocoa solids to ensure the right consistency.
4-5
SOUFFLÉS
Ingredients
Makes 4-5 Souffles
Raspberry Insert
50g Raspberry Jam
50g Fresh Raspberries
Splash of Water
Chocolate Soufflé
– Beurre Manie
50g Unsalted Butter, Softened
50g Plain Flour
Pinch of sea salt
– Chocolate Base
270g Whole Milk
50g Granulated/Caster Sugar
200g Chopped Dark Chocolate, 50-60% Cocoa Solids
110g Egg Yolks
French Meringue
180g Egg Whites
70g Granulated/Caster Sugar
Special equipment
3.8cm x 1.9cm silicone half-sphere mould (15 hole) OR a small silicone ice cube tray
Stand mixer
Piping bags
Ramekins
Method
Raspberry Insert
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the fresh raspberries, raspberry jam and just a little splash of water (3 tsp roughly).
2. Place it over a medium low heat, and stir it together until the raspberries have broken down, and it is bubbling and has thickened just slightly.
3. Into a silicone half sphere mould, or a silicone ice cube tray, pour the raspberry mixture in, spread it out so it is even, and then freeze for 3 hours or until it is solid.
Chocolate Soufflé
– Beurre Manie
1. Into a small bowl, add the butter, flour and salt and use a spatula to form it into a paste. Sometimes it is actually easier just to use your hands and mix it together as the quantities are so small.
2. Set this bowl to one side.
– Chocolate Base
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the milk and sugar. Place it over a medium heat and stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is steaming.
2. Remove it from the heat and add in the beurre manie from above. Whisk this through until it has dissolved, then place the pan back on the heat and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened and holds a slightly more elastic consistency.
3. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until the chocolate has completely dissolved. Don’t worry if it looks slightly greasy or split here. Scoop this mixture into a medium bowl.
4. Add the egg yolks on top and immediately whisk this (to make sure the eggs don’t cook from the heat), until you have a smooth, glossy mixture.
5. Cover the surface with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.
French Meringue & Assembly
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F Fan Assisted.
2. Lightly grease the ramekins with soft butter, using an upwards stroking motion.
3. Tip in a few tablespoons of sugar and swirl this around, tipping out the excess. Place these on a tray and set to one side.
4. Meanwhile, add the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on a medium low speed until the mixture is frothy and thick bubbles have formed.
5. With the speed on medium, slowly add in the sugar a tablespoon at a time, waiting about 15 seconds in between each addition.
6. Once you’ve added all the sugar, keep whisking until you have a stiff meringue.
7. Fold the meringue in thirds, into the chocolate base, until you have a homogenous mixture with no streaks of meringue.
8. Remove your frozen raspberry inserts from the freezer.
9. Add the soufflé mixture into a piping bag, and pipe the mixture into the ramekins, filling them about 3⁄4 of the way. Then press your raspberry into the middle and cover it up, filling the ramekin to the top with the remaining soufflé mixture.
10. Use a palette knife to smooth the top and create a flush edge, then quickly run your thumb around the outside of the soufflé to create a rim.
11. Place them into the oven immediately and bake for 18 minutes.
12. Remove them from the oven and serve immediately. They should be well risen!
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Chocolate Mousse Cake
TIER 1
Chocolate Mousse Cake
There are only two elements to this cake – the sponge and the mousse. I show you how to master each one, then it’s just a case of building your cake! I recommend using a ring mould for the most professional finish, and running a warm palette knife over the top of your mousse to create a smooth top. This is such a simple recipe but it looks amazing, the texture is divine, and it’s so full of flavour.
1
6-INCH CAKE
Ingredients
Makes 1 6-inch Cake
Chocolate Sponge
80g Egg Yolks
20g Caster Sugar (A)
60g Caster Sugar (B)
150g Egg Whites
40g Plain Flour
28g Cocoa Powder
50g Vegetable Oil
30g Whole Milk
Chocolate Mousse
170g Whole Milk
120g Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Finely Chopped
120g Chocolate (30% Cocoa Solids), Finely Chopped
300g Double/Heavy Cream
Pinch Sea Salt Flakes
Special equipment
39cm x 27cm baking tray
Electric hand whisk (or stand mixer)
Hand blender
16cm ring mould (4.5cm high)
Method
Chocolate Sponge
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F Non-Fan Assisted (160C Fan Assisted) and then lightly grease a medium-sized baking tray (this recipe uses a 39cm x 27cm tray). Cut a rectangle of parchment paper so that it fits neatly inside the tray, and press it in firmly with your hands.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks and sugar (A). Whisk the mixture with an electric hand mixer (or in a stand mixer) until it is thicker in volume and pale in colour. About 1-2 minutes. Set this to one side.
3. Into a medium bowl, add the egg whites and using an electric hand whisk (or a stand mixer) whisk on a medium-low speed. Once the mixture is frothy, increase the speed to medium and slowly add the sugar (B), about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until you have a medium-stiff peak to the meringue.
4. Pour the egg yolk mixture on top of the meringue and gently fold it through using a spatula until well combined.
5. Next, sift in the plain flour & cocoa powder, and fold it in carefully until it is fully incorporated.
6. Finally, pour in the vegetable oil and whole milk. Use a spatula to fold this in, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
7. Pour the batter onto the lined tray, and then using a spatula, spread the batter out evenly. Try to ensure the batter is relatively even.
8. Bake the sponge for 12 minutes then allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Chocolate Mousse
1. Add the milk to a small saucepan and place it onto a medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, add the chopped chocolate into a medium bowl.
3. Once the milk is simmering, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes with a plate on top.
4. Then, remove the plate and use a hand blender to blend the milk and chocolate until smooth and set it to one side.
5. Into a medium bowl, add the cream and use an electric hand whisk to whisk it to a soft-medium peak.
6. Then, whisk the cream through the chocolate mixture in three parts until smooth. It’s important to whisk it through, as if you try to fold it, the cream will not incorporate properly and remain lumpy.
7. Lastly, fold in the salt.
Assembly
1. Take your cooled sponge and tip it out onto a silicon mat/piece of parchment paper.
2. Use your cake ring to cut 2 circles out of the chocolate sponge.
You will have enough remaining sponge to make the Tier 2 recipe, so make sure to save this if you’re moving straight onto Tier 2!
3. Take one of the sponges and place it on a tray lined with a silicon mat/piece of parchment paper. Place your cake ring over the top and gently push the sponge to the sides of the cake ring to make sure it’s even and there are no gaps.
4. Pour your chocolate mousse over the sponge until it reaches halfway up the cake ring. Then add your second layer of chocolate sponge and pour the remaining chocolate mousse over the top until it reaches the top of the cake ring.
You may have a little mousse left over but you can pour this into ramekins to have little pots of delicious chocolate mousse!
5. If you have a slightly uneven top to your mousse cake, heat the edge of a palette knife or scraper and run it evenly over the top of the cake to smooth out the top.
6. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours until set and ready to serve.
7. To remove the ring, simply gently heat the sides with a blowtorch and it should lift off smoothly. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt just before serving.
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Chocolate Praline Mousse Cakes
TIER 2
Chocolate Praline Mousse Cakes
In Tier 2 we add two extra elements to really level up the cake – a hazelnut praline filling and a cocoa gavotte decoration. I’ve turned these into individual plated desserts by using smaller ring moulds, but you can make one large mousse cake if you’d prefer. I’ve adjusted the mousse recipe slightly here and only used 70% cocoa solids, but if you prefer a sweeter flavour then follow the same 50/50 split as Tier 1.
5
7CM MOUSSE CAKES
Ingredients
Makes 5 7cm Mousse Cakes
Hazelnut Praline
165g Caster Sugar
50g Water
250g Whole Roasted Hazelnuts, Without Skins
Pinch of Flaked Sea Salt
Chocolate Sponge
40g Egg Yolks
10g Caster Sugar (A)
30g Caster Sugar (B)
75g Egg Whites
20g Plain Flour
12g Cocoa Powder
25g Vegetable Oil
15g Whole Milk
Chocolate Mousse
130g Whole Milk
10g Honey
175g Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Finely Chopped
220g Double/Heavy Cream
Pinch Sea Salt Flakes
Cocoa Gavotte
150g Water
15g Unsalted Butter
1g Salt
11g Plain Flour
30g Icing/Powdered Sugar
3g Cornstarch/Cornflour
35g Egg Whites
4g Cocoa Powder
Special equipment
Digital thermometer
Hand blender
Silicon mat
Food processor
Electric whisk
Small baking tray (16cm x 26cm)
5 7cm mousse rings (3.5cm high)
Heat gun/Blow torch
Method
Hazelnut Praline
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the sugar & water. Place it on a medium heat, and cook the mixture until it reaches 110C/230F on a digital thermometer.
2. Once at 110C/230F, pour in the hazelnuts. Stir constantly with a spatula. The mixture will initially look quite clumpy, then the sugar will crystallise, but eventually, as you keep stirring, the sugars will caramelise and you should have a deep golden caramel surrounding the nuts. It will take 3-5 minutes.
3. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and tip the caramelised nuts onto a baking tray lined with a silicon mat. Sprinkle some sea salt flakes on top and let it set completely at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. The praline should then be completely cool and solid to the touch. Break it into pieces and add it into a high-powered food processor. Blend for 3-4 minutes, scraping it down every so often, until you have a smooth, nutty paste. Store in an airtight container.
Chocolate Sponge
1. Preheat the oven to 180C Non-Fan Assisted (160C Fan Assisted) and then lightly grease a small baking tray (this recipe uses a cm x cm baking tray). Cut a rectangle of parchment paper so that it fits neatly inside the tray, and press it in firmly with your hands.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, and sugar (A). Whisk the mixture with an electric hand mixer until it is thicker in volume and pale in colour. About 1-2 minutes. Set this to one side.
3. Into a medium bowl, add the egg whites and using an electric hand whisk, whisk on a medium-low speed. Once the mixture is frothy, increase the speed to medium and slowly add the sugar (B), about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until you have a medium-stiff peak to the meringue.
4. Pour the egg yolk mixture on top of the meringue and gently fold it through using a spatula until well combined.
5. Next, sift in the plain flour & cocoa powder, and fold it in carefully until it is fully incorporated.
6. Finally, pour in the vegetable oil and whole milk. Use a spatula to fold this in, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
7. Pour the batter onto the lined tray, and then using a spatula, spread the batter out evenly. Try to ensure the batter is relatively even.
8. Bake the sponge for 10-12 minutes, until dry to the touch, then allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Chocolate Mousse
1. Into a small saucepan, add the milk and honey and place it onto a medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, add the chopped chocolate into a medium bowl.
3. Once the milk is simmering and the honey has dissolved, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes.
4. Then, use a hand blender to blend until smooth and set it to one side.
5. Into a medium bowl, add the cream and use an electric hand whisk to whisk it to a medium-soft peak.
6. Then, whisk the cream through the chocolate mixture in three parts until smooth. It’s important to whisk it through, as if you try to fold it, the cream will not incorporate properly and remain lumpy.
7. Lastly, fold in the salt.
Assembly
1. Take your cooled sponge and tip it out onto a silicon mat/piece of parchment paper.
2. Use one of your mousse rings to cut 5 circles out of the chocolate sponge and place them inside of your mousse rings. Gently push the sponge to the sides of the mousse rings to make sure there are no gaps.
3. Next, add a dollop of hazelnut praline to the centre of each sponge (I like to use a piping bag). You want it to cover about ⅔ of the sponge, not go all the way to the sides.
4. Then, add the chocolate mousse until it reaches the top of the mousse ring (again, I like to use a piping bag).
5. If your mousse is slightly thicker then use a palette knife to press the mousse to the edges and ensure there are no gaps. Then, heat your palette knife in some hot water, dry it with a tea towel and smooth the top of your mousse rings to ensure a nice even finish.
6. Place the cakes in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours until set and ready to serve.
Cocoa Gavotte
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the water, salt & butter. Place it over a medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, into a medium bowl, add all of the remaining ingredients and whisk them together till smooth.
3. Once the water is boiling, slowly pour it over the bowl of ingredients, whisking constantly to ensure that the mixture is tempered.
4. Once you’ve added all the water, pour the mixture back into the pan, and whisk constantly over a medium heat until it thickens to a custard-like consistency.
5. Place a sheet of cling film over a small baking tray and pour your gavotte mixture on top. Place another sheet of cling film over the top and refrigerate it for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 175C/345F.
7. Onto a tray lined with a silicon mat, take a dollop of the gavotte mixture and create a line of it at the top of your tray. Do the same about half way down your tray. Then, using a palette knife, spread it nice and thin. It needs to be thin (almost opaque) otherwise the texture won’t be correct.
8. Place it into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until crispy (the top might be slightly cracked).
9. Repeat this with a second tray of mixture.
10. Once baked, allow them to cool for 5 minutes, then snap them into shards ready to decorate. It is best to make these fresh as they will soften the longer they are left. If you make them ahead of time, you can place them back into the oven for 2-3 minutes, to crisp up again.
11. When ready to serve, remove your mousse cakes from the fridge and use a heat gun/blow torch to gently warm the sides of your mousses and lift off the cake rings.
12. Place your chocolate gavotte shards on top/around the sides of your mousses in whatever design you would like!
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Chocolate Babka
TIER 1
Chocolate Babka
I love the design of this Babka! It’s such a showstopper and so unbelievably tasty. This recipe teaches you the foundations of enriched dough, which we fill with a super easy chocolate filling. It’s just the braiding that requires a bit more brain power, but watch the video and I’ll walk you through it step by step – I promise it’s easier than it looks!
2
BABKAS
Ingredients
Makes 2 Babkas
For the dough
750g White Bread Flour
150g Caster Sugar
15g Instant Dry Yeast
225g Whole Milk
165g Whole Eggs
9g Salt
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
150g Unsalted Butter, Cold + Cubed
For the chocolate filling
240g Unsalted Butter
160g Caster Sugar
80g Cocoa Powder
Pinch of sea salt flakes
For the egg wash
2 Egg Yolks (35g)
Splash of Water
For the sugar syrup
100g Caster Sugar
100g Water
Special equipment
Stand mixer
2 x 2lb loaf tins
Method
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk and eggs followed by the strong white bread flour, the sugar, salt and yeast. Lastly, add the vanilla bean paste. Knead together on a medium-low speed (speed 3 on a KitchenAid) for 8 minutes.
2. Next, slowly add the butter a few pieces at a time (waiting 20-30 seconds between each addition), and keep kneading until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the butter is incorporated. This will take about 10-12 minutes.
3. Once your dough is ready, lift it out of the bowl and shape it into a tight ball. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and lightly grease the top of the dough (I use an oil spray but alternatively, you can put some oil on your hands and gently rub the dough). Cover the surface of the dough directly with cling film, and the top of the bowl. Chill in the fridge overnight (minimum 12 hours).
4. Just before you’re ready to roll your dough, make the chocolate filling.
5. In a saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat
6. In a separate bowl, add the sugar, cocoa powder and salt
7. Once your butter has melted, pour it over the dry ingredients and whisk until combined
8. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, stirring with a spatula occasionally until it becomes the consistency of soft butter. It may take longer if your room temperature is a little warmer. To speed it up, just pop it in the fridge and stir every few minutes.
9. Once your Babka dough has chilled, lightly flour your surface and place the dough on top. Flour the dough and roll it out to roughly 18”x24” (roughly the width of your two loaf tins placed side by side). The dough should be nice and thin.
10. Next, spread your chocolate filling all over the top of the dough, right to the edges.
11. Using your hands, starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log, then place it in the freezer for 10 minutes (you can bend it slightly to make sure it fits!).
12. Once your dough has chilled, cut off any rough ends and then cut the dough lengthways directly down the centre. Next, place one half of the log over the top of the other half in a cross shape. Starting with one side of the cross, braid the dough into a tight plait, then repeat with the other side.
13. Line the bottom of your loaf tins with a piece of parchment paper. Place one of your tins next to the dough, cut the dough to the same length as the tin, then place it in your tin. Repeat with the other tin. You’ll likely have a little dough remaining.
14. Cover the tins with a tea towel and leave to proof for 2 hours. If you’re in a particularly cold kitchen, you can put your tins in the oven and add a small cup of boiling water to the bottom of the oven. Replace this every 30 minutes or so to speed up the proofing process slightly.
15. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F Non- Fan Assisted just before the time is up.
16. Once your Babkas have proofed, mix together the egg wash ingredients and paint it over the Babkas.
17. Just before adding your Babkas to the oven, add some boiling water to a tray and place this on the bottom shelf of your oven. Add the Babkas to the middle shelf and bake for 60-70 minutes. To check they are cooked in the middle, probe the centre of the Babkas with a digital thermometer – they should be over 90C/195F.
18. Whilst the Babkas are baking, make your sugar syrup. Add the water and sugar to a saucepan and stir over a medium heat until it’s gently simmering and all the sugar has dissolved.
19. Once baked, remove the Babkas from the oven and lightly run a knife around the outside of the tins to loosen them. Tip them onto a wire rack and use a pastry brush to soak them in the sugar syrup. Wrap the Babkas in cling film and leave to cool for 1 hour. It’s important to leave them for an hour to allow the middle of the Babkas to completely set.
20. Once cooled, your Babka’s are ready to serve! They’re best eaten straight away (or within a few hours) as they have the tendency to dry out a little, but if you want to serve them later I’d pop them in the oven for 5-7 minutes before serving.
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Hazelnut Truffle
TIER 3
Hazelnut Truffle
6
TRUFFLES
Ingredients
Makes 6 Truffles
Vanilla Cremeux
8g Powdered Gelatin + 48g Water
500g Double Cream
145g Egg Yolks
50g Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod
Praline Cremeux
250g Vanilla Cremeux
100g Hazelnut Praline
85g Mascarpone
Feuilletine
50g Unsalted Butter – Room Temperature
50g Icing Sugar
50g Egg Whites
50g Plain Flour
Feuilletine Praliné Crunch
70g Hazelnut Praline
20g Milk Chocolate
35g Paillete Feuilletine
Chocolate Shell
300g Dark Chocolate
300g Cocoa Butter
55g Chopped Hazelnuts
OR
500g Dark Chocolate
140g Neutral Oil
55g Chopped Hazelnuts
(Follow the same process for the above recipe but dip the frozen sphere at 35C/95F)
Roasted Hazelnuts Chocolate Shavings To Decorate
*Hazelnut Praline Recipe is available here
Special equipment
20mm, 40mm, 50mm Sphere Molds
Stand Mixer
Digital Thermometer
Piping Bags
Hand Blender
Method
Vanilla Cremeux
1. Add the gelatin and cold water to a dish and allow it to bloom for 5m.
-
- 8g Gelatin
- 48g Cold Water
2. Into a bowl, add the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk to combine. Then add a small splash of cream and whisk that in (this will help to prevent lumps when we add it into the cream)
-
- 145g Egg Yolks
- 50g Sugar
3. Into a medium saucepan, add the cream & vanilla. Then whisk in the egg yolk mixture.
-
- 500g Double Cream
- 1 Vanilla Pod, Seeds Scraped Out
4. Place the pan onto a medium heat and whisk constantly. Cook the mixture until it reaches around 70-75C (158F-167F). The mixture should have thickened slightly, but be careful not to cook it for too long, otherwise it will scramble.
5. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it through a sieve.
6. Add in the bloomed gelatin and blend or whisk to combine it. (I like to sieve it again after this but that is optional)
7. Pour 250g of the mixture into a separate bowl as we will use this for the praline cremeux. Add the remainder to a bowl and cover the surface with cling film. Chill for 6 hours or overnight.
Praline Cremeux
1. Into a bowl, add the hazelnut praline & mascarpone (the mascarpone is optional but I like the creaminess it adds!)
-
- 100g Hazelnut Praline
- 85g Mascarpone
2. Pour over the hot vanilla cremeux that you just made. Then blend or whisk the mixture together until it is smooth.
-
- 250g Vanilla Cremeux
3. Cover the surface with cling film and chill for 6 hours or overnight.
Feuilletine
1. Into a stand mixer, add the soft butter and sugar. Beat on a medium speed until it forms a smooth paste.
-
- 50g Unsalted Butter, Soft
- 50g Icing Sugar
2. Once smooth, pour in the egg whites and beat again. It may look slightly split and the egg whites may not incorporate fully but that’s ok!
-
- 50g Egg Whites
3. Finally, tip in the flour and beat until it forms a smooth paste.
-
- 50g Plain Flour
4. Take a scoop of the mixture and spread it as thin as possible on a silicon mat. It is really important to get it nice and thin as it will puff up as it bakes. It should look almost translucent once spread out.
5. Place it into a preheated oven at 175C/350F and bake until a nice deep golden colour. It should take around 5-8 minutes.
6. Remove the tray from the oven, and once it has cooled, break the mixture into tiny pieces.
Feuilletine Praliné Crunch
1. Into a bowl, add the crushed feuilletine, melted chocolate & hazelnut praline.
-
- 70g Hazelnut Praline
- 20g Milk Chocolate, Melted
- 35g Feuilletine
2. Stir together until combined.
Assembly Part 1
1. Take the 30mm sphere mold, and scoop a teaspoon of the feuilletine crunch into one half.
2. Place a whole roasted hazelnut into the centre.
3. Scoop and another teaspoon of the mixture into the other half of the sphere.
4. Carefully sandwich the two sides of the mold together, as you do this some mixture may squeeze out but try and seal the mold as best as possible. Place this in the freezer for one hour.
5. Next, take the 40mm sphere mold and scoop the chilled vanilla cremeux into a piping bag. Pipe the mixture into the bottom half of the mold, filling it up about ¾ of the way.
6. Remove the frozen praline sphere from the freezer and press this into the cremeux.
7. Place the lid of the sphere mold on top, and pipe the remaining vanilla cremeux into the mold so that it is completely full. Again, some cremeux might burst out, but just try your best to secure the mold so that it is joined in the centre and forms a neat sphere shape. Freeze this for 4 hours.
8. Once frozen, take the 50mm sphere mold and add the praline cremeux into a piping bag – again no need to whisk this up you can add it straight from the fridge into a piping bag.
9. Pipe the praline cremeux, into the bottom half of the mold filling it up ¾ of the way. Remove the vanilla cremeux ball from the mold and press it into the praline cremeux.
10. Place the lid onto the sphere mold and pipe the remaining praline cremeux into the hole in the top, filling the mold up (again, don’t if some spills out, just try and secure the mold as best as possible) Freeze this for 4-6 hours. This process needs to be repeated a few times to create lots of spheres if you only have 1 mold.
Final Assembly
1. Into a large bowl, add the chocolate and cocoa butter (or the chocolate and oil).
-
- 300g Dark Chocolate
- 300g Cocoa Butter
2. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until completely melted.
3. Remove it from the heat and stir in the chopped hazelnuts. Allow the mixture to cool to 25-27C (77-80C). Pour it into a tall jug.
4. Remove the frozen praline sphere from the freeze and press a skewer into the bottom.
5. Dunk the sphere into the chocolate that is now at temperature. Let the excess drip off then carefully place it onto a silicon mat or a serving dish.
6. To decorate, I added a few chocolate shavings on top but you can decorate as you wish!
7. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
Baileys Yule Log
TIER 1
Baileys Yule Log
1
YULE LOG
Ingredients
Makes 1 yule log
Chocolate Sponge
80g Egg Yolks
20g Sugar (A)
55g Sugar (B)
150g Egg Whites
50g Vegetable Oil
35g Whole Milk
45g Plain Flour
25g Cocoa Powder
Baileys Chantilly
300g Double/Heavy Cream
30g Baileys
1-2 Tsp Sugar
½ Tsp Vanilla Paste
Tempered Chocolate To Decorate
Special equipment
12×10.5” Sponge Roll Mat
Stand Mixer/Electric Whisk
Acetate
Method
Chocolate Sponge
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar (A). Whisk the mixture by hand or in a stand mixer until it is thicker in volume and pale in colour.
-
- 80g Egg Yolks
- 20g Sugar (A)
3. Into a stand mixer, add the egg whites and whisk on a medium low speed. Once the mixture is frothy, increase the speed to medium and slowly add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until you have a medium-stiff peak to the meringue.
-
- 55g Sugar (B)
- 150g Egg Whites
4. Gently fold the first third of meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Once incorporated, add the second third, fold it through and then the final third.
5. Next, sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder, and fold it in carefully until it is fully incorporated.
-
- 45g Plain Flour
- 25g Cocoa Powder
6. Finally, pour in the vegetable oil and whole milk. Use a spatula to fold this in. Really ensure you scrape the bottom of the bowl as the oil can get caught at the bottom and not fully incorporate.
-
- 50g Vegetable Oil
- 35g Whole Milk
7. Lightly grease a 12×10.5” sponge roll silicon mat. Alternatively, you can grease a half sheet pan lightly with butter and place a sheet of baking paper on top.
8. Pour the batter into the mat, and then using a raplette or an offset spatula and spread the batter out evenly. Try to ensure that when using a spatula or raplette that you spread the batter so that it is very level.
9. Bake the sponge for 12-14 minutes then allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
Baileys Chantilly
1. Into a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and whisk until it reaches a medium peak. Be careful not to underwhip it too much, as if it is too soft, it will leak out as you roll it.
-
- 300g Double/Heavy Cream
- 30g Baileys
- 1-2 Tsp Sugar
- ½ Tsp Vanilla Paste
Assembly
1. To assemble the yule log, cut out a large piece of parchment paper. Take the cooled sponge and flip it (carefully) out of the silicon mat so that the smooth surface that was exposed to the oven, is now facing onto parchment.
2. Make sure that the short edge of the sponge (10.5”) is at the top and bottom, while the longer side (12.5”) is on the sides. Then take a sharp knife, and cut a 45 degree angle at the very bottom of the sponge (the dotted line).
3. Spoon the baileys cream onto, and use an offset spatula to spread it out so you have a relatively even layer. You might not quite need all of the cream depending on how thick you want it to be.
4. Then with parchment paper assisting you, roll the sponge on itself, as tight as possible so that you get a good spiral.
5. Then once it is rolled up, wrap the parchment around the cake, and then use a ruler or something long and flat, and press this against the underside of the sponge whilst also pulling the bottom sheet of the parchment. This will create tension and tighten the roll. Place it in the fridge for 30m.
6. To decorate the cake, I just made a few chocolate leaves. I made a small batch of tempered chocolate, and dipped a small pastry brush into it. Then I swiped the brush on long a sheet of acetate, in individual strokes, to create little leaves. Lift the acetate sheet up and set it in a slightly curved position.
7. Once the cake has chilled, un-roll it carefully from the parchment and place it onto your serving plate.
8. Use a hot knife to cut the rough ends off either side.
9. Then place a strip of card or paper into the centre and dust icing sugar over the top.
10. Remove the card and carefully place the tempered chocolate leaves into the centre.
Snickers
TIER 3
Snickers Bar
8
BARS
Ingredients
Makes 8 bars
Tempered Chocolate
400g Milk Chocolate + 60g Milk Chocolate
AND
200g Milk Chocolate + 30g Milk Chocolate
Salted Caramel
175g Double Cream
45g Whole Milk
45g Glucose (1)
80g Caster Sugar
90g Glucose (2)
1.5g Sea Salt Flakes
60g Unsalted Butter
Pailleté Feuilletine
50g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
50g Icing Sugar
50g Egg Whites
50g Plain Flour Hazelnut Praline
300g Whole Roasted Hazelnuts
200g Caster Sugar
60g Water
2g Fleur De Sel (Or Flaked Sea Salt)
*This will make more than you need
Feuilletine Praliné Crunch
200g Hazelnut Praline
45g Dark Chocolate
30g Paillete Feuilletine
18g Cocoa Butter (Optional)
Roasted Peanuts To Fill
Special equipment
1 x Snack Bar Polycarbonate Chocolate Mold
Piping Bags
Chocolate Scraper
Digital Thermometer
Stand Mixer
Food Processor
Acetate Sheet / Coloured Cocoa Butter Transfer Sheet
Method
Salted Caramel
1. Into a saucepan, add the whole milk, double/heavy cream and glucose.
-
- 175g Double Cream
- 45g Whole Milk
- 45g Glucose (1)
2. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking to ensure the glucose has dissolved fully. Once it is hot, set it to one side, but ensure it stays warm while you create the caramel.
3. Into a medium saucepan, add the glucose and the caster sugar.
-
- 80g Caster Sugar
- 90g Glucose (2)
4. Place it over a medium heat and bring it to a deep caramel. Try to avoid stirring the mixture, and shake the pan to help disperse the sugar. If the sugar isn’t breaking down, very quickly stir it in with a spatula.
5. Keep a careful eye on it, it will go from a deep golden colour to burnt quickly!
6. Once you have a nice deep golden colour, immediately pour in the hot cream mixture, being very careful as it will bubble up violently.
7. Whisk the mixture and cook over a medium heat for 1 minute.
8. Remove it from the heat and pour it through a sieve into a separate bowl.
9. Let it cool for 2 minutes, then add in the salt & butter and blend (or whisk) until smooth.
-
- 60g Unsalted Butter
- 1.5g Sea Salt Flakes
10. Pour the mixture into a container and store at room temperature. It should thicken slightly overnight and become a more pipeable consistency that isn’t quite as loose.
Hazelnut Praline
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the sugar & water. Place it on a medium heat, and cook the mixture until it reaches 110C/230F on a digital thermometer.
-
- 200g Caster Sugar
- 60g Water
2. Once at 110C/230F, pour in the hazelnuts. Stir constantly with a spatula. The mixture will initially look quite clumpy, then the sugar will crystallize, but eventually as you keep stirring, the sugars will caramelise and you should have a deep golden caramel surrounding the nuts.
-
- 300g Whole Roasted Hazelnuts
3. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and tip the caramelised nuts onto a baking tray lined with a silicon mat. Sprinkle some sea salt flakes on top and let it set completely at room temperature for 30 minutes.
-
- Pinch Sea Salt Flakes
4. After 30 minutes, the praline should be completely cool and solid to the touch. Break it into pieces and add it into a high powered food processor. Blend for 4 minutes, scraping it down every so often, until you have a smooth, nutty paste. Store in an airtight container.
Pailleté Feuilletine
1. Into a stand mixer, add the soft butter and sugar. Beat on a medium speed until it forms a smooth paste.
-
- 50g Unsalted Butter, Soft
- 50g Icing Sugar
2. Once smooth, pour in the egg whites and beat again. It may look slightly split and the egg whites may not incorporate fully but that’s ok!
-
- 50g Egg Whites
3. Finally, tip in the flour and beat until it forms a smooth paste.
-
- 50g Plain Flour
4. Take a scoop of the mixture and spread it as thin as possible on a silicon mat. It is really important to get it nice and thin as it will puff up as it bakes. It should look almost translucent once spread out.
5. Place it into a preheated oven at 175C/350F and bake until a nice golden colour. It should take around 3-5 minutes.
6. Remove the tray from the oven, and once it has cooled, break the mixture into tiny pieces.
Tempering – Milk Chocolate
1. Take a medium saucepan and place a small amount of water in the bottom. Place it over a low heat until it is a very very gentle simmer. You do not want this to be too hot otherwise the chocolate will heat up too quickly.
2. Pour your first part of chocolate into a bowl and place it on the pan.
-
- 400g Milk Chocolate
3. Stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula until it reaches a temperature of of 45C/113F on a digital thermometer. The bowl will retain some heat so it is best to take it off the pan at about 43C/109F and then keep stirring until it reaches 45C/113F.
4. Once at temperature, with the bowl off the heat, immediately add in the remaining chocolate.
-
- 60g Milk Chocolate
5. Again, stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides as you go, until it cools down to 27C/80F.
6. Place the bowl of chocolate back on the heat, and being very careful not to overheat it here, heat it to between 28-30C (82-86F). Your chocolate is now in temper.
7. Ensure you completely dry the bottom of your bowl, before pouring the chocolate into a piping bag (if any water mixes in with the chocolate it will seize).
8. Take the chocolate bar mold and pipe the tempered chocolate into the snack bar mold, filling each cavity to the top.
9. Take a chocolate scraper and vigorously tap each side of the mold to settle the chocolate and help to release any air bubbles.
10. After 30 seconds of tapping – tip the mold upside down (it is best to place a silicon mat underneath!) and tap the mold, to get rid of the excess chocolate.
– A quick note – if it is very cold, your chocolate may set faster in the mold in which case 30s may be too long to wait before tipping it out. It is not the end of the world but you will just end up with a slightly thicker chocolate shell.
11. Keep tapping the mold until the drips have stopped.
12. Once they have stopped, use your scraper to scrape the top of the mold so that you wipe away any excess chocolate and create a nice flush top.
13. Place the mold on its side, and leave it to set at room temperature for 30 minutes – 1 hour. Again, it may depend on your room temperature, if it is very cold it will set much faster, if it is hot, it will take a little longer!
Assembly
1. To prepare your feuilletine praliné crunch, melt the chocolate (and cocoa butter if you have it) and stir this into your hazelnut praline.
-
- 200g Hazelnut Praline
- 45g Dark Chocolate
- 18g Cocoa Butter
2. Next, add in the pailleté feuilletine and stir it all together until combined.
-
- 30g Pailleté Feuilletine
3. The chocolate should’ve set in the mold now – add your salted caramel to a piping bag, and pipe a layer of this into the bottom of each cavity of the mold.
4. Take a few roasted peanuts, and press these into the salted caramel.
5. Next, add the hazelnut praline crunch to a piping bag, and pipe a layer into the mold on top of the caramel, leaving just enough room at the top so that you can cap the mold.
6. Allow this to set at room temperature (you will see it appears dull and will be not be wet to the touch).
Note – most chocolatiers would probably say you need to let the praline crunch fully crystalise for 12 hours before capping the mold but..it is up to you 🙂
7. Once set, you need to temper your second batch of milk chocolate (200g + 30g) – this is a much smaller amount of chocolate so be careful when tempering as it will heat + cool much faster.
8. Once the chocolate is in temper, add it into a piping bag.
– Note: If you have a hair dryer or a heat gun, you can very gently heat the top of your chocolate mold – this will melt the chocolate ever so slightly and make it easier for the fresh tempered chocolate to adhere.
9. Pipe the chocolate to cover each cavity of the chocolate bar.
10. Place a sheet of acetate on top (or a coloured cocoa butter transfer sheet) and then with your chocolate scraper, apply firm pressure and scrape across the top of the mold, press out any excess chocolate and air bubbles from the mold, to create a tight seal of the acetate sheet to the mold.
– If you don’t have an acetate sheet you can also scrape the mold with the exact same technique – just without the acetate sheet on there.
11. You can allow the chocolate bars to sit at room temperature for 12 hours (or an hour then pop it in the fridge for 5 minutes)
12. Once the chocolate has set, crack the mold firmly against your counter top. If the chocolate doesn’t release, try twisting the mold and then repeating the crack.
Black Sesame & Blackberry
TIER 2
Black Sesame & Blackberry Chocolate Bars
8
BARS
Ingredients
Makes 8 bars
Tempered Chocolate
400g White Chocolate + 60g White Chocolate
AND
200g White Chocolate + 30g White Chocolate
Black Sesame Praline
300g Black Sesame Seeds
250g Sugar
50g Water
15g Neutral Oil
Blackberry Ganache
130g Blackberry Puree
100g Dark Chocolate
To Decorate
Coloured Cocoa Butter (Red + White)
Special equipment
1 x Snack Bar Polycarbonate Chocolate Mold
Piping Bags
Chocolate Scraper
Digital Thermometer
Food Processor
Hand Blender
Acetate Sheet or Decorated Cocoa Butter Transfer Sheet
Method
Black Sesame Praline
1. Take your black sesame seeds and pour them onto a baking tray.
-
- 300g Black Sesame Seeds
2. Place them into a preheated oven at 160C/320F for 12 minutes, until toasty.
3. Meanwhile, add the water into a saucepan, and pour the sugar on top.
-
- 50g Water
- 250g Sugar
4. Place it over a medium heat until it begins to bubble up and it looks slightly golden underneath the bubbles.
5. Begin to gently stir the caramel, cooking it until it reaches a deep golden brown.
6. Take the caramel off the heat and pour it onto a tray lined with a silicon mat.
7. Allow it to cool for 30m at room temperature until solidified.
8. Add the toasted black sesame seeds into a food process, and break up the caramel into shards, adding that in too.
9. Start blending on a low speed for about 1 minute, then slowly drizzle in the neutral oil.
-
- 15g Groundnut Oil
10. Keep blending on a medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until it forms a smooth black paste. You may need to scrape down the food processor as it is blending. The time it takes to blend my depend slightly on your food processor.
11. Pour the praline into a container and set to one side.
Decorating Molds
1. Take your pre-coloured cocoa butter (white), and place the bottle in the microwave, heating in 20 second bursts, shaking the bottle each time.
2. Keep heating the cocoa butter until as you shake it, you can feel a small amount of melted cocoa butter, but the entire bottle is not completely melted, and the centre of the bottle is still relatively solid with cocoa butter. Shaking the bottle will temper the melted chocolate so that it is ready for the mold.
3. Squeeze a small amount of the melted cocoa into a dish, then wearing a glove, dip your finger in a small amount of the cocoa butter and swipe your finger along the inside of each cavity of the mold. Allow the cocoa butter to set for a few minutes at room temperature.
4. Repeat the technique with the red cocoa butter, swiping streaks with your finger on the inside of each cavity.
5. Once the cocoa butter has set, use a scraper to scrape the top of the mold to get rid of any cocoa butter that may have stuck to the outside.
Tempering – White Chocolate
1. Take a medium saucepan and place a small amount of water in the bottom. Place it over a low heat until it is a very very gentle simmer. You do not want this to be too hot otherwise the chocolate will heat up too quickly.
2. Pour your first part of chocolate into a bowl and place it on the pan.
-
- 400g White Chocolate
3. Stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula until it reaches a temperature of 45C/113F on a digital thermometer. The bowl will retain some heat so it is best to take it off the pan at about 43C/109F and then keep stirring until it reaches 45C/113F.
4. Once at temperature, with the bowl off the heat, immediately add in the remaining chocolate.
-
- 60g White Chocolate
5. Again, stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides as you go, until it cools down to 27C/80F.
6. Place the bowl of chocolate back on the heat, and being very careful not to overheat it here, heat it to between 28-30C (82-86F). Your chocolate is now in temper.
7. Ensure you completely dry the bottom of your bowl, before pouring the chocolate into a piping bag (if any water mixes in with the chocolate it will seize).
8. Take the chocolate bar mold and pipe the tempered chocolate into the mold, filling each cavity to the top.
9. Take a chocolate scraper and vigorously tap each side of the mold to settle the chocolate and help to release any air bubbles.
10. After 30 seconds of tapping – tip the mold upside down (it is best to place a silicon mat underneath!) and tap the mold, to get rid of the excess chocolate.
– A quick note – if it is very cold, your chocolate may set faster in the mold in which case 30s may be too long to wait before tipping it out. It is not the end of the world but you will just end up with a slightly thicker chocolate shell.
11. Keep tapping the mold until the drips have stopped.
12. Once they have stopped, use your scraper to scrape the top of the mold so that you wipe away any excess chocolate and create a nice flush top.
13. Place the mold on its side, and leave it to set at room temperature for 30 minutes – 1 hour. Again, it may depend on your room temperature, if it is very cold it will set much faster, if it is hot, it will take a little longer!
Blackberry Ganache
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the blackberry puree. Place it on a medium heat until it is hot, but not boiling.
-
- 130g Blackberry Puree
2. Take the hot puree and pour it over a jug of chopped dark chocolate.
-
- 100g Dark Chocolate
3. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes, then blend until it is very smooth.
4. Allow to sit at room temperature, until it has cooled to around 35C/95F. You want the ganache to be loose and pipeable, but not too hot otherwise it could melt your chocolate in the mold.
Assembly
1. Take the chocolate mold that has now set, and add the black sesame praline & ganache to separate piping bags.
2. Pipe a line of black sesame praline in the bottom of the chocolate cavity, followed by the blackberry ganache. You want to fill the cavity up, but leave just enough room to be able to cap the chocolate bar.
3. Allow the ganache to set at room temperature – it should look dull once it has set – it may take 30m to one hour.
Note – most chocolatiers would probably say you need to let the ganache fully crystalise for 12 hours before capping the mold but..it is up to you 🙂
4. Once the ganache has set, you need to temper your second batch of white chocolate (200g + 30g) – this is a much smaller amount of chocolate so be careful when tempering as it will heat + cool much faster.
5. Once the chocolate is in temper, add it into a piping bag again.
– Note: If you have a hair dryer or a heat gun, you can very gently heat the top of your chocolate mold – this will melt the chocolate ever so slightly and make it easier for the fresh tempered chocolate to adhere.
6. Pipe the chocolate to cover each cavity of the chocolate bar.
7. Place a sheet of acetate on top (or a coloured cocoa butter transfer sheet) and then with your chocolate scraper, apply firm pressure and scrape across the top of the mold, press out any excess chocolate and air bubbles from the mold, to create a tight seal of the acetate sheet to the mold.
– If you don’t have an acetate sheet you can also scrape the mold with the exact same technique – just without the acetate sheet on there.
8. You can allow the chocolate bars to sit at room temperature for 12 hours (or an hour then pop it in the fridge for 5 minutes).
9. Once the chocolate has set, crack the mold firmly against your counter top. If the chocolate doesn’t release, try twisting the mold and then repeating the crack.
Roasted Hazelnut Tablet
TIER 1
Roasted Hazelnut Tablet
3
BARS
Ingredients
Makes 3 bars
Tempered Chocolate
400g Milk Chocolate + 60g Milk Chocolate Roasted
Hazelnuts or your choice of toppings
Optional Decoration – Wax Stamp
Special equipment
1 x Tablet Bar Mold
Piping Bag
Chocolate Scraper
Digital Thermometer
Method
Tempering – Milk Chocolate
1. Before tempering your chocolate it is important to properly clean your chocolate mold with either a cotton pad or a microfibre cloth. This will prevent scuffs or marks from appearing on the final tablet.
2. Take a medium saucepan and place a small amount of water in the bottom. Place it over a low heat until it is a very very gentle simmer. You do not want this to be too hot otherwise the chocolate will heat up too quickly.
3. Pour your first part of chocolate into a bowl and place it on the pan.
-
- 400g Milk Chocolate
4. Stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula until it reaches a temperature of of 45C/113F on a digital thermometer. The bowl will retain some heat so it is best to take it off the pan at about 43C/109F and then keep stirring until it reaches 45C/113F.
5. Once at temperature, with the bowl off the heat, immediately add in the remaining chocolate.
-
- 60g Milk Chocolate
6. Again, stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides as you go, until it cools down to 27C/80F.
7. Place the bowl of chocolate back on the heat, and being very careful not to overheat it here, heat it to between 28-30C (82-86F). Your chocolate is now in temper.
8. Ensure you completely dry the bottom of your bowl, before pouring the chocolate into a piping bag (if any water mixes in with the chocolate it will seize).
9. Take the chocolate bar mold and pipe the tempered chocolate into the tablet bar mold. You don’t need to completely fill the mold, only about ⅔.
10. Take a chocolate scraper and vigorously tap each side of the mold to settle the chocolate – this will allow it to fully disperse across the mold and also release any air bubbles.
11. While the chocolate is still wet, carefully press the toppings of your choice into the chocolate – avoid pressing them in too hard or you could press them through to the front of the mold.
12. Allow the mold to sit at room temperature for 12 hours, or 1 hour at room temperature, then pop the mold in the fridge for 5 minutes.
13. When the chocolate has set, carefully crack the mold on the surface – don’t do this too aggressively as you could force some of the toppings out!
Optional Decoration – Wax Stamp
1. Start by placing your custom wax stamp into the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes.
2. You then need to temper white chocolate and use a colouring to create the red. The chocolate can be coloured using “IBC Power Flowers” – it is a little expensive, but a good system for colouring chocolate. You heat your white chocolate to 45C – add the colouring, then cool to 27C, then heat it back up to 28-30C.
3. Add the coloured tempered chocolate into a piping and pipe small dots along a silicon mat. You will need to work pretty quickly so the chocolate doesn’t set.
4. Remove the wax stamp from the freezer and carefully press this down onto the dot of piped chocolate.
5. Let it sit there for about 6-8 seconds, then carefully lift it off to reveal the stamp.
6. Use a small amount of melted chocolate to stick the wax stamp to the chocolate bar.
Chocolate Sheet Cake
TIER 2
Chocolate Sheet Cake
1
9"x13" SHEET CAKE
Ingredients
Makes 1 9″x13″ sheet cake
Chocolate Sheet Cake
340g Unsalted Butter
340g Brewed Coffee
85g Cocoa Powder
170g Dark Chocolate
430g Light Brown Sugar
6 Large Eggs + 3 Large Egg Yolks (Cold)
255g Plain Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
½ Tsp Salt Chocolate Chips
Brown Sugar Ganache
200g Dark Chocolate
25g Unsalted Butter
35g Light Brown Sugar
200g Double Cream
75g Sour Cream
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
200g Egg Whites
375g Sugar
500g Unsalted Butter, Soft & Room Temperature
6g Salt
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or 1 Fresh Vanilla Pod
200g Melted Dark Chocolate
Chocolate Drip
100g Dark Chocolate
60g Unsalted Butter
Special equipment
Stand Mixer
9×13” Cake Tin
Piping Bag
1M Star Tip Nozzle
Digital Thermometer
Method
Chocolate Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 175C/345F. Into a large bowl, add the butter, and pour over the hot coffee.
-
- 340g Unsalted Butter
- 340g Brewed Coffee
2. Whisk the mixture together until the butter has completely melted. If the coffee is a little cool, then just pop the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until melted.
3. Once melted, add in the chocolate and cocoa powder and whisk the mixture together. Again, you want to whisk this until the chocolate has completely melted. If it needs a little heating, just pop it over a pan of simmering water.
-
- 85g Cocoa Powder
- 170g Dark Chocolate
4. Add in the sugar and whisk until there are no more lumps of sugar.
-
- 430g Light Brown Sugar
5. Add in the cold eggs and whisk to combine.
-
- 6 Large Eggs + 3 Large Egg Yolks (Cold)
6. Finally, sift in the flour, salt & baking soda. Gently whisk the mixture together until there are no more dry parts of flour.
-
- 255g Plain Flour
- 1 Tbsp Baking Soda
- ½ Tsp Salt
7. Take a 9×13” rectangle cake pan. Lightly spray it with a cake release spray. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of the tin. If you are not using cake release spray, coat the base with soft butter, place the sheet of parchment down. Then grease the edges with butter and dust them with cocoa powder.
8. Pour the cake batter into the tin.
9. Take a handful of chocolate chips and dust them lightly in flour. Shake off any excess flour then sprinkle them on top of the cake.
-
- Chocolate Chips
10. Place the cake into the oven and bake for around 40-45m, or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre. It may take longer – every oven is different so keep an eye on it.
11. Once baked, let it cool in the tion for 5 minutes, then carefully place a wire rack on top of the tin.
12. Take a tea towel, and hold the wire rack against the top of the tray. Very carefully flip the tray over, then slowly lift the cake pan so that the cake releases onto the wire rack.
13. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes, then wrap the cake tightly in cling film and refrigerate the cake for 4-6 hours. This is optional but helps to keep the cake moist.
Brown Sugar Ganache
1. Add the chocolate into a medium bowl, then place it over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until it is completely melted.
-
- 200g Dark Chocolate
2. Set that to one side to stay warm, while you add the cream, sugar and butter to a saucepan. Place it on a medium low heat, stirring constantly until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved into the cream. Make sure the cream is not boiling – just hot.
-
- 25g Unsalted Butter
- 35g Light Brown Sugar
- 200g Double Cream
3. Slowly pour the cream into the chocolate in three additions.
4. With your spatula, stir the cream into the chocolate, stirring from the centre of the bowl in very tight circular motions. This is an important technique in order to properly emulsify the ganache (Although if you do have one, you can use a hand blender to blend the cream and chocolate together until smooth).
5. Once you have added all the cream, fold the sour cream into the ganache.
-
- 75g Sour Cream
6. Set the mixture to one side (cover the surface directly with cling film), until it has set into a spreadable frosting consistency. Roughly 2-3 hours at room temperature, but it may take more/less depending on your environment.
7. Once the ganache has set up and the cake has cooled. Use a sharp serrated knife to carefully slice the cake in half horizontally. This can be a little tough to do evenly as it is a large cake, but if you have a cake leveller, that makes things a lot easier! At this point it is worth placing the cake on a cake board so it is easy to maneuver.
8. Use a palette knife to evenly spread the frosting onto one layer of the cake.
9. Carefully sandwich the second layer of cake on top. 10. Place the cake in the fridge while you make the buttercream.
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1. Into a large metal bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites, sugar, vanilla and salt.
-
- 200g Egg Whites
- 375g Sugar
- 6g Salt
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or 1 Fresh Vanilla Pod
2. Place the bowl of a pan of gently simmering water. Whisk the mixture constantly until the sugar has dissolved and it reached a temperature of around 65C/149F on a digital thermometer.
3. Once at temperature, remove it from the heat and place it onto a stand mixer. Attach the whisk and whisk for 5-7 minutes, or until the bowl feels completely cool to the touch. As this is mixing, melt your chocolate. You want to ensure it is warm when you add it in, but not too hot, so by starting it now, it should be at a good temperature when you are ready to use it.
-
- 200g Dark Chocolate, Melted
4. With the mixer still on a medium speed, slowly add in the soft butter, one piece at a time. As long as the butter is soft, you should be able to add it in relatively quickly. Wait about 10s in between each addition.
-
- 500g Unsalted Butter, Soft & Room Temperature
5. Initially it will look quite soupy, then it may begin to look curdled, but don’t panic – this is normal.
6. Once you have added all the butter, keep whisking for a further 3-4 minutes until the buttercream is completely smooth.
7. Next, pour in the melted chocolate. Keep whisking (you may need to scrape down the sides to fully incorporate all the chocolate) until you have a smooth chocolate buttercream.
Assembly Part 1
1. Remove the chilled cake from the fridge and place a heaped scoop of chocolate buttercream on top.
2. With an offset spatula, spread the buttercream as evenly as possible around the entire cake. Don’t worry too much about perfectly sharp edges or making sure it is completely smooth, we are just adding a rough crumb coat.
3. Add enough buttercream and keep smoothing it out until you have a relatively even crumb coat. Lift the cake into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
4. After 30 minutes, remove the cake from the fridge and add a second layer of buttercream, this time slightly thicker. Again, use an offset spatula to spread the buttercream out as evenly as possible but don’t panic too much about perfectly smooth edges. Just use your palette knife & cake scraper to get it as sharp as you want.
5. Lift the cake and place it in the fridge while you make the chocolate drip.
Chocolate Drip
1. Into a medium bowl, add the chocolate & unsalted butter.
-
- 100g Dark Chocolate
- 60g Unsalted Butter
2. Place the bowl over a pan of very gently simmering water and stir it until it has completely melted.
3. Remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool, gently stirring occasionally until it has cooled to around 30-32C (86F-89F) on a digital thermometer.
Final Assembly
1. Once the drip is at temperature, remove the cake from the fridge.
2. Add the drip into a piping bag or using a spoon, carefully drip the chocolate over the edge of the cake.
3. Next, take the remaining buttercream and add it into a piping bag fitted with a 1M star tip nozzle.
4. Applying even pressure, start at the top of the cake, and pipe and even shell border, covering the parts of the cake where the top of the drip can be seen. The key to getting an even border, is just to apply even pressure, squeeze a dollop of the buttercream, stop piping, then drag the piping bag towards you.
5. Once you have covered the top, repeat the piping along the bottom of the cake.
6. Then at this point, you can decorate the centre of the cake any way you want! I chose to fill the centre with chocolate curls, but you could add candles or sprinkles…whatever you fancy!
7. Allow the cake to come to room temperature for at least an hour before serving so the ganache can warm up.
Choux au Chocolat
TIER 3
Choux Au Chocolat
6-10
CHOUX BUNS
Ingredients
Makes 6-10 choux buns
Chocolate Choux Pastry
100g Water
100g Whole Milk
4g Salt
8g Sugar
100g Unsalted Butter
110g Strong White Bread Flour
10g Cocoa Powder
175g – 200g Whole Eggs
Chocolate Craquelin
75g Unsalted Butter
75g Light Brown Sugar
30g Ground Almonds
45g Plain, All-Purpose Flour
15g Cocoa Powder
Dark Chocolate Creme Patissiere
500ml Whole Milk
1 Vanilla Pod or 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
65g Caster Sugar
6 Large Egg Yolks (120g)
40g Cornstarch/Cornflour Pinch Salt
45g Cold, Unsalted Butter
100g Dark Chocolate
Chocolate Glaze
125g Water
300g Sugar
220g Double/Heavy Cream
110g Glucose
85g Cocoa Powder
11g Gelatin (200 Bloom) + 66g Cold Water
Strawberry Compote
200g Fresh Strawberries
5g Lemon Juice
10g Sugar
3.5g Pectin NH + 12g Sugar
Special equipment
Stand Mixer
Piping Bags
Hand Blender
Round Cookie Cutters
0.5” Round Tip Piping Nozzle
40mm Half Sphere Silicon Mold
1” Sphere Silicon Mold
Method
Chocolate Glaze
1. Into a small bowl, add the gelatin powder and cold water. Allow it to bloom for 5 minutes.
-
- 11g Gelatin (200 Bloom)
- 66g Cold Water
2. Into a small saucepan, add the double/heavy cream and glucose. Place it on a low heat and stir it together until the glucose has melted into the cream. Set it to one side and keep it warm.
-
- 220g Double/Heavy Cream
- 110g Glucose
3. Add the water and sugar into a medium saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Heat it until it reaches 120C/240F on a digital thermometer.
-
- 125g Water
- 300g Sugar
4. As soon as it reaches temperature, pour in the warm cream mixture, followed by the cocoa powder.
-
- 85g Cocoa Powder
5. Whisk the mixture and cook until it reaches a rolling boil.
6. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a tall jug. Use a hand blender to blend the mixture until it is smooth – avoid adding any air bubbles into the glaze.
7. When the mixture has cooled to 80C (which shouldn’t take long), scoop the bloomed gelatin out of the bowl and add this into the jug. Blend again until the mixture is smooth.
8. Pour the mixture into a container, and cover the surface directly with cling film. Refrigerate it overnight.
Strawberry Compote
1. Into a small bowl, add the pectin and sugar and stir these together. It is important to stir them together to prevent lumps from forming later.
-
- 3.5g Pectin NH + 12g Sugar
2. Meanwhile, slice the strawberries into quarters, and place them into a saucepan along with sugar, a splash of water (about 2 tbsp) and lemon juice. The amount of sugar & lemon juice you need really depends on how sweet your strawberries are so you might need to adjust these levels. If they are very sweet then you may not need to add any sugar at all.
-
- 200g Fresh Strawberries
- 5g Lemon Juice
- 10g Sugar 3.
Place the pan onto a medium heat and stir the strawberries until they have broken down, are slightly softer and the juices are bubbling up. At this point, add in the pectin mixture and stir it through.
4. Continue to cook the strawberries until they have thickened slightly and completely broken down. If the sauce is too thick and the strawberries haven’t quite broken down, just add a splash of water.
5. Take the mixture and spoon this into a small round sphere silicon mold.
6. Smooth the top so none of the compote is sticking out the top and place them in the freezer overnight.
Chocolate Creme Patissiere
1. To make the creme patissiere, place the milk into a medium saucepan, and place it over a medium heat. The vanilla is optional but does add a nice flavour.
-
- 500ml Whole Milk
- 1 Vanilla Pod or 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
2. Meanwhile, add the egg yolks, sugar, salt and cornstarch/cornflour into a bowl. Whisk the mixture for about 30s until thickened.
-
- 65g Caster Sugar
- 6 Large Egg Yolks (120g)
- 40g Cornstarch/Cornflour
- Pinch Salt
3. Once the milk reaches a gentle simmer, remove it from the heat, and slowly pour it over the egg yolks, whisking constantly.
4. Once you have added all the mixture, pour it back into the pan, and keep whisking until the mixture starts to boil. Once it reaches a boil, continue to cook for about 1 minute.
5. Remove it from the heat and pass the thickened mixture through a sieve, over a bowl of chopped chocolate.
-
- 100g Dark Chocolate, Chopped
6. Let the mixture sit for 2m, then whisk it together, along with the butter.
-
- 45g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
7. Once it is smooth and the chocolate has completely melted, cover the surface directly with cling film and refrigerate for four 3-4 hours.
Chocolate Craquelin
1. To make the chocolate craquelin, add the soft unsalted butter, sugar and ground almonds to the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl if you are using an electric hand mixer.
-
- 75g Unsalted Butter
- 75g Light Brown Sugar
- 30g Ground Almonds
2. Beat the mixture until it is smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. It should take 1-2 minutes.
3. Tip in the flour and mix on low speed until it pulls together and forms a crumble.
-
- 45g Plain, All-Purpose Flour
- 15g Cocoa Powder
4. Scoop the mixture out onto a large silicon mat, and place a second silicon mat on top (if you are using a smaller silicon mat you may need to split it into two batches).
5. Use a rolling pin to roll it as thin as possible. Don’t worry about the shape, just get it nice and thin. Lift it into the freezer so it is flat and freeze for 30 minutes.
Chocolate Choux Pastry
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the milk, water, butter, salt & sugar.
-
- 100g Water
- 100g Whole Milk
- 4g Salt
- 8g Sugar
- 100g Unsalted Butter
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then take it off the heat, and sieve in the flour & cocoa powder. Always sieve the flour in to prevent any chunks of flour clumping in the pan.
-
- 110g Strong White Bread Flour
- 10g Cocoa Powder
3. Stir it together off the heat until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Place it back onto a medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. As you are cooking it, you will notice a “film” of dough forming on the bottom of the pan. Avoid scraping this into the batter i.e don’t press hard on the bottom of the pan and try to scrape this film into the main dough.
5. Once you have cooked the dough, immediately remove it from the heat and place it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment. Or you can place it into a large bowl if you are using an electric hand mixer.
6. Beat the mixture on medium low speed for about 3 minutes to cool it down.
7. While it is mixing, whisk together your eggs so they are evenly combined.
-
- 175g-200g Whole Eggs
8. With the mixer running on a medium low speed, slowly pour in the eggs. You want to add them in small additions, beating the mixture for about 45 seconds before adding the next quantity of eggs. The reason we wait in between each addition is to allow the dough to fully hydrate before adding any more liquid.
9. Add the eggs in, in about 5 additions, waiting as I said, about 45 seconds before you pour the next amount in.
10. The recipe has a slight guide on the amount of eggs you need to add. This will depend on how much moisture was cooked out of your choux dough in the pan. You are essentially looking to add enough eggs until the choux dough looks “creamy”. It is slightly hard to describe but watch the video and you will see the texture I am referring to.
11. Once it is creamy, keep mixing the dough for 3-4 minutes to allow it to cool down even further. This will make it much easier to work with. Once cooled, pour the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a ½” round tip nozzle.
12. If you have it available, take a 40mm half sphere silicon mold and pipe the mixture into each cavity. Then use an offset spatula to smooth it out slightly so they are relatively flat.
13. Place the silicon mold in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until the half spheres are solid. *
Note – if you do not have a silicon mold, you can pipe the choux pastry free hand onto a baking mat as you normally would. Once you have piped the choux dough, you can then place the craquelin discs on top.
14. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/360F non-fan assisted.
15. Once the spheres have frozen, remove them from the silicon mold and place them onto a baking mat, about 6 per tray. Let them defrost for about 15 minutes at room temperature – this will prevent the craquelin discs from slipping off the frozen spheres as they defrost.
16. Remove the craquelin from the freezer and peel off the top silicon mat. Use a 60mm cookie cutter to cut out discs and place them on the top of choux pastry.
17. Just before you place the tray in the oven, splash a small amount of water on the bottom of the oven (or preheat the oven with a tray on the bottom and splash it on that), then immediately place the tray in the oven. Bake the choux buns for around 30-35 minutes. As it is chocolate choux pastry, it is actually slightly harder to tell as you can’t see it turn a nice golden colour. After about 30 minutes, very quickly open the oven and gently press one of the chouxs, if it still feels soft, then keep baking them. The choux should feel firm to the touch when it is baked fully.
18. Once baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
Final Assembly
1. Once the choux have cooled, you can remove your chocolate glaze from the fridge. After a night in the fridge, it will be very thick. Place the glaze in the microwave and heat it for 30 second bursts, stirring in between each time, until it is completely melted. As you are stirring it, try and avoid adding too many air bubbles (you can also blend it again once it is melted so that it is smooth)
2. Alternatively, scoop the mixture into a large bowl and place it over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until it is melted.
3. Once it is melted, we want to leave it at room temperature, stirring it to prevent a skin from forming every few minutes, until it cools to around 32C. This is the perfect temperature of the glaze to dip our frozen strawberry compote spheres.
4. Remove the chocolate creme patissiere from the fridge and use a hand whisk to whisk it up. This will loosen the mixture slightly and make it easier to pipe.
5. Add the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle.
6. Flip the baked choux over and pierce a small hole in the bottom. Pipe the creme patissiere into the bottom until it feels full & heavy. Once you have filled them all, set the chouxs to one side.
7. Once the glaze is at temperature, remove your strawberry compote spheres from the freezer. Stick a toothpick into the top and dip the sphere into the chocolate glaze. Let the excess drip off the sphere and then gently drag it along a silicon baking mat or piece of parchment until it stops dripping.
8. Then very carefully, using tweezers or a small knife, carefully press the glaze sphere off of the toothpick, onto the top of your choux bun. Remove the toothpick (which will leave a small hole)
9. Cover up the hole with a small piece of edible gold leaf.
10. It is important to serve these relatively quickly, as the strawberry sphere will begin to defrost and lose its shape, so they are best eaten about 20 minutes after you have glazed the sphere. Alternatively, you can use a different cream or cremeux that we have made across Bake It Better, which will hold its shape for longer.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
TIER 2
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cookies
5-6
COOKIES
Ingredients
Makes 5-6 cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
75g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
60g Caster Sugar
65g Light Brown Sugar
60g Natural Peanut Butter
35g Double/Heavy Cream
3g Vanilla Bean Paste
80g Plain Flour
30g Cocoa Powder
2g Baking Soda
Caramelised Peanuts
140g Unsalted, Raw Peanuts
100g Caster Sugar
40g Water
Sprinkle of Sea Salt Flakes
Chocolate Disc
250g Dark Chocolate
Special equipment
Stand Mixer
Cookie Cutters
4 x A4 Acetate Sheets
Hair Dryer/Heat Gun
Method
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment (or a large bowl if you are mixing it by hand), add in the unsalted butter, sugar & peanut butter.
-
- 75g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 60g Caster Sugar
- 65g Light Brown Sugar
- 60g Natural Peanut Butter
2. Beat the mixture on a medium speed (or with a spatula) for 2-3 minutes, until it appears lighter and fluffier.
3. Pour in the cream and vanilla, and beat until combined.
-
- 35g Double/Heavy Cream
- 3g Vanilla Bean Paste
4. Finally, place a sieve on top of the bowl, and add in the dry ingredients. Mix on a low speed until they are fully incorporated.
-
- 80g Plain Flour
- 30g Cocoa Powder
- 2g Baking Soda
5. Cover the surface of the dough with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170C/340F non-fan assisted.
Caramelised Peanuts
*This will make more than you need
1. Into a medium saucepan or a shallow frying pan, add the water, then sugar and finally the peanuts.
-
- 140g Unsalted, Raw Peanuts
- 100g Caster Sugar
- 40g Water
2. Place the pan on a medium heat and keep stirring until the peanuts become sandy and the sugar has crystalised around them. At this point – you haven’t gone wrong!
3. Keep stirring the mixture, taking the pan off the what every now and again to regulate the heat and ensure the nuts don’t burn.
4. Once the sugar has cooked, turned to a sandy caramel and the nuts are evenly coated, quickly tip them onto a silicon mat and break up any clumps of nuts. Let them cool completely.
Baking
1. After 30 minutes, scoop the dough into 65g pieces. Roll the pieces of dough in between your hands until they form smooth round balls.
2. Place the balls onto a baking tray lined with a sheet of parchment. Ensure there is enough space between them so they do not spread into each other as they bake. I like to bake 5 per tray.
3. Place the tray into the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. They should spread out and crack slightly at the edges, but still have a very slight puff in the centre.
4. Once they have baked and while they are still warm, take a cookie cutter that is slightly larger than the cookie and rotate it in small circles around the outside. This will create a neat, round cookie.
5. While it is still warm, take some individual pieces of caramelised peanuts, and press them into the top of the cookie.
As an additional flavour you could also make the soft salted caramel recipe from Modern Pastry – Tier 2. You could pipe small dollops of this in between the caramelised peanuts.
6. Let the cookies cool completely. Be careful if you are moving them while they are warm as they are quite soft and they could fall out of shape.
Chocolate Disc & Assembly
1. To decorate the cookies we are going to melt a small disc of chocolate on top. You could temper the chocolate here but there is no real need as we are going to melt it immediately anyways.
2. Start by placing your chocolate into a bowl, and place this over a pan of gently simmering water.
-
- 250g Dark Chocolate
3. Stir the chocolate until it is completely melted.
4. Remove the chocolate from the heat and pour it onto a sheet of acetate. If you are using A4 sheets of acetate, you will need to split the chocolate between two sheets, as 250g will be too much for one.
5. Place a second sheet of acetate on top and use a rolling pin to press the chocolate to the edges so you have a nice thin, even layer of chocolate. Don’t press the chocolate all the way to the edge as when we weigh it down it will spread slightly more. Repeat the process with the remaining chocolate, on a second sheet of acetate.
6. Lift the sheet of acetate onto a tray and then place a heavy object on top to keep the chocolate flat. Place the tray into the freezer for 10 minutes.
7. Once chilled, remove the tray from the freezer and carefully peel off the top sheet of acetate. Remember, the chocolate is not in temper so it will melt very quickly especially if it is hot, so work quickly, or place the chocolate back in the freezer as you go.
8. Take a cookie cutter, slightly smaller than the size of your baked cookie. Gently heat it with hot water or a blow torch.
9. Cut a disc of chocolate. Wipe the cookie cutter and repeat this, cutting as many discs as you need for your cookies.
10. Place the sheet of chocolate back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
11. After 5 minutes, work quickly and peel off the acetate from underneath the chocolate, to release the chocolate discs.
12. Take the disc of chocolate and carefully lift it on top of your cookie so that it is sitting on the caramelised peanuts.
13. Then, using a heat gun/hair dryer (or simply place the cookie in a warm oven), melt the chocolate disc so that it falls over the caramelised nuts.
14. Place the finished cookies on a tray then as an option, garnish with one final caramelised peanut and a touch of gold leaf.
15. You can place the tray in the fridge for 5 minutes just to set the chocolate disc or serve it warm/leave it at room temperature so the chocolate stays gooey.
Thick Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
TIER 1
Thick Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
6
COOKIES
Ingredients
Makes 6 cookies
56g Caster Sugar
90g Light Brown Sugar
127g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
10g Honey
3g Vanilla Bean Paste
28g Whole Egg
212g Plain, All-Purpose Flour
4g Salt
3g Baking Powder
180g Milk Chocolate Chips
Extra Chocolate Chips To Garnish
Special equipment
Stand Mixer
6 x 4” Ring Mold
Method
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment (or a large bowl if you are mixing it by hand), add in the unsalted butter, sugar, honey & vanilla.
-
- 56g Caster Sugar
- 90g Light Brown Sugar
- 127g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 10g Honey
- 3g Vanilla Bean Paste
2. Beat the mixture on a medium speed (or with a spatula) for 2-3 minutes, until it appears much lighter and fluffier.
3. Pour in the egg and beat the mixture until the egg has fully combined into the mixture.
-
- 28g Whole Egg *Crack a whole egg, whisk it so that it is fully combined, then weigh 28g of it.
4. Into a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. It’s important to mix them together so that baking powder is properly dispersed.
-
- 212g Plain, All-Purpose Flour
- 4g Salt
- 3g Baking Powder
5. With the mixer running on low, tip in the dry ingredients, then immediately tip in the chocolate.
-
- 160g Milk Chocolate Chips
6. Mix very briefly until the flour has just absorbed into all of the butter. We don’t want to overbeat the mixture. It should only take 10-15 seconds to pull together.
7. Take a baking tray and line it with a sheet of parchment paper. Next, very lightly grease the inside of your ring mold, then place a piece of parchment paper along the inside of the ring mold. This will prevent the cookie from sticking to the mold.
8. Depending on the size of your ring mold, you may want adjust the weight of the cookie dough ball in the following steps.
9. Scoop out a piece of cookie dough and weigh about 110g of dough.
10. Take the dough and press it into your ring mold. Use your fingers tips to gently press the cookie dough right to the edges, ensuring it is as smooth as possible. If you are using a smaller ring mold, as a rough guide, you want the cookie dough to fill the ring mold about halfway up so you can remove as much dough as needed so that it fills up the ring mold to that point.
– Unlike a lot of other cookie recipes where you create a ball of dough that then melts into a disc, this cookie dough doesn’t spread much so don’t ball the cookie dough up and try to bake them like regular cookies.
– If you don’t have ring mold, you can simply shape them into thick, flat discs and bake them. Then once they come out of the oven, use something round like a cookie cutter, and rotate it around the outside of the cookie to create a neat round shape.
11. Repeat this with the remaining cookie dough, you should be able to get 6 cookies if you are using 110g per cookie.
12. Place the tray in the freezer for 10-15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 175C/350F. We are not freezing the dough, just keeping it chilled while the oven heats up.
13. Once the oven has heated up, remove the dough from the freezer and slide the tray into the oven.
14. Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes until they have puffed up and gone lightly golden around the edge. The cooking time will be slightly quicker if you are using a smaller ring mold so keep an eye on them. Every oven is different.
15. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, add some more chocolate on top of them while they are warm, along with a sprinkle of flakey salt.
16. Remove the ring mold and let them cool for 5 minutes before serving.
FAQ
How can I store the cookies?
Cookies are always best served and eaten the same day or within a day. Once they are baked you can store them in an airtight container. If you are not baking them that day, you can shape the cookie dough into discs the size of your ring mild, then place them in the freezer. You can freeze the dough for up to a month, however the logne the dough chills the more it will ‘dry’ out, resulting in a cookie that will lose moisture.
Can I refrigerate the dough before I bake it?
The dough can be refrigerated, but the longer you refrigerate the dough, the more the dough will dry out. As the dough dries out, the sugars become more concentrated which can result in a crispier cookie.
Chilling cookie dough is usually done to prevent the cookie dough from spreading too much, but the cookie recipe doesn’t spread much anyways.
Can I re-heat the baked cookies?
Yes! Pop them in the microwave very briefly for short, 5-7 second bursts of time until they are soft or put them in a hot oven for a few minutes to soften them.
If I don’t have enough ring molds, what should I do with the remaining cookie dough while the cookies bake?
Just leave it out, covered, at room temperature until you are ready to portion it up.
Bi-Color Pain Au Chocolat
TIER 3
Bi-Color Pain Au Chocolat
16-20
PAINS AU CHOCOLAT
Ingredients
Makes 16-20 pains au chocolat
Croissant Dough (Detrempe)
700g Croissant Flour (Also known as T55 Flour – you want a flour with 11-12% protein content)
300g Plain, All-Purpose Flour (Around 9-10% protein content) *If you only have access to Bread Flour – Use 500g Plain Flour + 500g Strong White Bread Flour
25g Salt
120g Sugar
40g Fresh Yeast
265g Whole Milk (5 Degrees Celsius)
265g Water (25 Degrees Celsius)
30g Unsalted Butter, Soft
Butter (Beurrage)
500g Professional Unsalted Butter (Isigny Ste-Mère – Beurre D’Isigny A.O.P)
Or
500g Unsalted Butter + 50g Flour (Croissant or Plain)
Chocolate Croissant Dough
230g Croissant Dough
30g Cocoa Powder
50g Water
Filling
3 Chocolate Batons Per Croissant
Syrup
100g Caster Sugar
100g Water
Special equipment
Stand Mixer
Ruler or Tape Measure
Digital thermometer
Dough Scraper
Razor Blade
Method
Croissant Dough
A quick note about dough temperature – the desired dough temperature (also known as the Desired Dough Temperature (DDT) is ideally around 24-26C. This is the perfect temperature for fermentation. Now – the DDT will depend on the temperature of your ingredients which means you may need to adjust the temperature of your milk and water according to your environment. If you check the back of the PDF recipe you will see how to calculate the DDT. You can follow the temperatures below as a guide but if you want to be very accurate, use the DDT formula.
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the mik, water & yeast. Use a whisk to whisk it until the yeast has dissolved.
-
- 40g Fresh Yeast
- 265g Whole Milk (5 Degrees Celsius)
- 265g Water (25 Degrees Celsius)
2. Add all of the remaining ingredients into a bowl, and attach your dough hook to the stand mixer.
-
- 700g Croissant Flour
- 300g Plain Flour
- 25g Salt
- 120g Sugar
- 30g Unsalted Butter, Soft
3. Place the mixer on low speed (speed 1 on your mixer) and mix for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, increase the speed to 2, and mix for another 5-7 minutes.
4. After this time, take a small piece of dough and check to see if the gluten has fully developed. To do this, stretch the piece of dough out, and if it tears easily, then the gluten has not developed enough and you need to keep kneading the dough.
5. Keep kneading the dough until when you carefully stretch a small piece of dough, it stretches without tearing and you can see through the thinly stretched dough.
6. Depending on the strength of your mixer, the time it takes to develop the gluten may vary. It could take up to 15-18 minutes.
7. Remove the dough from the stand mixer and briefly knead it by hand into a smooth ball.
8. Using a dough scraper, cut off about 230g of the dough, which you will need to create the chocolate dough.
9. With the remaining dough, use your hands to pat the dough down and form it into a rough rectangular shape.
10. Wrap the dough in cling film, ensuring the cling film is not wrapped too tightly, there needs to be a little bit of room for it to expand.
11. Place the dough on a tray and into the fridge. The dough needs to be in the fridge for 8-15 hours (I prefer to do it for 12 hours). This the perfect window of time for the fermentation to take place and for the flavour in the dough to develop. I prefer to mix the dough at night so that I can laminate first thing in the morning.
Chocolate Croissant Dough
1. Into a stand mixer, take the croissant dough that you cut from the main dough, and place it into a stand mixer.
2. Into a separate bowl, add the water and cocoa powder. Mix it with a spatula until it forms a rough crumbly paste. Scrape this on top of the croissant dough.
3. With the dough hook attachment, mix the dough until it forms a cohesive chocolate dough. It can sometimes be a little difficult to incorporate so you can also scoop it out onto your work surface and knead it together with your hands.
4. Place the dough onto your work surface and with a rolling pin, roll it into a rough rectangle, about 30x20cm. You may need to flour it lightly to stop it from sticking.
5. Wrap the dough in cling film and place it in the fridge to chill overnight.
Butter
Depending on the type of butter you use, you may not need to follow the following steps and add flour into your butter. If you are able to purchase professional butter sheets used specifically for croissants then the butter will be pliable enough and you will not need to do this.
Option 1 – “Professional” Butter
1. Remove the butter from the package – they usually come in 1KG sheets, and cut it in haf to get 500g.
2. Place the butter on one long sheet of parchment paper then fold it in half. Leave the butter at room temperature for about 30 minutes then it will make it much easier to roll.
3. Use a rolling pin to roll the sheet of butter into a rectangle, around 20x30cm (7.8”x11.8”).
4. You fold the parchment paper into a 20x30cm (7.8”x11.8”) rectangle and then use the rolling pin to roll the butter into the edges until you have a nice even layer of butter.
5. Place the butter block in the fridge to chill overnight.
Option 2 – “Regular” Butter
1. Place the soft butter into a stand mixer along with the flour.
2. Beat the mixture for 1-2 minutes on a low speed until the flour has completely incorporated into the butter.
3. Scrape the butter out of the stand mixer and place it into the centre of a large sheet of parchment paper.
4. Fold the parchment paper over the butter and then fold the edges in, to create a rough rectangle that is 20x30cm (7.8”x11.8”). Use a rolling pin to roll the butter into the corners until you have an even layer of butter that is in a neat rectangular shape
5. Alternatively (and slightly easier) is to find a sandwich bag that is roughly 20x30cm (7.8”x11.8”) and place the soft butter inside that. Seal the sandwich bag leaving a slight hole at the top for air to escape.
6. Roll the butter into a neat rectangular shape, trying to get the butter a relatively even thickness. Seal the top of the bag and place the butter in the fridge overnight.
Laminating
1. After the croissant dough has fermented in the fridge, you are ready to laminate.
2. Remove your butter block from the fridge to allow it to come to temperature. The temperature of the butter is crucial – if the butter is too cold, it will crack when you begin to roll it. If the butter is too warm, it will bleed into the dough and you won’t get any layers to your pain au chocolat. Be sure to cut around the outside of the sandwich bag (if you are using one) and lift the butter out of the bag. Place it on a sheet of parchment to come to temperature.
3. The temperature you need your butter to reach before you begin laminating will depend on the butter you are using and the fat percentage. But a general rule of thumb is to leave the butter at room temperature until it reaches between 11-15C (51F-59F)
4. In my experience, if you are using “professional” croissant butter, you can laminate at around 11C, but with “regular” butter, you need to be closer to 13-14C.
5. Every butter brand will be different and behave differently depending on your room conditions so it may take some experimenting. If your butter melts or cracks the first time you begin laminating, don’t panic! You can still make the bi-color pain au chocolat, your layers may not be quite as perfect however. It can take a few failed attempts of bi-color pain au chocolat in order to understand your butter.
6. Place a digital thermometer into the butter. Depending on your room temperature or the weather outside, it can take the butter anywhere from 10-30 minutes to reach the correct temperature.
7. Once your butter is close to temperature, work quickly to remove your croissant dough from the fridge and start rolling. We want to ensure the dough status cold and is rolled out as soon as the butter is at the right temperature.
8. Very lightly flour the dough and roll it out into a rectangle, that is the same height as your butter (30cm/11.8”) but twice as wide.
9. If your butter block is 20x30cm, you want to roll your dough to 40cm wide x 30cm tall.
10. Place the butter block into the centre of the dough (as shown above) then fold each side of the dough into the centre so they meet in the middle.
11. Use your fingers to pinch the dough together to form a seam down the centre.
12. Turn the dough 90 degrees so the open seam is not facing you and give the dough a quick roll, to give it a little bit of width – extending the width of the dough by about 10cm/4”.
13. Turn the dough 90 degrees again so the seam is vertical in line with your body and begin to roll the dough. Working relatively quickly. Apply even pressure and roll the dough into a long even rectangle.
14. Don’t worry too much about the length of the dough, we are looking to roll it until it reaches around 1cm thick (0.39”)
A quick note on thickness – in an ideal world you would roll to about 5mm thick – but when you are doing it by hand, this can be a little more difficult. So as an easier guide I say around 1cm. 1.5cm is a little on the thick side, but, if you are really struggling to get it any thinner then you can leave it at this thickness and still progress. But if you can get closer to 5mm then even better!
15. Once you are happy with the thickness and shape, dust off any excess flour with a brush, and if the ends of the dough have gone a bit wonky, cut them off so you have straight edges on either side.
16. Perform a single fold of the dough, where you take one third of the dough and fold it up, then take the other third of dough and fold this over the top (see diagram in the PDF)
17. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and place it onto a tray. Place the dough into the freezer for 10 minutes, then into the fridge for 5 minutes.
18. Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it.
19. Following the same process as before, turn the dough 90 degrees so that the “open seam” is horizontally against your body (so it is not facing you).
20. Roll the dough to give it a little bit of width, then turn the dough 90 degrees so that the open seam is now facing you.
21. Roll the dough into a long rectangle, until it is around 1cm thick (0.39”).
22. Now, perform your second, single fold. Following the diagram again, take one third of the dough, fold it up, then take the other third of dough and fold this over the top.
23. Wrap the dough up in cling film and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes, then in the fridge for 10 minutes.
24. Remove the dough from the fridge, and we are going to perform our final single fold, Repeat the process in steps 18-21.
25. When folding this dough, remember that after this stage you need to add the chocolate dough on top. The chocolate dough is 30x25cm, so try to roll the dough so that it is 30cm tall and 75cm long.
26. Perform your final single fold and you should be left with a block of dough that is close to 30x25cm.
27. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
28. After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge along with the chocolate dough that you rolled the night before.
29. Take the chocolate dough and unwrap it from the baking paper. Unwrap the croissant dough block. Lift the chocolate dough on to the top of the croissant dough. Avoid flouring the dough at this point as you need the chocolate dough to stick to the croissant dough. ○ If the chocolate dough is a little too small, very gently stretch it with your hands to the edge. If it is too big, simply trim off any excess.
30. Ensuring the chocolate side of the dough is facing up, take the open seam of the dough and turn it 90 degrees so the seam is not facing you. Here we need to roll the dough to the final width that we need for the pain au chocolat.
31. Each pain au chocolate is 8x17cm, which means that we need the dough to be at least 36-38cm tall.
We will make two rows of bi-color pain au chocolat so we need to make sure the dough is at least 2x17cm = 34cm tall. You want to go a little bigger than this so you can trim off any rough edges.
32. Once you have rolled the dough to around 36cm wide, turn it 90 degrees so the open seam is now facing you. Roll the dough into a long rectangle until it is as close to 1cm thick (0.39”) as possible.
33. Next, take a tape measure or a large ruler and trim off any rough edges so you are left with a rectangle that is exactly 34cm tall.
34. Take a pastry wheel and cut the dough in half, so that you are left with two very long strips of dough, each 17cm tall.
35. Then take a multi pastry wheel cutter or a knife, and cut the dough every 8cm. This will form a rectangle for your pain au chocolat that is 8x17cm.
36. With the chocolate side of the dough still facing you, take a razor blade and score thin lines in the top half of the dough (like below). Don’t use a knife to score the dough as it could tug the dough and damage it. A razor blade is much better.
37. Once you have sliced the chocolate side of the dough, flip it over, so the chocolate dough is now on the table surface, and make sure the “scores” are at the bottom.
38. Place two chocolate batons at the top. Carefully fold the top edge of the dough over the batons, then seal this dough that has overlapped the batons, by adding a third chocolate baton.
39. Continue to roll the dough down, into a log like shape.
40. Once you have a log, ensure the seam of the dough is on the underside, and gently press the bi-color pain au chocolat down, sealing the seam to the dough.
41. Take a large baking tray lined with a sheet of parchment paper and place the pain au chocolat on to it.
42. Repeat this process with all of the remaining dough.
43. Ensure the bi-color pain au chocolat have enough room to proof (I put about 6 per tray)
44. Once you have all the trays filled, boil the kettle and place the trays into your oven (not switched on!)
45. Place the trays into the oven, then place a small dish at the bottom.
46. Pour in a small amount of boiling water into the dish, around 150ml / ½ Cup – not too much. The steam from the water is going to help create a nice environment for the bi-color pain au chocolat to proof, but also prevent a skin from forming. Ensure you do not add too much hot water otherwise the temperature inside the oven will become too hot and the butter will leak from the bi-color pain au chocolat.
47. Change the water EVERY 30 minutes, and proof the pain au chocolat for around 2.5 – 3 hours.
The proofing time can vary greatly depending on your yeast, and how hot your oven becomes and several other factors. Without a professional proofer it can be hard to predict the exact time. Sometimes it can take 2.5 hours, sometimes it can take 5!
48. While the dough is proofing, make the sugar syrup glaze. We cannot egg wash the croissants as the egg will stain the chocolate dough yellow.
49. Add the sugar and water to a pan and bring it to a gentle simmer, until the sugar has dissolved. Don’t cook it for too long or the syrup will thicken and be difficult to paint on the pain au chocolat later. Set it to one side to cool to room temperature.
-
- 100g Caster Sugar
- 100g Water
50. Proof the pain au chocolat until they have at least doubled in volume and look puffy and jiggly.
51. If you are using the same oven you need to proof the bi-color pain au chocolat, as you need to bake it (!) once they are proofed, quickly remove them from the oven and pre-heat the oven.
52. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F Non Fan Assisted.
53. Once the oven is hot, place the bi-color pain au chocolat in. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the croissant dough is a nice golden colour.
54. Remove the bi-color pain au chocolat from the oven, allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before applying the sugar syrup glaze. This will give the pain au chocolat a beautiful shine.
Timings
Making pain au chocolat & croissants is an intensive process and something you really need to dedicate 16-24 hours to! Make sure you don’t have any plans on the day you need to laminate! Here is a rough guide on timings to follow:
Day 1:
9:00pm – Weigh the ingredients + mix the croissant dough. Cut the chocolate dough and wrap both doughs in cling film. Refrigerate overnight (ideally 12 hours)
9:30pm – Beat the butter until it is soft and shape into a rectangle. Chill overnight.
Day 2:
9:00am – Remove the butter from the fridge. Allow it to come to temperature.
9:20am – Remove the dough from the fridge, roll it out, then add the butter and perform your first lamination. Chill for 10 minutes in the freezer + 5 minutes in the fridge.
9:45am – Remove the dough from the fridge and laminate again. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes + fridge for 10 minutes.
10:15am – Remove the dough from the fridge and perform the final lamination. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
10:50am – Roll the dough to its final shape and cut into bi-color pain au chocolat rectangles. Roll the bi-color pain au chocolat up and then place them in the oven to proof.
11:10am – 2:10pm – Proof – changing the hot water every 30 minutes (Roughly 3 hours proofing time – could be slightly less, could be more!)
2:10pm – Remove the proofed bi-color PAC, and preheat the oven.
2:20pm – Bake for 25-30m or until golden. Glaze with the sugar syrup.
Desired Dough Temperature Formula (DDT)
As people are working in different environments – the temperature required for ideal fermentation will be affected by the temperature of your flour, water, milk. For fermentation, you want to finish kneading the dough and to have a final temperature of around 24-26C. The temperature of your flour will most likely be determined by the temperature of your room, which means as a result, you need to follow the formula below to calculate the temperature of the liquids in the recipe. This is very helpful especially if you are working in a particularly hot or particularly cold environment as it means you can simply adjust the temperature of your ingredients and still achieve perfect fermentation.
*note you can test the flour temperature by sticking a digital thermometer in the bag of flour!
(Desired Dough Temperature x 2) – Flour Temperature = Liquid Temperature
Example to achieve a 25C dough temperature where your room/flour temperature is 20C.
(25 x 2) – Flour Temperature = Liquid Temperature
50℃ – Flour Temperature = Liquid Temperature
50℃ – 20℃ = Liquid Temperature
50℃ – 20℃ = 30℃
Therefore if your flour temperature is 20℃ – then you need to make sure the milk + water are at 30℃ when you add them to your recipe. In which case, you can pour your milk and water into a pan, and VERY gently heat them until they reach around 29/30℃ then immediately pour them into your mix.
Pain Au Chocolat
TIER 1
Pain au Chocolat
16-20
PAINS AU CHOCOLAT
Ingredients
Makes 16-20 pains au chocolat
Croissant Dough (Detrempe)
700g Croissant Flour (Also known as T55 Flour – you want a flour with 11-12% protein content)
300g Plain, All-Purpose Flour (Around 9-10% protein content) *If you only have access to Bread Flour – Use 500g Plain Flour + 500g Strong White Bread Flour
25g Salt
120g Sugar
40g Fresh Yeast
265g Whole Milk (5 Degrees Celsius)
265g Water (25 Degrees Celsius)
30g Unsalted Butter, Soft
Butter (Beurrage)
500g Professional Unsalted Butter (Isigny Ste-Mère – Beurre D’Isigny A.O.P)
OR
500g Unsalted Butter + 50g Flour (Croissant or Plain)
Filling
3 Chocolate Batons Per Croissant
Egg Wash
2 Eggs + 2 Egg Yolks
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Ruler or tape measure
Digital thermometer
Dough scraper
Method
Croissant Dough
A quick note about dough temperature – the desired dough temperature (also known as the Desired Dough Temperature (DDT) is ideally around 24-26C. This is the perfect temperature for fermentation. Now – the DDT will depend on the temperature of your ingredients which means you may need to adjust the temperature of your milk and water according to your environment. If you check the back of the PDF recipe you will see how to calculate the DDT. You can follow the temperatures below as a guide but if you want to be very accurate, use the DDT formula.
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the mik, water & yeast. Use a whisk to whisk it until the yeast has dissolved.
-
- 40g Fresh Yeast
- 265g Whole Milk (5 Degrees Celsius)
- 265g Water (25 Degrees Celsius)
2. Add all of the remaining ingredients into a bowl, and attach your dough hook to the stand mixer.
-
- 700g Croissant Flour
- 300g Plain Flour
- 25g Salt
- 120g Sugar
- 30g Unsalted Butter, Soft
3. Place the mixer on low speed (Speed 1 on your mixer) and mix for 8m. After 8 minutes, increase the speed to 2, and mix for another 7-8 minutes.
4. After this time, take a small piece of dough and check to see if the gluten has fully developed. To do this, stretch the piece of dough out, and if it tears easily, then the gluten has not developed enough and you need to keep kneading the dough.
5. Keep kneading the dough until when you carefully stretch a small piece of dough, it stretches without tearing and you can see through the thinly stretched dough.
6. Depending on the strength of your mixer, the time it takes to develop the gluten may vary. It could take up to 15-18 minutes.
7. Remove the dough from the stand mixer and briefly knead it by hand into a smooth ball.
8. Use your hands to pat the dough down and form it into a rough rectangular shape.
9. Wrap the dough in cling film, ensuring the cling film is not wrapped too tightly, there needs to be a little bit of room for it to expand.
10. Place the dough on a tray and into the fridge. The dough needs to be in the fridge for 8-15 hours (I do 12 hours). This the perfect window of time for the fermentation to take place and for the flavour in the dough to develop. I prefer to mix the dough at night so that I can laminate first thing in the morning.
Butter
Depending on the type of butter you use, you may not need to follow the following steps and add flour into your butter. If you are able to purchase professional butter sheets used specifically for croissants then the butter will be pliable enough and you will not need to do this.
Option 1 – “Professional” Butter
1. Remove the butter from the package – they usually come in 1KG sheets, and cut it in haf to get 500g.
2. Place the butter on one long sheet of parchment paper then fold it in half. Leave the butter at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes then it will make it much easier to roll.
3. Use a rolling pin to roll the sheet of butter into a rectangle, around 20x30cm (7.8”x11.8”).
4. You fold the parchment paper into a 20x30cm (7.8”x11.8”) rectangle and then use the rolling pin to roll the butter into the edges until you have a nice even layer of butter.
5. Place the butter block in the fridge to chill overnight.
Option 2 – “Regular” Butter
1. Place the soft butter into a stand mixer along with the flour.
2. Beat the mixture for 1-2 minutes on a low speed until the flour has completely incorporated into the butter.
3. Scrape the butter out of the stand mixer and place it into the centre of a large sheet of parchment paper.
4. Fold the parchment paper over the butter and then fold the edges in, to create a rough rectangle that is 20x30cm (7.8”x11.8”). Use a rolling pin to roll the butter into the corners until you have an even layer of butter that is in a neat rectangular shape
5. Alternatively (and slightly easier) is to find a sandwich bag that is roughly 20x30cm (7.8”x11.8”) and place the soft butter inside that. Seal the sandwich bag leaving a slight hole at the top for air to escape.
6. Roll the butter into a neat rectangular shape, trying to get the butter a relatively even thickness. Seal the top of the bag and place the butter in the fridge overnight.
Laminating
1. After the croissant dough has fermented in the fridge, you are ready to laminate.
2. Remove your butter block from the fridge to allow it to come to temperature. The temperature of the butter is crucial – if the butter is too cold, it will crack when you begin to roll it. If the butter is too warm, it will bleed into the dough and you won’t get any layers to your pain au chocolat. Be sure to cut around the outside of the sandwich bag (if you are using one) and lift the butter out of the bag. Place it on a sheet of parchment to come to temperature.
3. The temperature you need your butter to reach before you begin laminating will depend on the butter you are using and the fat percentage. But a general rule of thumb is to leave the butter at room temperature until it reaches between 11-15C (51F-59F)
4. In my experience, if you are using “professional” croissant butter, you can laminate at around 11C, but with “regular” butter, you need to be closer to 13-14C.
5. This may take some experimenting, so if your butter melts or cracks the first time you begin laminating, don’t panic! You can still make the croissants, your layers may not be quite as perfect however. It can take a few failed attempts of croissants in order to understand your butter.
6. Place a digital thermometer into the butter. Depending on your room temperature or the weather outside, it can take the butter anywhere from 10-30 minutes to reach the correct temperature.
7. Once your butter is close to temperature, work quickly to remove your croissant dough from the fridge and start rolling. We want to ensure the dough stays cold and is rolled out as soon as the butter is at the right temperature.
8. Very lightly flour the dough and roll it out into a rectangle, that is the same height as your butter (30cm/11.8”) but twice as wide.
9. If your butter block is 20x30cm, you want to roll your dough to 40cm wide x 30cm tall.
10. Place the butter block into the centre of the dough (as shown above) then fold each side of the dough into the centre so they meet in the middle.
11. Use your fingers to pinch the dough together to form a seam down the centre.
12. Turn the dough 90 degrees so the open seam is not facing you and give the dough a quick roll, to give it a little bit of width – extending the width of the dough by about 10cm/4”.
13. Turn the dough 90 degrees again so the seam is vertical in line with your body and begin to roll the dough. Working relatively quickly. Apply even pressure and roll the dough into a long even rectangle. Lightly flour the dough as you need. You may also need to lift the dough up occasionally to loosen it from the surface and then continue rolling.
14. Don’t worry too much about the length of the dough, we are looking to roll it until it reaches around 1cm thick (0.39”)
A quick note on thickness – in an ideal world you would roll to about 5mm thick – but when you are doing it by hand, this can be a little more difficult. So as an easier guide I say around 1cm. 1.5cm is a little on the thick side, but, if you are really struggling to get it any thinner then you can leave it at this thickness and still progress. But if you can get closer to 5mm then even better!
15. Once you are happy with the thickness and shape, dust off any excess flour with a brush, and if the ends of the dough have gone a bit wonky, cut them off so you have straight edges on either side.
16. Perform a single fold of the dough, where you take one third of the dough and fold it up, then take the other third of dough and fold this over the top (see diagram in the PDF).
17. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and place it onto a tray. Place the dough into the freezer for 10 minutes, then into the fridge for 5 minutes.
18. Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it.
19. Following the same process as before, turn the dough 90 degrees so that the “open seam” is horizontally against your body (so it is not facing you).
20. Roll the dough to give it a little bit of width, then turn the dough 90 degrees so that the open seam is now facing you.
21. Roll the dough into a long rectangle, until it is around 1cm thick (0.39”).
22. Now, perform your second, single fold. Following the diagram again, take one third of the dough, fold it up, then take the other third of dough and fold this over the top.
23. Wrap the dough up in cling film and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes, then in the fridge for 10 minutes.
24. Remove the dough from the fridge, and we are going to perform our final single fold, Repeat the process in steps 18-23.
25. You will have now performed 3 single folds.
26. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
27. After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge. Take the open seam and turn it 90 degrees so the seam is not facing you. Here we need to roll the dough to the final width that we need for the pain au chocolat.
28. Each pain au chocolate is 8x17cm, which means that we need the dough to be at least 38-40cm tall. Keep in mind the dough may retract and shrink slightly so it is better to go to 40cm given it may retract 1-2cm.
We will make two rows of pain au chocolat so we need to make sure the dough is at least 2x17cm = 34cm tall. You want to go a little bigger than this so you can trim off any rough edges.
29. Once you have rolled the dough to around 38-40cm wide, turn it 90 degrees so the open seam is now facing you. Roll the dough into a long rectangle until it is as close to 1cm thick (0.39”) as possible.
30. Next, take a tape measure or a large ruler and trim off any rough edges so you are left with a rectangle that is exactly 34cm tall.
31. Take a pastry wheel and cut the dough in half, so that you are left with two very long strips of dough, each 17cm tall.
32. Then take a multi pastry wheel cutter or a knife, and cut the dough every 8cm. This will form a rectangle for your pain au chocolat that is 8x17cm.
33. Take a rectangle of the dough and place two chocolate batons at the top. Carefully fold the top edge of the dough over the batons, then seal this dough that has overlapped the batons, by adding a third chocolate baton.
34. Continue to roll the dough down, into a log like shape.
35. Once you have a log, ensure the seam of the dough is on the underside, and gently press the pain au chocolat down, sealing the seam to the bottom of the dough.
36. Take a large baking tray lined with a sheet of parchment paper and place the pain au chocolat on to it.
37. Repeat this process with all of the remaining dough.
38. Ensure the pain au chocolat have enough room to proof (I put about 6 per tray)
39. Once you have all the trays filled, boil the kettle and place the trays into your oven (not switched on!)
40. Place the trays into the oven, then place a small dish at the very bottom.
41. Pour in a small amount of boiling water into the dish, around 150ml / ½ Cup – not too much. The steam from the water is going to help create a nice environment for the pain au chocolat to proof, but also prevent a skin from forming. Ensure you do not add too much hot water otherwise the temperature inside the oven will become too hot and the butter will leak from the pain au chocolat.
42. Change the water EVERY 30 minutes, and proof the pain au chocolat for around 2.5 – 3 hours.
The proofing time can vary greatly depending on your yeast, and how hot your oven becomes and several other factors. Without a professional proofer it can be hard to predict the exact time. Sometimes it can take 2.5 hours, sometimes it can take 5!
43. Proof the pain au chocolat until they have at least doubled in volume and look puffy and jiggly.
44. If you are using the same oven you need to proof the croissants, as you need to bake it (!) once they are proofed, quickly remove them from the oven and preheat the oven.
45. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F Non Fan Assisted.
46. Leave the pain au chocolat out at room temperature for 10 minutes – this will help to form a skin on the dough and make them easier to egg wash.
47. For the egg wash, whisk together the egg and egg yolks until evenly combined.
-
- 2 Whole Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
48. Use a pastry brush to paint the egg wash onto the pain au chocolat, but avoid egg washing the outside exposed edges otherwise this could prevent them from rising correctly. Be gentle when egg washing so as not to tear the dough.
49. Once the oven is hot, place the croissants in, bake for around 25-30 minutes or until then are a nice deep golden brown colour. Every oven is different so keep a close eye on them.
50. Remove the pain au chocolat from the oven, allow to cool, then serve.
Timings
Making pain au chocolat & croissants is an intensive process and something you really need to dedicate 16-24 hours to! Make sure you don’t have any plans on the day you need to laminate! Here is a rough guide on timings to follow:
Day 1:
9:00pm – Weigh the ingredients + mix the croissant dough. Refrigerate overnight (ideally 12 hours)
9:30pm – Beat the butter until it is soft and shape into a rectangle. Chill overnight.
Day 2:
9:00am – Remove the butter from the fridge. Allow it to come to temperature.
9:20am – Remove the dough from the fridge, roll it out, then add the butter and perform your first lamination. Chill for 10 minutes in the freezer + 5 minutes in the fridge.
9:45am – Remove the dough from the fridge and laminate again. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes + fridge for 10 minutes.
10:15am – Remove the dough from the fridge and perform the final lamination. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
10:50am – Roll the dough to its final shape and cut into pain au chocolat rectangles. Roll the pain au chocolat up and then place them in the oven to proof.
11:10am – 2:10pm – Proof – changing the hot water every 30 minutes (Roughly 3 hours proofing time – could be slightly less, could be more!)
2:10pm – Remove the proofed PAC, and preheat the oven. Leave the PAC at room temperature to form a skin.
2:20pm – Egg Wash the PAC.
2:30pm – Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.
Desired Dough Temperature Formula (DDT)
As people are working in different environments – the temperature required for ideal fermentation will be affected by the temperature of your flour, water, milk. For fermentation, you want to finish kneading the dough and to have a final temperature of around 24-26C. The temperature of your flour will most likely be determined by the temperature of your room, which means as a result, you need to follow the formula below to calculate the temperature of the liquids in the recipe. This is very helpful especially if you are working in a particularly hot or particularly cold environment as it means you can simply adjust the temperature of your ingredients and still achieve perfect fermentation.
*note you can test the flour temperature by sticking a digital thermometer in the bag of flour!
(Desired Dough Temperature x 2) – Flour Temperature = Liquid Temperature
Example to achieve a 25C dough temperature where your room/flour temperature is 20C.
(25 x 2) – Flour Temperature = Liquid Temperature
50℃ – Flour Temperature = Liquid Temperature
50℃ – 20℃ = Liquid Temperature
50℃ – 20℃ = 30℃
Therefore if your flour temperature is 20℃ – then you need to make sure the milk + water are at 30℃ when you add them to your recipe. In which case, you can pour your milk and water into a pan, and VERY gently heat them until they reach around 29/30℃ then immediately pour them into your mix.
Strawberry Shortcake
TIER 3
Strawberry Shortcake
4
INDIVIDUAL DESSERTS
Ingredients
Makes 4 individual desserts
Pistachio Praline
120g Unsalted Pistachios
60g Caster Sugar
2 Tbsp Water
Pinch Salt
Pistachio Sponge
120g Whole Eggs
85g Caster Sugar
95g Plain Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
20g Ground Almonds
60g Double/Heavy Cream
65g Unsalted Butter (To Make 40g Brown Butter)
100g Pistachio Praline
Pinch Salt
Sable Breton
125g Soft Unsalted Butter
110g Caster Sugar
2g Salt
55g Egg Yolks
160g Plain Flour
5g Baking Powder
½ Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Vanilla Chantilly
300g Double/Heavy Cream
1-2 Tsp Icing/Powdered Sugar
½ Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Chocolate Decoration
Red Cocoa Butter
Gold Lustre Dust
200-300g Tempered White Chocolate
Sliced Fresh Strawberries & Crushed Pistachios to Decorate
Special equipment
9” Square Brownie Tin
High Powered Food Processor
Round Cookie Cutters
Stand Mixer
Acetate
Digital Thermometer
Method
Pistachio Praline
*Note – this is quite a small batch of praline, enough for the cake recipe, but if your food processor isn’t overly powerful, it may be worth doubling this recipe so that there is enough mixture in the food processor for it to “catch” the praline and blend it. Otherwise the blade will be spinning around blending air and all the praline will be stuck to the sides.
1. Place the unsalted, shelled pistachios onto a baking tray. Place them in the oven to roast gently at 175C/350F for 8-10 minutes. They should be fragrant and lightly toasted when done, but keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!
-
- 120g Unsalted Pistachios
2. Meanwhile, place the water and sugar into a medium saucepan. Place it over a medium heat and try not to stir it. Heat the mixture until it reaches a nice deep golden colour. Once it is done, immediately pour it onto a silicon mat to set.
-
- 60g Caster Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Water
3. Once the caramel has set and is nice and firm to the touch (about 30 minutes – 1 hour), add it into a high powered food processor along with the roasted pistachios and a small pinch of salt.
-
- Pinch of Salt
4. Start by bending on a low speed and slowly increase it.
5. Initially the mixture will look quite powdery and dry – you will need to scrape down the sides of the food processor at least 6-8 times, stopping the machine every 20 seconds or so to make sure it is fully incorporated. The key is to start on a medium low speed, so the blade isn’t running too fast that it spits all the mixture to the edges.
6. After about 5 minutes of blending and scraping down, you should end up with a nice green paste, that is a similar texture to a natural peanut butter. If your mixture is very dry, you can add a very small amount of groundnut oil to help loosen it and it will blend much easier.
7. Scrape the praline out of the food processor and weigh 100g of it, ready for the cake batter.
Pistachio Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 210C/410F Non-Fan Assisted . Lightly grease a 9×9” square tin, and then line the base & sides with parchment paper.
2. Start by browning your butter – place the unsalted butter into a small saucepan and place it over a medium heat.
-
- 65g Unsalted Butter
3. Melt the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to smell nutty and the bubbling noises have stopped. Keep a close eye on the butter as it can burn. Once brown, pour the butter into another bowl, weighing the 40g needed for the recipe. Keep it somewhere warm.
4. Into a medium bowl, add the eggs and sugar. Whisk the mixture for 1-2 minutes by and until it is slightly lighter in colour.
-
- 120g Whole Eggs
- 85g Caster Sugar
5. On top of the eggs, add the flour, baking powder, salt & ground almonds. Whisk the mixture until it is combined, do not overbeat it. Simply mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
-
- 95g Plain Flour
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 20g Ground Almonds
6. Next, pour in the cream and whisk to combine.
-
- 60g Double/Heavy Cream
7. Finally, add in the warm brown butter and the pistachio praline you made earlier. Whisk to combine until you have an even batter.
-
- 40g Brown Butter
- 100g Pistachio Praline
8. Pour the batter into the greased tin, and place it into the oven. Bake for 11-15 minutes. Every oven is different so keep an eye on it, it should be a nice golden colour on top so be careful not to overcook it. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
Sable Breton
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you are using a hand mixer), add the soft unsalted butter, vanilla & sugar and beat on a medium speed until it is white & pale in colour.
-
- 125g Soft Unsalted Butter
- 110g Caster Sugar
- ½ Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
2. Next, add in the egg yolk and salt. Beat to combine. You will need to scrape down the bowl so it is fully incorporated.
-
- 55g Egg Yolk
- 2g Salt
3. Finally, sieve in the baking powder and flour. Mix on a low speed until just combined. You might need to scrape down the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the soft butter is fully incorporated.
-
- 160g Plain Flour
- 5g Baking Powder
4. Scoop the mixture out and place it into between two silpats or pieces of parchment. Using a rolling pin, roll it as thin as possible. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, until it is firm to the touch. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F.
5. Remove the sable breton from the fridge and cut it into discs, 3.5” wide.
6. Place them onto a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden around the edge.
7. As they bake, they may spread slightly and lose their shape, so as soon as they come out of the oven, take the cookie cutter, and cut them down to size again so they are neat.
Chocolate Decoration
Tempering chocolate is a whole series we have covered in Bake It Better so I would advise watching those videos for the full explanation and techniques on how to temper. You can also skip this decoration and ignore these steps!
1. Take your bottle of red cocoa butter and place it in the microwave, heating it in small bursts, shaking it every time you remove it from the microwave. Don’t melt the entire bottle, you simply want to melt enough to the point where, when you shake the bottle you can feel a small amount of liquid in there, but the main body of the cocoa butter is still unmelted. As you shake the bottle, this will ensure the cocoa butter remains in temper.
2. Cut eight strips of acetate – around 12.5” long and 2” high. If you are making the desserts slightly larger, simply measure the circumference of your dessert to ensure the acetate collar will fit around the outside.
3. Take four of the strips of acetate and wrap them around large circular objects that are similar in circumference to your dessert – it could be a plastic bottle or container. Remember that once the collar has set, it will essentially hold this exact size, so if you place it around an object that is too large, it will be too large for your final dessert. Place the containers onto a tray.
4. My dessert was 3.5” wide, so I used a plastic container that was between 3.5” – 4” wide. You wrap the bottom in acetate so that the tempered chocolate doesn’t stick to the container.
5. Place the remaining 4 strips of acetate onto a large silicon mat. If the acetate curls up, simply stick the edges down with a small piece of sellotape.
6. Take the melted, tempered cocoa butter and squeeze drops of it onto your strips of acetate.
7. Use a sponge or a pastry brush to spread the cocoa butter evenly across the acetate. The cocoa butter will set quite quickly as you spread it. It should set within a minute or so.
8. Ensuring the cocoa butter has set (you will see it no longer looks wet), take a small pastry brush and dust the acetate strip with gold lustre dust.
9. Next, place your white chocolate into a medium bowl over a pan of very gently simmering water.
-
- 200g High Quality White Chocolate
10. Stir the chocolate constantly until it reaches a temperature of 45C/113F on a digital thermometer.
11. Immediately remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the remaining, unmelted chocolate.
-
- 40g High Quality White Chocolate
12. Keep stirring the mixture constantly until it cools to 27C/80F. Place the chocolate back on the pan of gently simmering water and heat it slowly until it reaches 32C/89F. Be very careful not to overheat it.
13. Dry the bottom of the bowl with a tea towel, then ladle the chocolate evenly between the 4 strips of acetate coloured with cocoa butter. Spread the chocolate out evenly with a palette knife.
14. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature until it is no longer wet, and is dry when you touch it, but is still flexible. If you let it cool too much, it will snap when you lift it up.
15. Very carefully lift the strip of acetate up, and wrap it around the acetate covered container you set up earlier and leave it to set. You can let it set at room temperature for an hour (if your room temperature is not too hot) or place it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
16. Once the chocolate has set, very carefully remove the container from the centre, and peel away the acetate, being careful not to snap the chocolate.
Final Assembly
1. Take the pistachio sponge, and cut 3.5” circles to match the size of your sable breton.
2. Place the sponge on top of the sable breton biscuit base.
3. To make the chantilly, add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk by hand until you have a medium peak.
-
- 300g Double/Heavy Cream
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1.5 Tsp Icing/Powdered Sugar
4. Spoon the chantilly onto the centre of the sponge.
5. Take the chocolate collar and carefully wrap it around the dessert.
6. Slice the fresh strawberries and decorate the top of the dessert along with some crushed pistachio.
7. Finish with edible gold leaf and serve.
Gourmet Brownie
TIER 2
Gourmet Brownie
8
BROWNIES
Ingredients
Makes 8 brownies
Chocolate Chip Brownie
250g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa)
120g Unsalted Butter
215g Whole Eggs (4 Large)
300g Caster Sugar
50g Light Brown Sugar
60g Plain, All Purpose Flour
25g Cocoa Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Handful Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Ganache
Depending on how thick you want the layer of ganache to be you can adjust the amount of ganache accordingly below. I used a thick layer but it is very decadent!
Thick
600g Double Cream
300g Dark Chocolate
Medium
400g Double Cream
200g Dark Chocolate
Thin
200g Double Cream
100g Dark Chocolate
Muscovado Chantilly
2.5g Powdered Gelatin + 15g Cold Water
400g Double/Heavy Cream
40g Dark Muscovado Sugar
Soft Caramel
This will make more than you need but you can cut them into little rectangles, wrap them in baking paper so you have little caramel chews!
100g Water
200g Caster Sugar
120g Glucose
20g Honey
160g Double/Heavy Cream
100g Butter, Room Temperature
Heavy Pinch of Salt
Special equipment
9” Square Brownie Tin
Stand Mixer
Digital Thermometer
Hand Blender
8” Round Metal Ring Mold (or any silicon/metal mold)
Piping Bags
4B Nozzle
Round Tip Nozzle
Method
Chocolate Chip Brownie
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F Non-Fan Assisted . Lightly grease a 9×9” square tin, and then line all the sides & base with parchment paper.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the chocolate and butter. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.
-
- 250g Dark Chocolate
- 120g Unsalted Butter
3. Into a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa powder.
-
- 60g Plain, All-Purpose Flour
- 25g Cocoa Powder
- 1 Tsp Salt
4. Into a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla, eggs & sugar. Whisk until combined, no need to beat too much air into the mixture. It should take around 30 seconds.
-
- 300g Caster Sugar
- 50g Light Brown Sugar
- 215g Whole Eggs
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
5. Take the cooled melted chocolate and very slowly pour this over the eggs, whisking constantly. If the mixture is too hot, it can scramble the eggs and cause the mixture to split so make sure it has cooled enough.
6. Next, sift over the dry ingredients and fold the batter together with a spatula. Mix it until the dry ingredients have incorporated.
7. Pour the batter into your lined tin, and then spread it to the edges. Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top, along with some flakey salt.
8. Place the tin into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Every oven is different so keep an eye on them after about 25 minutes.
9. They should have a very small wobble in the centre when they are done.
10. Let them cool completely at room temperature – at least 2-3 hours.
Chocolate Ganache
Depending on the thickness you want, you can adjust the recipe accordingly.
1. Add your double/heavy cream into a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
-
- 600g Double/Heavy Cream (For a thick layer of ganache)
2. Meanwhile, add your chocolate (finely chopped if you are not using chocolate chunks) into a tall container.
-
- 300g Dark Chocolate (For a thick layer of ganache)
3. Once the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate and let it steep for 2 minutes. Then use a hand blender to blend until smooth and all the chocolate is completely melted into the cream.
4. At this point the ganache is too liquid, so you need to put it in the fridge for 1-1.5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so (this will prevent it from setting too firm on top). We want it to be a slightly thicker pourable consistency as at the moment it is too runny so every time you stir it, check the consistency.
5. Once the ganache is at the right consistency take your cooled brownies, still in the tin, and pour the ganache over the top. The brownies shouldn’t have shrunk so the ganache shouldn’t really leak down the edges.
6. The ganache will still be relatively liquid, so carefully transport it into the fridge to chill overnight.
Muscovado Chantilly
1. Into a small saucepan, add the powdered gelatin and the cold water. Stir the mixture together and let it bloom for 5 minutes. After this time it should look drier in consistency and all the water will have been absorbed.
-
- 2.5g Powdered Gelatin
- 15g Cold Water
2. Into a medium saucepan, add the cream and muscovado sugar. Whisk the mixture over medium heat, until it is steaming and the sugar has dissolved completely.
-
- 400g Double/Heavy Cream
- 40g Dark Muscovado Sugar
3. Once hot, remove it from the heat, and scoop in the bloomed gelatin you made earlier.
4. Whisk it until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
5. Pour the chantilly into a bowl, cover the surface with cling film and refrigerate it overnight.
Soft Caramel
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the water, glucose, honey and sugar. Place it over a medium heat.
-
- 100g Water
- 200g Caster Sugar
- 120g Glucose
- 20g Honey
2. Meanwhile add the cream to a small saucepan and pace it over a low heat so that it is warm.
-
- 160g Double/Heavy Cream
3. Cook the sugar water mixture until it reaches a nice deep golden colour, you can stir it gently occasionally to ensure it is all fully incorporated. Don’t be scared to take it to a nice deep colour, as when you add the cream it will automatically become much lighter in colour. So if you don’t cook the caramel enough, you will end up with quite pale caramels.
4. Once you have a deep caramel, immediately remove it from the heat and pour in the warm cream. Be careful as it will bubble up quite violently.
5. Place the mixture back on the heat, and cook it until it reaches 120C/248F on a digital thermometer. This won’t take long.
6. Remove it from the heat and pour it into a tall container. Add in the soft, unsalted butter, a big pinch of salt, and blend the mixture until it is nice and smooth.
-
- 100g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- Big Pinch of Salt
7. Allow it to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then take any mold – it could be a metal ring mold lined with a sheet of cling film, or a silicon mold – but make sure you grease it lightly with some neutral oil. I used a 8” ring mold and lined the bottom with a sheet of cling film. The bigger your mold the thinner your caramels will be.
8. Place your mold onto a tray and pour the caramel in.
9. Let it set at room temperature for 3 hours, or overnight.
Assembly
1. Remove the chilled brownie from the fridge.
2. Add the chantilly to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you are using a hand whisk) and whisk on a medium speed until you have a medium peak to the mixture. Be careful not to over whisk it, as if you whisk for too long it could start to split so keep a close eye on it.
3. Split the chantilly between two piping bags, one fitted with a round tip nozzle and the other with a star tip nozzle. I used a 4B nozzle and a 12mm Round Tip Nozzle.
4. Pipe alternating dollops of cream all over the brownie in any pattern.
5. Then, using a hot knife, cut the brownies into 8 squares, or any shape you like! If the brownie is still quite cold from the fridge it can be slightly tough to cut, so you can always leave it out for a little while then cut it. Alternatively, cut it first THEN decorate with the cream! That saves you from messing up the cream when you cut it.
6. Once you have cut through the brownies, you can quickly use a warm palette knife, to clean up the edge of the cream and make sure that no chocolate has “bled” onto it.
7. Remove the soft caramel from your mold, and cut this into small cubes on a chopping board. Decorate the top of the brownie with the caramel and serve.
Golden Gianduja Tart
TIER 3
Golden Gianduja Tart
4
INDIVIDUAL TARTS
Ingredients
Makes 4 individual tarts
Chocolate Pâte Sucrée
100g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
70g Icing/Powdered Sugar
50g Egg Yolks
175g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
25g Cocoa Powder
Pinch of Salt
Orange Frangipane
200g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
200g Caster Sugar
200g Whole Eggs
200g Ground Almonds
30g Plain Flour
Zest ½ Orange
Gianduja
160g Roasted Hazelnuts, Skins Removed
68g Icing/Powdered Sugar
230g Dark Chocolate, Melted
Gianduja Ganache
150g Gianduja
240g Double/Heavy Cream
To Decorate
200g Tempered or Melted Dark Chocolate
Edible Gold Dust
300g Roasted Hazelnuts, Skins Removed
Special equipment
4 x 11×3.5cm Perforated Tart Rings
Perforated Baking Mat
Perforated Baking Tray
Stand Mixer
Fluted Pastry Wheel Metal
Piping Bags
Hand Blender
4 x A4 Acetate Sheets
Cookie Cutters
Method
Chocolate Pâte Sucrée
*Note – the recipe makes enough for 4 tarts, however, you might not quite get that out of 2 dough balls. In this case, simply take the leftover scraps of dough and re-roll it for any remaining tart shells.
1. Into a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), add the cubed, cold butter and sift over the cocoa powder and icing/powdered sugar.
-
- 100g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
- 70g Icing/Powdered Sugar
- 25g Cocoa Powder
2. With a paddle attachment or with the beaters on a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until it is evenly combined. Scrape down the mixture with a spatula twice during this time.
3. While still beating the mixture, pour in the eggs and beat to combine. After about 30 seconds, scrape down the bowl ensuring all the butter is scraped off the bottom of the bowl and then mix for another 30 seconds.
-
- 50g Egg Yolks
4. Add in the flour, and mix on a very low speed, until the dry ingredients are just combined. Be careful not to overbeat the mixture, simply mix until no more flour is visible and the mixture is clumping together. It should take about 15 seconds.
-
- 175g Plain Flour/All-Purpose
5. Split the mixture into two equal parts. Squeeze the mixture in your hand to form a rough ball. Place the first ball of dough onto a silicon mat. Place a second silicon mat on top and roll the mixture into a rough circle, getting it as thin as possible. If you don’t have silicon mats you can roll the dough between parchment paper but it will be very difficult as it will slip and slide all over the place!
6. Once you have a rough circle of dough, place it into the freezer for 30m. This dough will be for the base of the tart shells.
7. With the remaining dough, shape it into a rough log shape. Place the log of dough onto a silicon mat. Working with the silicon mat lengthways, fold it in half so you have a long vertical mat.
8. Roll the log of dough into a long vertical strip of dough. The reason we do this, is that we are going to use this portion of the dough to create the walls for our tart shells. By rolling it into a long vertical shape, we maximise the dough and reduce any wastage. Place the sheet of dough in the freezer for 30 minutes.
9. While the dough is chilling, take the perforated tart ring and very lightly grease the inside with some soft butter.
10. Remove the chilled dough from the freezer that you are going to use for the base of the tart shell.
11. Working quickly, peel the dough off of the silicon matt and place it onto your baking tray lined with a baking mat (ideally a perforated baking mat). Press the tart shells into the dough and peel away any excess dough. Arrange the 4 tart shells on the baking tray and place them back in the freezer.
12. Remove the dough from the freezer that we are going to use for the walls of our tart shell. Working quickly, peel the top of the silicon mat off. Use a knife to cut one long line of dough, then use a fluted pastry wheel to cut a line above that – ensuring the width is the same as the height you need for your tart shell. This will then give you a fluted top to your pastry. The most efficient way to cut the strips is like the design in the PDF (excuse the rough drawing!).
13. Cut 4 strips of dough in total and then quickly place these back into the freezer for 10 minutes. You need to work quickly so the dough doesn’t melt.
*Note – you may not have enough dough here for 4 tart walls depending on how you rolled it. In which case, start by cutting two walls and then re-roll the scraps to make another 2 walls.
14. Once chilled, remove the baking tray from the freezer that has the tart bases on and remove one strip of dough for the walls.
15. Work quickly and take the strip of dough and place it inside the tart ring, ensuring the fluted part of the dough is at the top. Use a knife to cut it to size so that there isn’t too much excess dough overlapping. Alternatively, you can measure a piece of paper on the inside of the tart ring so that it measures perfectly, then cut your strips of dough to this exact length so they fit perfectly when you place them inside the tart ring.
16. Use your fingers to press together the base and the walls. The idea is to slightly push down the base of the wall, so that it meets the dough on the base of the tart shell. Do this all the way around the tart shell so that there are no gaps in between the wall and the base.
17. You have to do this while the dough is cold, otherwise, if it is too warm, as you press the dough it will tear. If it does feel too warm, place it back in the freezer for 10 minutes then try again.
18. Remove the remaining strips of dough for the walls from the freezer and repeat this with the remaining tarts.
19. Once you have attached the walls and the dough, do not try and move the tart shells or lift them up as the dough will have softened and it will tear. Always keep them on the tray. Place the entire tray of tart shells in the freezer.
Orange Frangipane
1. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.
2. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature unsalted butter along with the sugar & orange zest. Beat for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through, until the mixture is smooth.
-
- 100g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 100g Caster Sugar
- Zest ½ Orange
3. Next, pour in the eggs in three parts (ensure they are room temperature) and beat again. Initially the mixture will look quite split, but scrape down the sides halfway through and keep beating for 1 minute. Don’t worry if there are a few lumps of butter left.
-
- 100g Whole Egg
4. Finally, add the ground almonds and plain flour. Beat until the mixture forms a smooth paste, about 30 seconds.
-
- 100g Ground Almonds
- 15g Plain, All-Purpose Flour
5. Add the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle.
6. Remove the tart shells from the freezer and pipe the frangipane in. Fill the tart slightly below halfway as we need to ensure there is enough room for the ganache once it has baked.
7. Place the tarts in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Watch the tarts very closely for the first 5 minutes as sometimes, the pastry can slip down from the edge of the tart ring. If you see the pastry slipping ever so slightly, simply open the oven and use your finger to gently press the dough back against the tart ring then it will stay in place.
8. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
Gianduja
1. Add your roasted hazelnuts into a powerful food processor, along with the icing/powdered sugar.
If you don’t have roasted hazelnuts, take hazelnuts with the skin on, and place them in the oven at 175C/350F for 8-10m or until the skins start to burst. Remove them from the oven and let them cool, then peel off the skins. Pop them back in the oven very briefly until lightly golden.
-
- 160g Roasted Hazelnuts
- 68g Icing/Powdered Sugar
2. Blend the mixture on a medium high speed until it forms a smooth paste. Initially it will go a little chunky and you will need to scrape down the sides of the mixer 3-4 times to ensure it is fully incorporated. Depending on the power of your food processor, it should take 2-3 minutes until you have a smooth paste.
3. Once smooth, remove it from the food processor and scrape the mixture into a bowl.
4. Add the dark chocolate into a bowl and melt it over a pan of gently simmer water.
-
- 230g Dark Chocolate
5. Pour the melted chocolate into the blended hazelnut paste and stir the mixture to combine. You can use the mixture immediately or store it in a plastic container to use later for the ganache. It will set it like a soft chocolate.
Gianduja Ganache
1. Into a tall jug, add the gianduja.
-
- 150g Gianduja
2. Meanwhile, add your heavy/double cream to a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
-
- 260g Double/Heavy Cream
3. Once hot, pour this over the gianduja. Let it sit for 2 minutes then blend till smooth.
4. Take the cooled tart and pour the ganache onto the top of the frangipane. Fill the tart, until the ganache is slightly below the rim.
5. Place the tarts in the fridge until you are ready to decorate. The ganache will be quite liquid so we need it to set up so it is still soft, but not too firm. 1.5 hours in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer should be perfect.
Gold Chocolate Discs
1. Temper 200g of dark chocolate – for a full video on how to temper check the Bake It Better classes.
2. Pour the half of the tempered chocolate onto an A4 sheet of acetate.
3. Place a second sheet of acetate on top and then using a rolling pin, or a wooden rod and carefully run it along the top of the acetate, smoothing out the chocolate until it is an even thickness.
4. Place something heavy on top like a book, and let it set at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Repeat with the remaining chocolate on a second pair of acetate sheets.
5. Once the chocolate has set, take a cookie cutter, slightly smaller than the size of your tart. Heat it up with a blow torch or run it under some hot water so that it is hot.
6. Peel off the top sheet of acetate and cut out 2 circles from the first sheet of chocolate, and two from the second sheet.
7. Peel the chocolate discs carefully off the acetate and place them in the fridge for 5 minutes.
8. After 5 minutes, add a small amount of edible gold dust to a bowl and use a brush to dust it onto the disc so that it is evenly covered. Leave at room temperature until you are ready to assemble. If it is particularly warm in your house, leave them in the fridge.
Assembly
1. Remove the chilled tarts from the fridge. The ganache should be set on top but still be ever so slightly soft. This means it will be easier to press the hazelnuts in. If it is too firm, quickly and gently heat the top with a blow torch.
2. Take your roasted hazelnuts and chop them in half. Try and cut them so they relatively equal in size. This may be slightly more hazelnuts than you actually need but sometimes they don’t cut perfectly in half so you have a few that aren’t “aesthetic” enough!
-
- 300g Roasted Hazelnuts
3. Place the halves of roasted hazelnuts all around the tart, starting from the outside and working your way into the centre. It is a bit of a laborious process but worth it for final presentation.
4. For a clean design, ensure the hazelnuts are all facing the same direction.
5. Remove the gold chocolate discs from the fridge and carefully lift it on top of the hazelnuts.
6. Take a heat gun, or a hair dryer and very gently melt the gold disc onto the tart. Try to avoid using a blow torch as this is more likely to burn the chocolate. You can also place the tart into a warm oven for a minute or so! Keep an eye on it!
7. Let the tart come to room temperature before serving.
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
TIER 2
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
4
INDIVIDUAL TARTS
Ingredients
Makes 4 individual tarts
Chocolate Pâte Sucrée
100g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
70g Icing/Powdered Sugar
50g Egg Yolks
175g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
25g Cocoa Powder
Pinch of Salt
Chocolate Frangipane
70g Unsalted Butter
60g Icing/Powdered Sugar
15g Cocoa Powder
75g Ground Almonds
70g Whole Egg
30g Chopped Hazelnuts
Soft Caramel
175g Double Cream
45g Whole Milk
45g Glucose (1)
80g Caster Sugar
90g Glucose (2)
1.5g Sea Salt Flakes
60g Unsalted Butter
Vanilla Namelaka
2.5g Powdered Gelatin + 15g Cold Water
100g Whole Milk
10g Glucose
185g White Chocolate, Melted
½ Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
200g Double/Heavy Cream, Cold
Dark Chocolate Namelaka
2.5g Powdered Gelatin + 15g Cold Water
100g Whole Milk
10g Glucose
135g Dark Chocolate, Melted
200g Double/Heavy Cream, Cold
Special equipment
Hand Blender
Stand Mixer
4 x 5” Perforated Tart Rings
Metal Ruler
Perforated Baking Mat
Perforated Baking Tray
Piping Bags
Star Tip Piping Nozzle (4B)
Round Tip Piping Nozzle
Method
Vanilla Namelaka
1. Into a small bowl, add the gelatin powder and cold water. Stir together. Allow the mixture to bloom for 5 minutes.
-
- 2.5g Powdered Gelatin + 15g Cold Water
2. Into a small saucepan, add the whole milk and glucose. Place it over a medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. Once it is hot, scoop out the bloomed gelatin and add it into the hot milk. Stir it through until it is dissolved.
-
- 100g Whole Milk
- 10g Glucose
3. Take the melted white chocolate, and pour the hot milk mixture over, in three parts. Whisk the mixture thoroughly each time as you add the milk. Initially it may thicken or look oily, don’t panic – add the remaining milk and it will become smooth.
-
- 185g White Chocolate, Melted
4. Once it is all incorporated, pour in the cold double/heavy cream and blend or whisk the mixture to combine it.
-
- 200g Double/Heavy Cream, Cold
5. Pour the cream into a bowl and cover the surface directly with cling film. Refrigerate overnight.
Chocolate Namelaka
1. Into a small bowl, add the gelatin powder and cold water. Stir together. Allow the mixture to bloom for 5 minutes.
-
- 2.5g Powdered Gelatin + 15g Cold Water
2. Into a small saucepan, add the whole milk and glucose. Place it over a medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. Once it is hot, scoop out the bloomed gelatin and add it into the hot milk. Stir it through until it is dissolved.
-
- 100g Whole Milk
- 10g Glucose
3. Take the melted dark chocolate, and pour the hot milk mixture over, in three parts. Whisk the mixture thoroughly each time as you add the milk. Initially it may thicken or look oily, don’t panic – add the remaining milk and it will become smooth.
-
- 135g Dark Chocolate
4. Once it is all incorporated, pour in the cold double/heavy cream and blend or whisk the mixture to combine it.
-
- 200g Double/Heavy Cream, Cold
5. Pour the cream into a bowl and cover the surface directly with cling film. Refrigerate overnight.
Soft Caramel
1. Into a saucepan, add the whole milk, double/heavy cream and glucose.
-
- 175g Double Cream
- 45g Whole Milk
- 45g Glucose (1)
2. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking to ensure the glucose has dissolved fully. Once it is hot, set it to one side, but ensure it stays warm while you create the caramel.
3. Into a medium saucepan, add the glucose and the caster sugar.
-
- 80g Caster Sugar
- 90g Glucose (2)
4. Place it over a medium heat and bring it to a deep caramel. Try to avoid stirring the mixture, and shake the pan to help disperse the sugar. If the sugar isn’t breaking down, very quickly stir it in with a spatula.
5. Keep a careful eye on it, it will go from a deep golden colour to burnt quickly!
6. Once you have a nice deep golden colour, immediately pour in the hot cream mixture, being very careful as it will bubble up violently.
7. Whisk the mixture and cook over a medium heat for 1 minute.
8. Remove it from the heat and pour it through a sieve into a separate bowl.
9. Let it cool for 2 minutes, then add in the salt & butter and blend (or whisk) until smooth.
-
- 60g Unsalted Butter
- 1.2g Sea Salt Flakes
10. Pour the mixture into a container and store at room temperature.
Chocolate Pâte Sucrée
*Note – the recipe makes enough for 4 tarts, however, you might not quite get that out of 2 dough balls. In this case, simply take the leftover scraps of dough and re-roll it for any remaining tart shells.
1. Into a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), add the cubed, cold butter and sift over the cocoa powder and icing/powdered sugar.
-
- 100g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
- 70g Icing/Powdered Sugar
- 25g Cocoa Powder
2. With a paddle attachment or with the beaters on a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until it is evenly combined. Scrape down the mixture with a spatula twice during this time.
3. While still beating the mixture, pour in the eggs and beat to combine. After about 30 seconds, scrape down the bowl ensuring all the butter is scraped off the bottom of the bowl and then mix for another 30 seconds.
-
- 50g Egg Yolks
4. Add in the flour, and mix on a very low speed, until the dry ingredients are just combined. Be careful not to overbeat the mixture, simply mix until no more flour is visible and the mixture is clumping together. It should take about 15 seconds.
-
- 175g Plain Flour/All-Purpose
5. Split the mixture into two equal parts. Squeeze the mixture in your hand to form a rough ball. Place the first ball of dough onto a silicon mat. Place a second silicon mat on top and roll the mixture into a rough circle, getting it as thin as possible. If you don’t have silicon mats you can roll the dough between parchment paper but it will be very difficult as it will slip and slide all over the place!
6. Once you have a rough circle of dough, place it into the freezer for 30 minutes. This dough will be for the base of the tart shells.
7. With the remaining dough, shape it into a rough log shape. Place the log of dough onto a silicon mat. Working with the silicon mat lengthways, fold it in half so you have a long vertical mat.
8. Roll the log of dough into a long vertical strip of dough. The reason we do this, is that we are going to use this portion of the dough to create the walls for our tart shells. By rolling it into a long vertical shape, we maximise the dough and reduce any wastage. Place the sheet of dough in the freezer for 30 minutes.
9. While the dough is chilling, take the perforated tart ring and very very lightly grease the inside with some soft butter.
10. Remove the chilled dough from the freezer that you are going to use for the base of the tart shell.
11. Working quickly, peel the dough off of the silicon matt and place it onto your baking tray lined with a baking mat (ideally a perforated baking mat). Press the tart shells into the dough and peel away any excess dough. Arrange the 4 tart shells on the baking tray and place it back in the freezer.
12. Remove the dough from the freezer that we are going to use for the walls of our tart shell. Working quickly, peel the top of the silicon mat off, and using a ruler and a sharp knife, cut long strips of dough, ensuring the width is slightly more than the height of your tart shells.
13. Cut 4 strips of dough in total and then quickly place these back into the freezer for 10 minutes. You need to work quickly so the dough doesn’t melt.
14. Once chilled, remove the baking tray from the freezer that has the tart bases on and remove one strip of dough for the walls.
15. Work quickly and take the strip of dough and place it inside the tart ring. Use a knife to cut it to size so that there isn’t too much excess dough overlapping. Alternatively, you can measure a piece of paper on the inside of the tart ring so that it measures perfectly, then cut your strips of dough to this exact length so they fit perfectly when you place them in.
16. Use your fingers to press together the base and the walls. The idea is to slightly push down the base of the wall, so that it meets the dough on the base of the tart shell. Do this all the way around the tart shell so that there are no gaps in between the wall and the base.
17. You have to do this while the dough is cold, otherwise as you press the dough it will tear. If it feels too warm, place it back in the freezer for 10 minutes.
18. Remove the remaining strips of dough for the walls from the freezer and repeat this with the remaining tarts.
19. Once you have attached the walls and the dough, do not try and move the tart shells or lift them up as the dough will have softened and it will tear. Always keep them on the tray. Place the entire tray of tart shells in the freezer while you make the frangipane.
Chocolate Frangipane
1. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.
2. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature unsalted butter along with the sugar & cocoa powder. Beat for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through, until the mixture is smooth.
-
- 70g Unsalted Butter
- 60g Icing/Powdered Sugar
- 15g Cocoa Powder
3. Next, pour in the eggs in three parts (ensure they are room temperature) and beat again. Initially the mixture will look quite split, but scrape down the sides halfway through and keep beating for 1 minute. Don’t worry if there are a few lumps of butter left.
-
- 70g Whole Egg
4. Finally, add the ground almonds. Beat until the mixture forms a smooth paste, about 30 seconds.
-
- 75g Ground Almonds
5. Add the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle.
6. Remove the tart shells from the freezer and using a sharp knife, cut off any excess dough that is hanging over the edge. As the dough is cold, you should be able to lift these up in your hand and cut them easily.
7. Place them back onto your baking tray and pipe the frangipane in. Only fill the tart shells up about halfway or the frangipane will spill over as it bakes.
8. Press a few chopped roasted hazelnuts into the frangipane and place the tarts into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Assembly
1. Remove the vanilla namelaka from the fridge, and add it into a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you are using an electric whisk)
2. Whisk the mixture on a medium speed until it holds a medium stiff peak.
3. Add the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle.
4. Take the cooled tarts and pipe, odd dollops of the vanilla cream over the tart, leaving space to pipe the chocolate namelaka cream.
5. Remove the chocolate namelaka cream from the fridge and whisk that to a medium stiff peak too.
6. Add it into a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle.
7. Fill in the gaps of the tart, piping dollops of the chocolate cream.
8. Once the tart has been filed up, very carefully heat the back of a small melon baller or a metal measuring spoon in hot water or with a blow torch.
9. Very carefully press it into the top of one of the vanilla cream dollops. Press down to melt the top of the dollop, then slowly rotate it 180 degrees and lift it out.
10. Repeat this for 2-3 of the vanilla dollops.
11. Add the salted caramel to a piping bag and pipe a very small amount into the vanilla dollops that you created a small crater in.
12. Repeat this with all of the tarts and then serve.
Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
TIER 2
Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
8-10
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Makes 8-10 servings
Biscuit Base
220g Digestives/Graham Crackers
110g Unsalted Butter
Pinch Salt
Chocolate Orange Filling
Zest ½ Medium Orange
110g Caster Sugar
350g Mascarpone, Room Temperature
50g Sour Cream, Room Temperature
700g Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
180g Whole Eggs, Room Temperature
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
250g Melted Dark Chocolate
Chocolate Ganache Coating
150g Dark Chocolate, Chopped
185g Double Heavy Cream
Chocolate Shavings To Finish
Special equipment
Food Processor
9” Removable Base Cake Tin
Stand Mixer (Optional)
Hand Blender
Method
Biscuit Base
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F non-fan assisted.
2. Into a food processor, add the biscuits and blend them to a fine crumb. You can also smash them up in a large sandwich bag with a rolling pin.
-
- 220g Digestives/Graham Crackers
3. Place the butter into a saucepan and melt it over a low heat. Pour the melted butter onto the biscuits and blend again to combine.
-
- 110g Unsalted Butter
4. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9” cake tin with a removable base. Place a circle of parchment onto the greased base.
5. Pour the biscuit mixture into the tin and spread it out. Use the back of a glass or something flat to smooth it and ensure it is nice and even.
6. Place the base into the freezer while you make the filling.
Chocolate Orange Filling
1. Add the chocolate into a medium bowl, and melt it over a pan of gently simmering water. Once melted, remove it from the heat, but ensure it is still warm when you go to use it.
-
- 250g Dark Chocolate
2. Into a small bowl, add the sugar and orange zest. Massage the zest into the sugar until it is fragrant.
-
- Zest ½ Medium Orange
- 110g Caster Sugar
3. Into a stand mixer (or you can do it by hand in a large bowl), add the eggs, and the orange sugar. Whisk for a minute on a medium speed.
-
- 180g Whole Eggs (About 3 Large)
4. Next, switch to a paddle attachment (or rubber spatula if doing it by hand), and add in the cream cheese, sour cream and mascarpone. Beat on a low speed until smooth and combined. Initially the eggs won’t incorporate too well, but keep mixing and they will pull together. Try to avoid adding too much air into the batter as you beat, as these air pockets could cause your cheesecake to crack as it bakes.
-
- 350g Mascarpone, Room Temperature
- 50g Sour Cream, Room Temperature
- 700g Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
5. Once smooth, take the melted chocolate and pour this in, mixing it again to combine. Finally, add in the cocoa powder (Apologies – I missed this on the video!) and beat that in too. You should end up with a nice smooth chocolate cheesecake batter. If there are a few tiny lumps, don’t panic, that will be some of the cream cheese that hasn’t quite fully broken down.
-
- 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
6. Remove the biscuit base from the freezer, and wrap the bottom of the tin tightly with foil. This will help to secure it and prevent water leaking in.
7. Place the cake tin into a deeper, larger roasting tray. Next, pour the chocolate cheesecake filling onto the base and use a spatula to spread it out. Gently tap the tin, to help settle the batter and also remove any extra air bubbles.
8. Carefully place the roasting tray with the cheesecake in, into the oven. Then pour in some boiling hot water, so that about 1” of the bottom of the cake tin is covered in hot water.
9. Bake the cheesecake, on the middle shelf, for around 90 minutes, at 160C/320F. It should have a small wobble in the centre when you shake it, about 2” in diameter (every oven is different so keep an eye on it). Then, immediately turn the oven off, and open the door so that it is slightly ajar. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 2 hours.
10. Finally, remove the cheesecake from the oven and remove the foil. Place the cheesecake, uncovered, in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 6 hours, but ideally overnight. (If you cover the cheesecake, condensation will build up and the top will go soggy).
Final Assembly
1. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge. Heat up a small knife, and carefully run it around the outside of the cake tin to loosen the cheesecake. Press the cheesecake out of the tin, and then carefully slide it off the cake base with a spatula, onto your serving plate.
2. Add the double cream to a saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Once it is simmering, pour it over a tall jug of chopped chocolate. Allow it to sit for 2 minutes, then use a hand blender to blend it until it’s smooth. You can also whisk it together if you don’t have a hand blender, just let it sit a minute or so longer so that it is completely melted before whisking.
-
- 185g Double/Heavy Cream
- 150g Dark Chocolate, Chopped
3. Immediately pour the warm ganache into the centre of the cheesecake and spread it out with a spatula.
4. Finish the cheesecake with chocolate shavings and serve. It can be served cold or brought to room temperature.
Oreo & Vanilla Cheesecake
TIER 1
Oreo & Vanilla Cheesecake
8-10
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Makes 8-10 servings
Biscuit Base
250g Crushed Oreos, Filling Removed
125g Unsalted Butter
Vanilla Cheesecake
750g Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
300g Mascarpone, Room Temperature
100g Sour Cream, Room Temperature
130g Caster Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Zest ½ Lemon (Optional)
260g Double Cream
Cream Cheese Frosting
4g Powdered Gelatin + 24g Cold Water
350g Double Cream
45g Caster Sugar
200g Cream Cheese
½ Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Chocolate Drip
75g Dark Chocolate
45g Unsalted Butter
Special equipment
Food Processor
9” Removable Base Cake Tin
Stand Mixer (Optional)
Acetate
Hand Blender
Piping Bag
4B Piping Nozzle
Method
Biscuit Base
1. Start by separating the oreos, removing the biscuits from the filling. Add them to a food processor (or a large sandwich bag and break them up with a rolling pin) Blitz them to a fine crumb.
-
- 250g Oreos, Filling Removed (weigh the biscuits after removing the filling)
2. Melt the unsalted butter and pour it onto the crushed oreos. Start by adding about 75% of the butter, stirring it into the mixture, adding enough butter until it feels like the consistency of wet sand. Avoid making it too soggy.
-
- 125g Unsalted Butter
3. Take a 9” cake in with a removable base and lightly grease the bottom. Place a circle of parchment paper on top. Then, cut a strip of acetate slightly taller than the height of the tin, and place it on the inside of the tin. You may need to use some tape to secure it into place so it fits tightly.
4. Pour the biscuits into the base of the tin and spread them around, then use a glass or any flat bottomed item and press them down until they are completely flat.
Note – if you are using a smaller tin you may not need all of the biscuits or your base may be a little too thick! Place the tin into the freezer while you make the filling.
Vanilla Cheesecake Filling
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if you are doing it by hand), add the room temperature cheeses & sour cream. It is important to ensure they are room temperature so that they mix well together. On top of the cheese, add the sugar, vanilla (and you can add lemon zest if you want, but totally optional. You can also add some more crushed oreos into the batter too!)
-
- 750g Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
- 300g Mascarpone, Room Temperature
- 100g Sour Cream, Room Temperature
- 130g Caster Sugar
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- Zest ½ Lemon (Optional)
2. Beat the mixtures on a low speed until evenly combined and smooth. You may need to scrape down the bowl as it is mixing to ensure it is all fully incorporated. If you are doing it by hand, simply beat it together with a spatula until smooth.
3. Into a separate bowl, add the double cream, and then whisk in a stand mixer or by hand, until you have a soft/medium peak. Avoid over whipping it, otherwise if it will be harder to incorporate into the main batter.
-
- 260g Double Cream
4. Take the double cream, and fold it through the main cheesecake batter with a rubber spatula.
5. Remove the biscuit base from the freezer and pour the vanilla batter in. Use a spatula to spread the mixture out evenly, and tap the tin on the table to flatten it as best as possible. Place the cheesecake into the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Into a small bowl, add the powdered gelatin and cold water. Stir them together to combine, then let them bloom together for 5 minutes.
-
- 4g Powdered Gelatin (Platinum or Gold Strength) + 24g Cold Water
2. Into a medium saucepan, add the double cream, sugar and vanilla. Place it over a medium heat until it comes to a gentle simmer. Once hot, quickly remove it from the heat, scoop in the bloomed gelatin and stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved. Make sure it is fully dissolved otherwise you will have chunks of gelatin in the frosting.
-
- 350g Double Cream
- 45g Caster Sugar
- ½ Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
3. With the cream cheese in a tall container, pour the hot cream over.
-
- 200g Cream Cheese
4. Take a hand bender, and blend till smooth. If you don’t have a hand bender, you can simply whisk it together.
5. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover the surface directly with a sheet of cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Final Assembly
1. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge and place it into the freezer for 30 minutes. It’s important to chill it in the freezer so that the acetate comes cleanly off the cheesecake. Don’t freeze it for any longer otherwise it can affect the texture.
2. For the chocolate drip, add the chocolate and butter to a medium bowl, and place it over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir it together until completely melted and then remove it from the heat. If you have a thermometer, allow it to cool, to around 32C.
-
- 75g Dark Chocolate
- 45g Unsalted Butter
3. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, pushing it out of the tin. Carefully remove the acetate off from the outside. Use a spatula to slide the cheesecake off the base of the tin and onto your serving plate.
4. Use a spoon to spoon drips of chocolate all around the outside of the cheesecake.
5. Remove the cream cheese frosting from the fridge, and pour it into a stand mixer or a large bowl, and whisk to a medium peak.
6. Into a piping bag fitted with a 4B nozzle, add the whipped cream cheese frosting.
7. In an anticlockwise rotating motion, pipe a spiral rope around the outside of the cheesecake. Apply even, consistent pressure to the piping bag to get an even rope design.
8. Sprinkle some more crushed oreos in the centre of the cheesecake.
9. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature for an hour before serving.
Chocolate Mousse Gateaux
TIER 3
Chocolate Mousse Gateaux
8-10
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Makes 8-10 servings
Chocolate Cake
100g Water
30g Cocoa Powder
110g Plain Flour
175g Caster Sugar
1/2 Tbsp Baking Soda
100g Buttermilk
65g Vegetable Oil
60g Whole Eggs (1 Large Egg)
Hazelnut Streusel
40g Cold Unsalted Butter
40g Ground Almonds
40g Flour
40g Sugar
Zest ½ Lemon
20g Hazelnuts
Chocolate Mousse
240g Dark Chocolate (or 50/50 mix of Dark + Milk Chocolate)
210g Double/Heavy Cream (A)
5g Powdered Gelatin + 30g Cold Water
100g Egg Yolks
80g Whole Eggs
40g Water
100g Sugar
210g Double/Heavy Cream (B), Whisked to Soft Peaks
To decorate
300g Tempered Dark Chocolate
Special equipment
7” Cake Tin
Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Whisk
Hand Blender
Digital Thermometer
Piping Bags
20cm x 6cm Ring Mold
18cm x 6cm Ring Mold
Acetate
Wire Brush
Method
Chocolate Cake
1. Preheat your oven to 175C/350F non-fan assisted.
2. Into a medium saucepan, add the water and cocoa powder. Place it over a medium low heat and whisk. Cook the mixture until it is steaming and then set it to one side to cool.
-
- 100g Water
- 30g Cocoa Powder
3. Meanwhile, add the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.
-
- 110g Plain Flour
- 175g Caster Sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp Baking Soda
4. Next, in a tall jug whisk together the wet ingredients, and then pour these over the dry. Use a hand whisk to mix them together, ensuring they are fully incorporated (sometimes the dry bits can get stuck to the bottom of the bowl)
-
- 100g Buttermilk
- 65g Vegetable Oil
- 60g Whole Eggs (1 Large Egg)
5. Finally, pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk again to combine.
6. Take a 7” cake tin, lightly grease it, place a circle or parchment paper on the bottom (very important), and then coat the sides with cocoa powder.
7. Pour the cake batter into the tin, and bake for 30-35 minutes. It might take slightly longer depending on your oven, so ensure a skewer comes out clean, then they are ready.
8. Once baked, let them cool for 10 minutes, then very carefully run a palette knife around the edge of the cake tin, and gently shake the tin to help loosen the cake from the edges. Flip it onto a wire cooling rack. The cake will be very fragile so allow once you’ve flipped them don’t try and move it until it has cooled completely. Once it has cooled, wrap it up and place it in the fridge to chill.
Chocolate Mousse
1. Add the gelatin powder and water into a small saucepan and allow it to bloom for 5 minutes.
-
- 5g Powdered Gelatin
- 30g Cold Water
2. Into a medium saucepan, add the double cream (A) and bring it to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate into a tall jug. If you want a slightly sweeter mousse, you can do a 50/50 mix of milk + dark chocolate.
-
- 240g Dark Chocolate (or 50/50 mix of Dark + Milk Chocolate)
- 210g Double/Heavy Cream (A)
3. Melt the bloomed gelatin, and once the cream is hot, pour the gelatin in and quickly stir to combine.
4. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate, let it sit for 2 minutes, and then blend until smooth. Move onto the next stage quickly as we don’t want the ganache to set or cool too much.
5. Into a small saucepan, add the water, then sugar. Place it over a medium heat.
-
- 40g Water
- 100g Caster Sugar
6. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and the egg yolks in a stand mixer on a medium high speed.
-
- 100g Egg Yolks
- 80g Whole Eggs
7. Once the sugar mixture has reached a temperature of 118C/245F, very carefully pour it over the egg yolks, whisking on high speed. Try and avoid splattering the sugar all over the whisk, and pour in between the whisk and the bowl.
8. Keep whisking the mixture until it becomes much thicker, and paler in colour. It needs to cool to about 30C, and at this point, the chocolate ganache should also be at 30C.
9. Pour the ganache into the egg yolk mixture, and whisk to combine.
10. Finally, take the remaining double/heavy cream (B) and whisk it to a soft peak. Pour this into the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Cover the mixture and set it in the fridge.
-
- 210g Double/Heavy Cream (B)
Hazelnut Streusel
1. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.
2. Into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the dry ingredients.
-
- 40g Ground Almonds
- 40g Flour
- 40g Sugar
- Zest ½ Lemon
3. On top of that add the cold, cubed butter. Mix with your hands, or with a beater attachment on a low speed, until the butter pieces have broken down to about the size of peas.
-
- 40g Cold + Cubed, Unsalted Butter
4. Tip in your chopped hazelnuts and toss the mixture with your hands to combine it.
-
- 20g Roughly Chopped Hazelnuts
5. Into an 18cm (7”) ring mold, placed on a baking tray lined with a baking mat, add the stresuel. Press it into the mold gently, so it still has some texture and chunks but is all stuck together.
6. Bake for around 12-14 minutes or until a light golden brown. Once it has baked, remove the tray from the oven and let it cool completely. Then, carefully place the tray in the freezer so that the streusel can set and is easy to lift up. It may take about an hour. If the streusel is too warm, when you try and pick it up it will break apart so be careful.
Assembly Part 1
1. Remove the chilled chocolate cake from the freezer, and use a serrated knife to carefully cut the cake in half.
2. Take a 20cm (7.85”) ring mold, and line the bottom with a sheet of cling film, trying to get it as tight as possible. To get the cling film sheet very tight with no wrinkles, hold the ring mold in a hot oven for a few seconds and this will tighten the clingfilm. Place the ring mold, onto a baking tray.
3. Remove the chocolate mousse from the fridge and whisk it up just to loosen it slightly.
4. Pour it into a piping bag, and pipe half of the mousse into the base of the ring mold.
5. Add the first layer of chocolate cake into the centre.
6. Now at this point, my mousse was still a little too runny, so to prevent the layers from merging into one, I quickly placed the tray into the freezer for 20 minutes to help set the top of the mousse, therefore creating a more stable layer to put the next layer of mousse on top of.
7. Remove the mousse from the freezer and pour the remaining mousse in, leaving a little in the piping bag to fill up the gaps in a second.
8. Remove the streusel disc from the freezer, and place this on top of your second layer of cake so they are sandwiched together. Lift the cake streusel layer on top of the mousse, ensuring that the streusel is the top layer – this will mean that when we demold the mousse later, the streusel will act as our ‘cake board’.
9. If there are any gaps around the outside of the ring mold, fill them up with remaining mousse.
10. Place the mousse into the freezer overnight.
11. Once the mousse has frozen overnight, remove the mousse cake from the freezer. Peel off the sheet of clingfilm and place the rougher side (not the side that was covered with cling film as this should be smooth!) onto a tall but wide object, like a glass (if it’s too thin, then the cake could be unstable – something wider means there’s less risk it will topple!). With a blowtorch/hair dryer or a warm tea towel, heat the edge of the ring mold and then carefully lift off the ring.
12. Carefully place the mousse back in the freezer for an hour.
Chocolate Decorations
1. For the chocolate collar to go around the outside, take a long strip of acetate, about 65cm (25.5”) long and 6.cm (2.5”) tall and place it on your work surface.
2. Temper your dark chocolate and use a ladle, to take about ⅔ of the chocolate and ladle it onto the sheet of acetate in a relatively even line. You will need about 200-250g tempered chocolate.
3. Using an offset spatula, spread out the tempered chocolate evenly across the acetate.
4. Let the chocolate set slightly so it is no longer wet, but still pliable. It won’t take long so keep an eye on it.
5. Then very carefully, lift the strip of acetate up, and carefully place it around the outside of the 20cm ring mold that we had the mousse in previously. It is important to a) use this mold as this will ensure our collar is big enough to fit around the cake and b) make sure the chocolate is not wet when you place it on, otherwise it will stick to the ring mold.
6. Use a small piece of tape to secure the collar together and then let the chocolate set at room temperature for 1 hour.
7. For the chocolate leaves, take a few strips of long acetate and place them on your work surface.
8. Dip a small paint brush into the tempered chocolate and paint small leaves onto the strip of acetate. You will need about 30-40.
9. Once you have painted the leaves, try to set the strips of acetate in a curved position. You can do this by sliding the acetate into a cylinder cardboard roll (like from a paper towel) or place the acetate against a wall, and press a book against the edge of the acetate which will force it into a curved position. Let the leaves set for an hour.
Final Assembly
1. Remove the mousse cake from the freezer and with a spatula, lift it onto your serving plate.
2. Remove the acetate strip from the outside of the chocolate collar, and then using a wire brush, gently score the chocoolate to create a “bark” effect – this is optional but creates a fun design to the cake.
3. Very carefully lift the collar around the mousse cake.
4. Finally, carefully move the chocolate leaves from their curved position. As you flatten the acetate, the leaves should pop off so be careful. Some may break.
5. Place the leaves into the centre of the cake, in any pattern you would like, and then add a light dusting of cocoa powder.
6. Ensure the cake comes to room temperature before serving.
Black Forest Gateaux
TIER 2
Black Forest Gateaux
8-10
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Makes 8-10 servings
Chocolate Cake
120g Caster Sugar
180g Egg Whites
120g Egg Yolks
25g Cocoa Powder
120g Unsalted Butter
150g Dark Chocolate
Soaking Syrup
50g Water
50g Caster Sugar
1-2 Tbsp Kirsch (Optional)
Vanilla Cream
1000g Double/Heavy Cream
6.5g Gelatin Powder + 39g Water (Platinum or Gold Strength Gelatin)
200g Melted White Chocolate, Good Quality
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Orange Vanilla Cream
500g Double/Heavy Cream
3g Gelatin Powder + 18g Water (Platinum or Gold Strength Gelatin)
100g Melted White Chocolate, Good Quality
½ Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Zest ½ Orange
To Fill
Cherry Jam or Cherry Compote
Handful of Fresh Cherries or Marinated Cherries
To Decorate
Chocolate Shavings
Special equipment
Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Whisk
20cm x 6cm Ring Mold
18cm x 6cm Ring Mold
Electric Clay Pottery Wheel or Spinning Turntable
15mm Round Tip Nozzle
Piping Bags
Method
Vanilla Cream
1. Add the gelatin and cold water into a small saucepan and allow it to bloom for 5 minutes.
-
- 6.5g Powdered Gelatin + 39g Cold Water
2. Add the white chocolate to a bowl and melt it over a pan of gently simmering water. Set it to one side.
-
- 200g White Chocolate
3. Next, add the cream and vanilla to a medium saucepan, and bring to a gentle simmer.
-
- 1000g Double/Heavy Cream
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
4. Once hot, turn off the heat, melt the bloomed gelatin and whisk this in to dissolve it.
5. Slowly pour the hot cream over the melted chocolate in three parts, stirring in small circles in the centre of the bowl to create an emulsion.
6. Once you have added all the cream, ensure it is fully combined with the melted chocolate, cover the surface with cling film, and then refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours or ideally overnight.
Orange Vanilla Cream
1. For the orange vanilla cream that we will use to decorate the top of the cake – follow the exact same process as above, but add the orange zest into the cream when heating it. Cover and refrigerate overnight
-
- 500g Double/Heavy Cream
- 3g Gelatin Powder + 18g Water (Platinum or Gold Strength Gelatin)
- 100g Melted White Chocolate, Good Quality
- ½ Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- Zest ½ Orange
Chocolate Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 170C/340F non-fan assisted.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the chocolate and butter and melt it over a pan of gently simmering water.
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- 120g Unsalted Butter
- 150g Dark Chocolate
3. Meanwhile, into a bowl, add the egg yolks and cocoa powder and whisk these together until smooth. Take the melted chocolate mixture, and pour this in. Whisk again to combine.
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- 120g Egg Yolks
- 25g Cocoa Powder
4. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and whisk on a medium speed until they are thick and frothy. Increase the speed slightly, and add the sugar in, one tablespoon at a time. Keep whisking until you have a stiff glossy peak to the meringue.
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- 120g Caster Sugar
- 180g Egg Whites
5. Add the meringue in three parts, into the chocolate mixture. Fold it in gently, stirring it just until it is fully incorporated and there are no more streaks of egg white.
6. Take a 7” ring mold and lightly grease it with butter. Dust the ring with cocoa powder and place it on a baking tray lined with a silicon mat or baking paper.
7. Pour the cake batter into the ring mold and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Keep an eye on it as every oven is different.
8. Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool – as it cools it will collapse but that is normal.
9. Once it has cooled – I like to freeze the cake for 2 hours. Once it has chilled, slice the cake in half so that you have two layers. By freezing the cake, it makes it easier to cut!
Soaking Syrup
1. Into a small saucepan, add the sugar, water and kirsch. The kirsch is optional but is “traditional” for a Black Forest Gateaux.
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- 50g Water
- 50g Caster Sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp Kirsch (Optional)
2. Bring the ingredients to the boil, ensuring the sugar has fully dissolved. You can make this while the cakes are baking or chilling, so that it has time to cool.
3. When you have sliced the cakes in half, apply an even layer of soaking syrup over each side. You may not need it all, so don’t over soak the sponges.
Assembly Part 1
1. Remove the vanilla cream from the fridge and place it into the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if you are using an electric mixer). Whisk it until it has thickened to a medium peak. Be careful not to over whip it.
2. Take the 20cm x 6cm ring and cover one side of the mold with a single sheet of cling film. Try and get it as tight as possible with as few wrinkles. To get the cling film sheet very tight with no wrinkles, hold the ring mold in a hot oven for a few seconds and this will tighten the clingfilm. Place the ring mold, onto a baking tray.
3. Pour ⅓ of the vanilla cream into the base of the ring mold and use an offset spatula spread it up the sides. It’s important to spread it to cover all sides and ensure there aren’t any large air pockets.
4. Once you have covered the sides and the base, place a layer of sponge on top. Then spread a thin layer of cherry jam or cherry compote on top of the sponge.
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- Cherry Jam or Cherry Compote
5. Add the next ⅓ of vanilla cream on top of the sponge and then press some fresh or marinated cherries into the cream.
6. Add the final layer of cake and finally top up the mold with the remaining cream. Use a spatula to spread the cream, so that it is completely flush with the ring mold. Then place it in the freezer overnight.
Orange Vanilla Cream
1. To prepare the decoration for the top of the cake, remove the cream from the fridge and whisk it to a medium peak. You will not need it all to create the decoration but I have added some extra in the recipe in case you need to practice!
2. Take a sheet of parchment paper, and use the 20cm ring mold to draw a circle on it as a guide. Place this sheet of parchment paper underneath a silicon mat, on a flat baking tray.
3. Add the cream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle (I used a 15mm nozzle).
4. Place the flat baking tray onto a cake turntable or an electric pottery wheel. If you are using a cake turntable, try and get someone to spin it slowly for you while you pipe!
5. Apply even pressure, and starting from the centre, pipe a tight spiral of cream, stopping just before you reach the edge of the template you drew. Place the circle of cream into the freezer for 30-60 minutes, or it is until firm enough to lift it up.
Final Assembly
1. Remove the mousse cake from the freezer. Peel off the sheet of clingfilm and place the rougher side (not the side that was covered with cling film as this should be smooth!) onto a tall but wide object, like a glass (if it’s too thin, then the cake could be unstable – something wider means there’s less risk it will topple!). With a blowtorch/hair dryer or a warm tea towel, heat the edge of the ring mold and then carefully lift off the ring.
2. Use a large offset spatula to carefully lift the mousse cake onto a tray lined with a silicon mat and place it back into the freezer for 1 hour.
3. After 1 hour remove the cake from the freezer, at this point it is worth carefully lifting it onto a cake board (if you plan to take it anywhere!), something that will allow you to maneuver it with a bit more ease.
4. Place the mousse cake onto a tall glass or object again, and then place a tray underneath. Take your chocolate shavings and press them into the side of the mousse cake. If it is still quite cold, the curls might not stick and fall off straight away. If that is the case, you can very very carefully heat the edges with a blow torch, or just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
5. Press the curls all over the side of the cake until it is completely covered.
6. Remove the orange vanilla disc from the freezer and lift this onto the centre. Depending on how large you piped it, you may have a slight gap between the edge of the disc and the edge of the cake. Fill any gaps with more chocolate curls. Lift the cake carefully onto a large serving plate.
7. Garnish the cake with a whole cherry, then allow the cake to come to room temperature before eating so that the mousse is soft.
Sacher Torte
TIER 1
Sacher Torte
8
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Makes 8 servings
Chocolate Chantilly
3.5g Powdered Gelatin
21g Water
500g Double/Heavy Cream
65g Dark or Milk Chocolate
Chocolate Torte
180g Chocolate
175g Butter
200g Caster Sugar
200g Ground Almonds
60g Cocoa Powder
120g Whole Eggs + 120g Egg Yolks
160g Egg Whites
1 Tbsp Caster Sugar
Pinch Salt
Soaking Syrup
50g Water
50g Caster Sugar
Chocolate Ganache
400g Dark Chocolate
480g Double/Heavy Cream
80g Soft, Unsalted Butter
Filling
125g-175g Apricot Jam
Special equipment
Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Whisk
2 x 7” Cake Tin
Hand Blender
Piping Bags
Star Tip Piping Nozzle
Method
Chocolate Chantilly
1. Into a small saucepan, add the water and gelatin powder. Let it bloom for 5 minutes.
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- 3.5g Powdered Gelatin
- 21g Water
2. Meanwhile, add the chocolate to a medium bowl, and place it over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir it, until it is completely melted.
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- 65g Dark Chocolate
3. Add the cream into a saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Once it is steaming but not boiling, gently melt the gelatin over a low heat. Pour the gelatin mixture into the cream and whisk it through.
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- 500g Double/Heavy Cream
4. Then slowly pour the cream mixture over the melted chocolate. Use a spatula to stir the chocolate in small circles constantly, slowly incorporating the cream.
5. Once the cream is fully combined, cover the surface with a sheet of cling film and chill overnight.
Chocolate Torte
1. Preheat your oven to 150C/300F. Lightly grease 2 x 7” cake tin, place a circle of parchment on the bottom of the tin, and then line the sides with a dusting of cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the chocolate and butter. Place this over a pan of gently simmering water and stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat and set it to one side.
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- 180g Dark Chocolate
- 175g Unsalted Butter
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolks & salt until smooth. Then tip in the cocoa powder and ground almonds and whisk to combine.
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- 200g Caster Sugar
- 120g Whole Eggs + 120g Egg Yolks
- Pinch Salt
- 200g Ground Almonds
- 60g Cocoa Powder
4. Once mixed, pour in the slightly cooled, melted chocolate mixture and whisk together until everything is evenly combined. Set this to one side.
5. Into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, whisk the egg whites on a medium low speed, until they start to become thick and hold a soft peak. Then add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have a medium stiff peak.
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- 160g Egg Whites
- 1 Tbsp Caster Sugar
6. Take the egg white mixture, and fold it into the chocolate batter in three parts, being relatively gentle as you fold.
7. Once the egg whites are completely mixed in and you can’t see any more streaks of white, split the batter equally between the two lined cake tins – you should get roughly 500-515g per tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Every oven is different so keep an eye on it.
8. While they are baking, make a quick soaking syrup. Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring it to the boil and then once the sugar has fully dissolved, turn off the heat and let it cool.
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- 50g Water
- 50g Caster Sugar
9. Once baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Run an offset spatula around the outside of the cake tin and very carefully flip the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack.
10. Once they have completely cooled, paint a light coating of the sugar syrup all over the cakes (you may not need it all), then wrap the cakes in cling film and refrigerate them for a few hours (or overnight). This step is optional, but I’ve always enjoyed the texture of the cake after chilling it.
Assembly Part 1
1. Remove the chilled cakes from the fridge.
2. Take the apricot jam (you can use as much or as little as you want – or swap it for another jam if you don’t want apricot) and using an offset spatula, spread and even layer over one of the cakes.
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- 125-175g Apricot Jam
3. Carefully sandwich the second layer of cake on top and place it back into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
Chocolate Ganache
1. Into a tall jug, add the chocolate (chop it up small if you are using large chunks).
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- 400g Dark Chocolate
2. Meanwhile, pour the cream into a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
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- 480g Double/Heavy Cream
3. Once hot, pour it over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Then blend with a stick blend until smooth. Avoid adding any air bubbles here, so try to move the nozzle of the blender as little as possible. If we add air bubbles to the ganache, that will result in air bubbles on the final glaze of our cake.
4. Once blended, add in the soft, unsalted butter and blend again to emulsify. The ganache is now ready to use immediately.
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- 80g Unsalted Butter, Soft
5. Remove the cake from the fridge and place it onto a large cookie cutter or a bowl – something that can prop it up so that there is a gap in between the cake and the tray below. Ensure there is a tray underneath to catch any excess.
6. Working relatively quickly, pour half of the glaze over the cake. Then use an offset spatula to spread off any excess across the top. Do this with one swift motion, avoid going back and forth over the cake with the spatula.
7. Gently tap the tray that the cake is sitting on, on the work surface, and let the glaze drip down. Then once it has set slightly, use a knife to cut off any excess drips hanging off the bottom of the cake.
8. Place the cake into the fridge for 15 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, we need to keep the ganache at a warm pouring temperature. If we leave it out at room temperature, it will get too cool to pour. So I advise, to take about 2 inches of boiling water in a pan or bowl, and leave the jug sitting in the warm water. Swirl it every so often so it doesn’t set on top (or stir it gently with a spoon but avoid adding air). The glaze should be at a temperature of around 40-45C (105-112F) when you are ready to pour again.
10. Remove the chilled cake from the fridge and repeat the same glazing process, quickly pouring the remaining glaze over the top of the cake and spreading off any excess. Again, tap the tray underneath on the work surface, helping any excess glaze to settle and drip off. Once the cake has set slightly, trim off any excess drips that may be hanging off.
11. At this point the glaze is still quite wet – you can let the cake sit at room temperature for an hour or so to set, or pop it in the fridge to set in about 15 minutes. Once it has set, very carefully lift the cake, trying not to damage the glaze, onto your serving plate.
Final Assembly
1. Remove the chocolate chantilly from the fridge. Place it into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you are using an electric hand mixer).
2. Whisk the chantilly to a medium peak, being very careful not to over whip it. Remember that as you work with the chantilly and add it into the piping bag etc, it will continue to thicken so always under whip it ever so slightly.
3. Add half of the chantilly into a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle (we add half, because like I said, above, as we continue to handle it, it can over whip so we just use half to decorate the outside, then the remaining cream to decorate the top)
4. To decorate, pipe even swirls of the cream around the edge and then on top. You can get creative with any piping pattern you want. Alternatively, you can skip the chantilly and instead, use any leftover ganache to pipe “Sacher” in the centre of the cake – this is very traditional!
5. Best served and eaten at room temperature.
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