Champagne, chocolate and berry cake

Name: Champagne, chocolate and berry cake
Ingredients: 5 eggs; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 10 tablespoons sugar; 5 tablespoons water; 10 tablespoons flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 350 g berries; 200 g strawberries; 4 tablespoons sugar; 10 g gelatin; 60 ml cold water; 3 egg yolks; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 400 ml Champagne; 100 g white chocolate; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 10 g gelatin; 60 ml cold water; 350 ml heavy cream; 350 g milk chocolate; 350 ml heavy cream; 150 g dark chocolate; 150 ml heavy cream; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar; 150 g mascarpone; 150 g milk or dark chocolate; 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream; 1 teaspoon honey

Dessert - Champagne, chocolate and berry cake by Valentina F. - Recipia

The Champagne, chocolate and berry cake is assembled when the jelly has cooled until spreadable but is no longer runny. The lemon sponge, Champagne cream and ganache hold the jelly in layers; the recipe is Dia’s, I made a few small changes, and I’m dedicating the cake to my father, who has reached a lovely age. I like to cut it into thin slices. Preparation: 90 minutes. Cooking: 68 minutes. Resting: 13 hours and 30 minutes. Total time: 15 hours and 38 minutes. Serves: 12. Approximately 910 kcal and 12 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the cake

5 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons water
10 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon lemon zest

For the jelly

350 g berries
200 g strawberries
4 tablespoons sugar
10 g gelatin
60 ml cold water

For the Champagne cream

3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
400 ml Champagne
100 g white chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 g gelatin
60 ml cold water
350 ml heavy cream

For the ganache

350 g milk chocolate
350 ml heavy cream

For the frosting

150 g dark chocolate
150 ml heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
150 g mascarpone

For the glaze

150 g milk or dark chocolate
4-5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon honey

For decorating

100 ml heavy cream
1 drop pink food colouring
20 g chocolate decorations
50 g chocolate candies
100 g berries

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 26 cm round cake pan with baking paper. Separate the eggs. 2. Beat the egg whites with the salt until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until you have stiff, glossy peaks. Add the water and egg yolks, then beat for 1 more minute on low speed. 3. Mix the flour with the baking powder and gradually fold it in, using an upward motion. Add the lemon zest, pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely, then slice it into 3 layers. 4. Put the berries and strawberries in a saucepan with the sugar. Cook for 8 minutes, until the fruit has softened and the sugar has dissolved. Blend, then strain the purée through a sieve. 5. Soak the gelatin for the jelly in 60 ml cold water for 5 minutes. Heat it for 1 minute without boiling, then stir it into the purée. Refrigerate the jelly for about 2 hours, until it is spreadable but no longer runny. 6. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, add the cornstarch and Champagne gradually, then put the mixture over low heat. Stir for 8 minutes, until thickened. Add the white chocolate and vanilla, stir until the chocolate melts, and leave the cream to cool. 7. Soak the gelatin for the cream in 60 ml cold water for 10 minutes, then heat it for 1 minute without boiling and stir it into the cooled cream. Whip the cream and gradually fold it into the mixture. 8. Put the milk chocolate and cream for the ganache in a saucepan and heat for 5 minutes, stirring until the chocolate melts. Chill the ganache for at least 3-4 hours, then beat it until lighter in colour and fluffy. 9. Place the first cake layer, spread over half the jelly, half the Champagne cream and half the ganache. Repeat the layers, then place the last cake layer on top. Cover the cake and refrigerate overnight, about 8 hours. 10. For the frosting on the sides, heat the dark chocolate with the cream for 5 minutes, stirring until melted. Leave it to cool. Beat the mascarpone with the powdered sugar, then fold in the chocolate. Frost the sides of the cake and set aside 2 tablespoons of the frosting. 11. For the glaze, heat the milk or dark chocolate, cream and honey for 5 minutes, until the chocolate melts. Pour the glaze over the cake, letting it drip slightly down the sides. Refrigerate for an hour, until set. 12. Whip the cream for decorating with the pink food colouring and decorate the cake with it, the reserved frosting, the decorations, chocolate candies and berries.

Notes

Serve cold, with plain black tea. The 26 cm pan, baking paper and blender are useful here; the blender leaves the purée without large pieces before straining. Fresh and frozen fruit both work, but thaw and drain frozen fruit before weighing it. If the fruit is very juicy, the purée may need more time in the fridge to thicken enough to spread. The cake can break when sliced if it is still slightly warm, so let it cool completely. The milk chocolate for the ganache should be plain, with no filling, so it melts evenly into the cream. The cake contains gluten and eggs, and the creams contain dairy. You can assemble the cake a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let each slice sit on the plate for 10 minutes before serving, so the chocolate is not too hard from the cold.