Raffaello cake with raspberries

Ingredients

For the sponge

• 8 eggs
• 8 tablespoons sugar
• 8 tablespoons water
• 10 tablespoons flour
• 6 tablespoons desiccated coconut
• 10 g baking powder

For the chocolate cream

• 500 ml whipping cream
• 400 g white chocolate
• 1 vanilla bean

For the raspberry cream

• 250 g raspberries
• 100 g brown sugar
• 50 ml water
• 5 g gelatin
• 25 ml cold water

For the syrup

• 200 ml milk
• 200 g desiccated coconut
• 100 g sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons coconut liqueur (optional)

For decorating

• 200 ml whipping cream
• 50 g desiccated coconut
• 10 Raffaello candies

Preparation

1. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites until foamy, add the sugar and whisk until you have a stiff, glossy meringue. 2. Fold in the egg yolks and water, then the flour, baking powder and coconut. Mix until no streaks of flour remain. 3. Line a 32 cm springform pan with baking paper. Pour in the batter, level it out and bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, until lightly golden. Leave the sponge to cool for 60 minutes, then remove it from the pan and cut it into three layers. 4. Put 500 ml whipping cream and the white chocolate, broken into pieces, in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring until the chocolate melts, without letting the cream boil. Chill the mixture for at least 60 minutes. Add the vanilla bean seeds and beat for 3-5 minutes, until the cream lightens in color and increases in volume. 5. Leave the gelatin to bloom in 25 ml cold water for 5 minutes. Boil the raspberries with the brown sugar and 50 ml water for 3 minutes, until the fruit softens and the mixture bubbles a few times. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the gelatin and leave the mixture to cool for 30 minutes. 6. Boil the milk with the sugar and 200 g coconut for 2 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth, squeeze the syrup out well and discard the remaining coconut pulp. If using coconut liqueur, add it to the strained syrup. 7. Place the first sponge layer on a platter and fit an adjustable cake ring around it. Brush with syrup, spread on half the raspberry cream, then half the chocolate cream. Repeat with the second layer and the remaining creams, then add the last layer and brush it with syrup. Chill the cake for 8 hours. 8. Beat the other 200 ml whipping cream for about 3 minutes, until it holds its shape on the whisk. Carefully remove the ring and cover the cake with the whipped cream, saving a few spoonfuls for decorating. Sprinkle coconut over the whole surface, then put the reserved cream in a piping bag and pipe 10 rosettes. Place one Raffaello candy on each. 9. Cut the cake into 20 slices with a very sharp knife.