Rose's Heavenly Cakes (54 page)

Make the Blackberry Puree

Refrigerate a stand mixer bowl and whisk beater for at least 15 minutes.

If the berries are frozen, allow them to defrost. Drain and reserve the juices. In a food processor, puree the blackberries.

Press the pureed berries through a fine-mesh strainer. You should have ½ cup/4 fluid ounces/4 ounces/115 grams of puree. If using frozen berries, add as much of the juices as necessary to equal this amount.

Mix the Puree and Gelatin

In a small heatproof bowl (microwavable, if using a microwave), stir together the gelatin and about two-thirds of the puree and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. If the gelatin sits longer, cover it tightly with plastic wrap to prevent evaporation. In a microwave, stirring every 5 seconds, or in a saucepan sitting in simmering water, stirring often to melt the gelatin, heat the mixture just until hot but not beginning to boil. Remove the container from the heat and gently stir in the remaining puree. Set aside or cool in the refrigerator for just a few minutes, or until no longer warm to the touch.

Melt the Chocolate with the Cream

In a medium microwavable bowl (or in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water—don't let the bottom of the container touch the water), heat the chocolate and ¼ cup of the cream. Stir often with a silicone spaula until almost completely melted. If using the microwave, stir every 15 seconds. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth. Set aside until no longer warm to the touch.

Complete the Blackberry Mousse Filling

In the chilled mixer bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, whip the remaining ¾ cup of cream and the sugar, starting on low speed, gradually raising the speed to medium-high as it begins to thicken, just until traces of the beater marks begin to show distinctly. Add the chocolate mixture and beat just until soft peaks form when the beater is raised.

Detach the whisk beater and remove the bowl from the stand. With the whisk beater or a large balloon whisk, fold in the cooled blackberry puree until thoroughly combined, reaching to the bottom of the bowl.

Add the cooled sabayon and fold in gently until fully incorporated. The mousse will become thinner, but it will still have a good deal of body and air. Use a silicone spatula to finish folding.

Mold and Freeze the Mousse

Place the prepared bowl upright on a flat surface. Scrape the mousse into the bowl and smooth the surface evenly with a small offset spatula. Place the prepared chocolate cake circle on top, pressing it down slightly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

Make the Lacquer Glaze

Have ready a fine-mesh strainer suspended over a medium metal bowl.

In a small bowl, pour in the 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cold water and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Stir to moisten and soften the gelatin and allow it to sit for a minimum of 5 minutes. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap to prevent evaporation and set aside.

In a small heavy saucepan, whisk together the sugar and ¼ cup water over medium heat. Stir constantly with the whisk to dissolve the sugar.

Remove the pan from the heat and, with the whisk, gently stir in the corn syrup and then the cocoa until smooth, making sure to reach into the corners of the pan. The mixture will be glossy. Using a silicone spatula, stir in the cream.

Return the pan to medium heat and, stirring constantly, bring the mixture to the boiling point (190°F/88°C). Bubbles will just start to form around the edges. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the mixture into the metal bowl. Allow it to cool slightly, for about 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 122° to 140°F/50° to 60°C. With the silicone spatula, stir in the softened gelatin until it is dissolved completely and no longer streaky.

Strain the glaze into a 2-cup heatproof glass measure or bowl. (Metal will impart an undesirable flavor if the glaze is stored in it.) Allow it to cool for a few minutes, stirring very gently so as not to incorporate any air. For this cake, the glaze coats best when just made (80°F/26°C). If the glaze is made ahead and reheated, it will be thicker and should be used at around 85°F/29°C.

Once cool (after about an hour), the glaze can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for several months. Reheat it in a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, or very carefully in a microwave with 3-second bursts, stirring gently to ensure that it doesn't overheat or incorporate air.

Glaze the Cake

Have ready a wire rack that has been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray, set on a 17¼ by 12¼ by 1-inch half-sheet pan or large piece of aluminum foil.

Fill a large bowl with hot water. Remove the frozen mousse from the freezer. To ensure easy removal from the glazing rack, set a cardboard round trimmed to the exact size of the cake or a little smaller on top of the cake. Carefully dip the bowl in the hot water just up to the cake for just a few seconds to melt the very outer layer of the mousse so that it will release easily. Remove the bowl from the water and wipe off any water. Set the prepared wire rack on top of the bowl, and invert it cake side down.

If using the silicone mold, its flexibility will enable you to tug on the edges to assist with the release. If using a glass bowl, it helps to insert a small metal spatula between the bowl and the filling. Once the filling releases, lift away the bowl and smooth any rough spots on the surface of the mousse with a small metal spatula or the back of a spoon. The surface needs to be as smooth as possible to ensure that no imperfections appear through the glaze. If the mousse has started to melt, return it to the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until firm.

Pour the glaze directly over the top of the dome until the sides are coated completely. Pouring directly in the center will cover the entire cake very quickly, but make sure there are no spots left uncovered on the sides. Allow the excess glaze to finish dripping, 1 to 2 minutes. Then, using a large spatula, two offset spatulas (one in each hand), or a cake transfer disk, coated with nonstick cooking spray, transfer the cake to a serving plate. Be careful not to touch the glaze on the cake to ensure that it remains flawless. Pour the excess glaze from the sheet pan into a bowl (if using the aluminum foil, you can mold it into a funnel), cover tightly, and refrigerate or freeze for future use. You will have about ½ cup left over.

Refrigerate the cake until fully thawed, about 2 hours, and serve chilled. To revive the shine of the glaze, wave a hair dryer set on low heat briefly over the cake. Garnish the plate with 3 ounces/85 grams small fresh blackberries. Cut with a sharp thin-bladed knife that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. (Don't dip the blade in hot water as that causes the glaze to melt and discolor the filling.)

Chapter 4: Baby Cakes

The charm and appeal of the petite is universal. And when it comes to cakes, there is something especially compelling about little ones. One of the advantages of their small size is that they bake evenly and perfectly. The easiest small cake to make is a cupcake. To top them, I recommend using about two tablespoons for each cupcake, so two cups of any buttercream or ganache in the book will be a good quantity. In this chapter, I am also including three basic mix-and-match buttercreams: Golden Neoclassic Buttercream with variations, Chocolate—Egg White Buttercream, and Dreamy Creamy White Chocolate Frosting.

Special Equipment

16 cupcake liners set in muffin pans or custard cups

Preheat the Oven

Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

Mix the Liquid Ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, 3 tablespoons of the sour cream, and the vanilla just until lightly combined.

Make the Batter

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining sour cream and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Use a number 30 ice cream scoop or a spoon to place the batter (1.7 ounces/50 grams) into the prepared cupcake liners, smoothing the surfaces evenly with a small metal spatula. The liners will be about three-quarters full.

Bake the Cupcakes

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until dark golden brown, a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cupcakes spring back when pressed lightly in the centers.

Cool the Cupcakes

Cool the cupcakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pans and set them on a wire rack. Cool completely.