Sour cherry, white chocolate and mascarpone cake

Name: Sour cherry, white chocolate and mascarpone cake
Ingredients: 25 g dark cocoa powder; 75 ml water; 3 eggs; 100 g sugar; 60 ml oil; 1 teaspoon rum extract; 140 g flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon fine salt; 400 g pitted sour cherries; 6 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 100 g white chocolate; 100 ml whipping cream; 250 g mascarpone; 100 ml whipping cream

Dessert - Sour cherry, white chocolate and mascarpone cake by Didina E. - Recipia

Frozen sour cherries add a tart layer to this sour cherry, white chocolate and mascarpone cake, between cocoa sponge layers. The sponge is cut into four thin layers, alternating with compote and white cream, and the cake is sliced after chilling. I prefer thin layers, so there’s cream in every slice. Prep: 40 minutes. Cook: 45 minutes. Rest: 6 hours. Total time: 7 hours and 25 minutes. Servings: 12. About 380 kcal and 6 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the sponge

25 g dark cocoa powder
75 ml water
3 eggs
100 g sugar
60 ml oil
1 teaspoon rum extract
140 g flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For the sour cherry filling

400 g pitted sour cherries
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the mascarpone cream

100 g white chocolate
100 ml whipping cream
250 g mascarpone
100 ml whipping cream

Preparation

1. Heat 100 ml of whipping cream for about 2 minutes, until small bubbles appear around the edge. Pour it over the chopped white chocolate, stir until melted, then chill the mixture for 3 hours. 2. Mix the cocoa powder with the boiling water until smooth, then strain the mixture and leave it to cool. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff, add half the sugar and keep beating until you have a glossy meringue. Cream the egg yolks with the remaining sugar, then mix in the oil, rum extract and cooled cocoa. Add the flour mixed with the baking powder, then fold in the meringue in 2-3 additions. Pour the batter into a 30 x 18 cm baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 180°C for 30 minutes, until the sponge feels firm to the touch. Leave it to cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. 3. Cook the sour cherries with the sugar for 10 minutes. Add the cornstarch and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the compote thickens. Leave it to cool for 45 minutes. 4. Beat the chilled chocolate mixture until creamy. Beat the mascarpone, fold in the chocolate mixture, then whip the remaining 100 ml of cream separately and gently fold it into the cream. 5. Cut the cooled sponge into two equal pieces, then cut each piece horizontally to make four layers. 6. Place one sponge layer on a serving plate, spread over a third of the compote and the mascarpone cream. Repeat with the next two layers, using a third of the compote each time, then add the final layer and spread the remaining cream on top. 7. Chill the cake for 3 hours, then slice it.

Notes

Check the sour cherries for pits before cooking them, especially if they were frozen at home. After thawing, some release a lot of juice; if the compote still seems runny, cook it for another minute, stirring. The sponge cuts more cleanly when completely cool, and a long serrated knife helps keep the layers even. For a shorter version, you can use just two sponge layers and divide the sour cherry filling according to how many layers you fill. The sponge contains gluten and eggs, and the cream contains dairy. I assemble it the evening before serving, so it has time to set before I slice it. Serve a cup of unsweetened coffee alongside each slice. Keep it covered in the fridge and eat it within 3 days. When assembling, let the compote cool completely so the cream layers stay easy to spread.