Tarta

This time I wanted to make a chocolate cake that didn't have a super intense pure-chocolate flavor, since some of my taste-testers aren't huge fans of that level of intensity. The banana filling won me over as a way to balance out all that sweetness, and the crunchy layer adds a bit of joy to creamy desserts.

The recipe is from Ettore Cioccia, although I made several changes to the filling and decoration because I wanted to use up ingredients I had at home and try out some new things. So here's my version of this delicious cake — I hope you like it. It's not a complicated cake, but it does have several components and requires patience and planning to give yourself enough time, considering all the chilling/freezing times involved.

Ingredients

Crunchy cereal layer

• 60 g (2.1 oz) almond butter
• 35 g (1.2 oz) chocolate
• 20 g (0.7 oz) raw chopped hazelnuts
• 15 g (0.5 oz) puffed rice
• 15 g (0.5 oz) puffed quinoa

Caramelized banana

• 30 g (2 tbsp) sugar
• 15 g (1 tbsp) butter
• 3 bananas (210 g / 7.4 oz)
• Lemon juice
• 2 g gelatin (1 sheet)

Flourless chocolate sponge

• 60 g (2.1 oz) 65% dark chocolate
• 20 g (1.5 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 2 egg whites at room temperature
• 2 egg yolks
• 20 g (1.5 tbsp) sugar

Chocolate and caramel mousse

• 200 g (7 oz) 65% chocolate
• 6 g gelatin (3 sheets)
• 60 g (1/4 cup) sugar
• 100 ml (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• 400 g (14 oz) heavy cream whipped to soft peaks

Ferrero-style coating

• 215 g (7.6 oz) 65% chocolate
• 40 g (3 tbsp) sunflower oil
• 45 g (1.6 oz) chopped almonds (almond brittle)

Caramel mirror glaze

• 300 g (1.5 cups) sugar
• 300 g (1 cup) glucose syrup, slightly warmed in the microwave
• 375 ml (1.5 cups) water
• 200 g (7 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 300 g (10.6 oz) white couverture chocolate, finely chopped
• 18 g gelatin, hydrated beforehand and then dissolved in 108 ml (about 1/2 cup) of hot water

Method

1. We start by making the crunchy cereal layer. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in short bursts to keep it from burning. Next, add the almond butter and mix well. Finally, add the cereals and hazelnuts and mix again until everything comes together.
2. Line the bottom of a 17 cm (6.7 in) springform ring or pan with plastic wrap and a strip of acetate around the edge. Pour in the chocolate mixture and smooth out the surface with a spoon. Pop it into the freezer.
3. For the caramelized banana, hydrate the gelatin in a bowl of cold water.
4. Cut the bananas into small dice and add a splash of lemon juice so they don't oxidize.
5. Put the sugar in a saucepan and let it melt until it forms an amber-colored caramel. Add the butter, and once it's incorporated, add the banana. Cook for a few minutes over low heat, stirring frequently (the mixture is likely to get more liquid as the fruit releases its juice).
6. Drain the gelatin well and stir it into the saucepan after turning off the heat. Stir well so it dissolves completely.
7. Take the crunchy layer out of the freezer and pour the caramelized banana on top, forming another even layer. Put it back in the freezer.
8. To make the chocolate sponge, preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).
9. Melt the chocolate and butter in short bursts in the microwave.
10. In another bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt and the sugar. Once they're firm, fold in the beaten yolks gently.
11. Next, add the melted chocolate, also folding gently so it doesn't deflate, until you have a smooth batter.
12. Spread it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (it's not a lot of batter and it's not very runny) until it's about 1 cm (0.4 in) thick. The important thing is that you'll be able to cut a 17 cm (6.7 in) circle out of it later.
13. Bake for 8 minutes.
14. To make the chocolate and caramel mousse, hydrate the gelatin sheets in very cold water.
15. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in short bursts and set aside.
16. In a saucepan, melt the sugar and let it cook until you get a light caramel. Add 100 ml (1/2 cup) of cream (warmed in the microwave so there isn't a big temperature difference). Pour it in a little at a time, stirring constantly to keep crystals from forming, and very carefully so it doesn't splash you.
17. Pour the mixture over the beaten egg yolks while stirring constantly, then return it to the heat until it reaches 82–84°C (180–183°F).
18. Take it off the heat and add the well-drained gelatin, stirring until it dissolves.
19. Next, blend with an immersion blender until smooth, and pour this hot cream over the melted chocolate. Mix well and let cool to 40–45°C (104–113°F).
20. Finally, fold in a third of the soft-peak whipped cream and mix. Add the rest and fold gently again.
21. For the assembly, take a 20 cm (8 in) springform pan (or ring) and line the edge with a strip of acetate and the bottom with plastic wrap.
22. Now we're going to layer everything. First, spread a generous layer of chocolate and caramel mousse in the bottom and use a spatula to coat the sides too. Then unmold the banana and hazelnut crunch insert and place it on top of the mousse with the crunchy side facing up. Fill with more mousse, and finally lay down the chocolate sponge disc. Put the cake in the freezer for at least 3–4 hours (I leave it overnight and finish the decoration the next day).
23. Now we're going to prepare the glazes. For the Ferrero-style coating, melt the chocolate in the microwave and then add the oil. Once it's well combined, add the chopped almonds. Set aside until it cools to 35°C (95°F).
24. To make the caramel mirror glaze, hydrate the gelatin in a bowl of cold water. Heat the water, drain the gelatin, and dissolve it in this hot water. Set aside.
25. In a saucepan, make a dry caramel using just the sugar — no water. When it turns a dark golden color, turn off the heat and pull the pan off the burner. Immediately and very carefully, slowly pour in the 375 ml (1.5 cups) of water while whisking. (Be very careful — it splatters and burns badly.)
26. Then add the glucose, stir well until it dissolves, and next add the condensed milk and white chocolate, whisking until the chocolate dissolves and is fully incorporated.
27. Finally, add the dissolved gelatin and mix until combined. Let it rest until the caramel cools to 25–30°C (77–86°F).
28. All that's left is the final assembly. Take the frozen cake out of the freezer and remove the pan, the acetate strip, and the plastic wrap. Set the cake on top of a smaller mold or bowl so it's elevated and you can glaze it well. It's a good idea to put a plate or tray underneath to catch the drippings of glaze so you can reuse them.
29. First we're going to glaze the sides with the Ferrero coating. The easiest way is to put the coating in a pitcher and pour it over the sides. Since the cake is frozen, the chocolate will set almost instantly. If you have any gaps, you can patch them up with the help of a spoon.
30. Finally, pour the mirror glaze over the top of the cake. You want to use just the right amount so it only covers the top and doesn't drip down the sides. You can finish decorating it with broken hazelnuts and chocolate.
31. Carefully transfer it to a flat plate and store in the fridge. Before serving, you'll need to give it 2 or 3 hours to defrost slowly.

PiC tips

• The amounts I give for the mirror glaze are enough to cover the entire cake (top and sides). In that case, you wouldn't need the Ferrero-style coating, and it would also look beautiful. Any leftover glaze (that hasn't been contaminated with other components of the cake) can be stored in the fridge for a few days, or longer in the freezer, and reheated whenever you want to glaze another dessert. In fact, that's what I did. This glaze had been frozen — it was leftover from a previous cake. You can also choose to halve the quantities.
• I used almond butter, but you can use any other nut butter or even praline like Ettore does in his original recipe.

To kick off the weekend, the holidays, celebrate Madrid's La Paloma festivities… any excuse is a good one to bake this wonderful, fluffy cocoa cake. I got this recipe from Alma Obregón's blog and only made a few small tweaks (Cesmm always tells me I'm incapable of following a recipe to the letter… could it be true?). Made with pure cocoa instead of chocolate, it feels lighter, and the syrup on top is perfect for those who love bitter, not-too-sweet chocolate. Bundt cakes are those ring-shaped cakes with a hole in the middle. Technically, only Nordic Ware® brand cakes are bundt cakes, but the name is generally used for any cake of this shape. If you want to learn more about its history and even when its international day is celebrated, you can read about it here.

What do we need?

• 125 g (4.4 oz / 1 stick + 1 tbsp) butter
• 2 eggs
• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 360 g (1¾ cups) white sugar
• 60 g (⅔ cup) unsweetened pure cocoa powder (I use the Valor brand)
• 260 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt

For the syrup:

• 40 g (scant ½ cup) unsweetened pure cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 120 ml (½ cup) milk

How do we make it?

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Melt the butter in the microwave and once fully melted, add the eggs and the milk and mix well. It's best if the milk is at room temperature so the butter doesn't solidify into little lumps (if it does, it's not a big deal, the cake will be just as delicious).
3. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (sifted flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).
4. Then add the wet mixture to the dry one and stir well with a whisk until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. You don't need to use an electric mixer, a hand whisk works perfectly.
5. Pour the batter into the previously greased pan (with a baking spray or with butter/margarine/sunflower oil) and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45-50 minutes. You'll know it's done when a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
6. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes inside the pan while you prepare the syrup.
7. For the syrup, mix all the dry ingredients in a small saucepan and then add the rest.
8. Heat over low heat and stir constantly until it thickens and reaches the desired consistency.
9. Once the resting time is up, unmold the cake and pour the syrup over the top. Enjoy!

Tips:

– You can easily find corn syrup in creative baking shops, which are popping up in more and more places. One of the most common brands is Karo, which is what I used for this recipe.

– As tempting as it is to dig in straight out of the oven, it's really important to let it rest. Otherwise, the cake will fall apart. So, patience…

– It's best to pour the syrup while it's still hot so it runs nicely down the sides of the cake, since it solidifies very quickly (it never goes completely hard, but it sets into a kind of gooey cream).

Even though putting the words ‘caramel’ and ‘salted’ together in the same phrase sounds weird, it’s a delicious combination that I tried for the first time thanks to French delicatessens. So as soon as I saw this recipe on La receta de la felicidad I couldn’t resist giving it a go, and I knew it’d be a guaranteed success. Even those weird beings who aren’t crazy about chocolate end up liking it, thanks to the crunchy bite of the crust and the creaminess of the filling. So what are you waiting for to try it?

What do we need?

For the special shortcrust pastry:

• 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour

• 30 g (1/4 cup) ground almonds

• 150 g (2/3 cup) butter

• 80 g (1/3 cup) sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 pinch of powdered vanilla

For the salted caramel sauce:

• 70 g (1/3 cup) sugar

• 70 ml (1/3 cup) heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon butter

• a pinch of salt

For the chocolate cream:

• 500 ml (2 cups) heavy cream

• 350 g (12 oz) dark chocolate

For the whipped cream:

• 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) heavy whipping cream, very cold (at least 35% fat)

• 2 heaping tablespoons of powdered sugar

• Optional: cocoa powder for dusting on top

How do we make it?

• We start by preparing the crust. Mix the very cold butter, cut into small cubes, with the rest of the ingredients. You can use the dough attachment on your mixer or use a spoon and finish kneading by hand. It’ll come out crumbly and you’ll have to keep squeezing the butter with your hands to incorporate everything well, but don’t despair. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for half an hour.

• Meanwhile, prepare a 24 to 26 cm (9.5 to 10 in) springform tin by lightly greasing it and placing a sheet of baking paper on the bottom.

• Roll out the dough on a floured surface or between two sheets of baking paper or plastic wrap (so it doesn’t stick) until it’s about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick.

• Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the tin. Press it well into the tin, patching any gaps with bits of dough. Trim the edges by running the rolling pin over the top of the tin and pressing down.

• Put the tin with the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).

• Cover the bottom of the tart with baking paper and fill with dried chickpeas (just like when making quiches — this keeps the dough from rising in the oven). Bake the crust for about 25 minutes.

• Take it out and once it’s cooled, unmold and place on a plate or tray.

• Now we’ll prepare the salted caramel sauce. Have the cream and butter ready beforehand. Put the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and wait without stirring until it turns into caramel (2 or 3 minutes). Once you have a golden caramel, lower the heat to minimum and add the butter, salt, and cream, stirring constantly until you get a smooth sauce. If any caramel lumps form, keep stirring vigorously over low-medium heat until they fully dissolve.

• Once it’s cooled a bit, pour the caramel over the tart base and put it in the fridge for half an hour.

• Next we make the chocolate cream. Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan while you chop the chocolate. When it boils, remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes and stir until you get a smooth cream. Once the chocolate cream has cooled a bit, pour it over the tart that you had reserved in the fridge and let it chill overnight.

• Finally, whip the cream. Beat the very cold cream with the sugar using a whisk until it reaches the desired consistency (be careful not to overdo it or it’ll turn into butter).

• Put the whipped cream into a piping bag with a round tip and pipe little mounds of cream over the tart. Using a sieve, dust with cocoa powder and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

Tips:

• When whipping the cream you can use regular sugar, but store-bought powdered sugar will help keep the consistency longer since it usually contains a small amount of starch.

• If you don’t want to even turn on the oven, you can swap the shortcrust base for a cookie base. Crush digestive-type cookies, for example, and mix with melted butter. Cover the tin pressing down well so it’s nice and compact, let it chill before pouring the caramel and you’re done.

• If you don’t have a piping bag or tip, you can use a plastic bag (like a freezer bag) and snip a small hole in the corner.

[English version] CHOCOLATE AND SALTED CARAMEL TART* *

For the crust:

• *250 g all purpose flour *

• *30 g powdered almonds *

• *150 g butter, cold, cut into cubes *

• *80 g sugar *

• 1 egg

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 pinch powdered vanilla

For the salted caramel sauce:

• *70 g sugar *

• *70 ml heavy cream *

• 1 teaspoon butter

• pinch of salt

For the chocolate cream:

• *500 ml heavy cream *

• *350 g dark chocolate *

For the whipped cream:

• 300 ml heavy cream, very cold (1 cup aprox)

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• Optional: unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

* *

• Prepare the crust. Whizz all the ingredients in a food processor to a dough and finish by hand until getting a homogeneous dough. Wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out the pastry and line a deep 24-26 cm tart tin with it; patch any holes if crumbly. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 180 ºC. Prick the tart shell all over with a fork or use baking beans and bake about 25 minutes.

• Transfer to a rack and let cool.

• Prepare the caramel sauce. Place sugar a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Look for the caramel to turn a rich amber colour, then lower the heat and whisk in butter and cream (the mixture will bubble up, so be careful!). Pour caramel into cooled tart shell and let cool slightly; refrigerate 1/2 hour.

• Prepare the chocolate cream. Chop the chocolate. Bring heavy cream to boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in the hot cream. Let sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth. Pour ganache evenly over tart and refrigerate 24 hours .

• Before serving, prepare the whipped cream. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream with the sugar until firm. Pipe the whipped cream on top of the pie and dust with some cocoa powdered if desired.

Tips:**- If you use confectioners’ sugar when whipping the cream, you’ll get a firmer cream.

- If you don’t want even to switch on the oven you can prepare the crust with biscuits. Just smash the biscuits and mix with melted butter. Cover the tart mold with it, pressing well with your fingers.Refrigerate before pouring the caramel sauce.

- If you don’t have piping bag, you can use a plastic bag instead.

You might be wondering about the name and why I’m not just calling it lemon tart or lemon pie. The thing is, I made this tart for my mom and for her it brought back childhood memories. Apparently, when they were kids in Peru they used to eat this tart and they called it “pay de limón.” If we already use more and more anglicisms in Spain, you can imagine how common they are in Latin American countries and the kind of Spanglish that reigns there. In any case, whether or not this is the authentic Peruvian recipe, and whether you call it tart, pie, or pay, this dessert turned out absolutely delicious.

What do we need?

• 150 g (5.3 oz) ground digestive-style biscuits

• 110 g (1/2 cup) butter

• 400 g (14 oz) condensed milk

• Half a cup of lemon juice

• 4 egg yolks

• 4 egg whites

• 85 g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar

How do we make it?

• First, melt the butter in the microwave and mix it with the ground biscuits until you get a uniform paste. Put this mixture into a shallow oven-safe pie pan. Press with your fingers until you’ve covered the bottom and sides of the pan well.

• Pop it in the oven (preheated to 180°C / 350°F) and bake for 15 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.

• To prepare the filling, mix the condensed milk well with the lemon juice and egg yolks. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base in the pan and put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.

• To make the meringue, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt using a whisk (electric is better; it’ll save you time and sore arms). Gradually add the sugar until you get a firm consistency.

• Now all that’s left is to put the meringue on top of the lemon tart. You can use a piping bag or just spoon it on, forming peaks.

• Finally, when it’s completely covered, put it back in the oven for a few minutes so the meringue browns slightly.

Tips:

• If you don’t love the tangy lemon flavor, you can reduce the amount of juice.

• When you make the meringue, you need to get it really firm (you should even be able to flip the bowl upside down and have it stay put). It’s really important that neither the bowl nor the whisk have any grease on them so the whites whip up properly. Also, be careful in the oven because meringue burns really quickly, so never leave it unattended.

• If you prefer, you can make a shortcrust pastry for the base.

[English version] LEMON PIE* *Ingredients:

• *2 cups ground biscuits *

• 1/2 cup butter

• 400 g condensed milk

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 4 egg yolks

• 4 egg whites

• 3/4 confectioner’s sugar

• *First, melt butter in the microwave and stir well with ground biscuits. Put this mix into a pie mould using your fingers to press. Cover the bottom and the sides of the mould. *

• Bake in preheated oven (to 180º) for 15 minutes.

• *For the filling, mix together condensed milk, lemon juice and egg yolks. Pour the lemon mixture into the baked biscuit pastry. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. *

• *Whip egg whites with a pinch of salt (use an electric whisk for better results and saving time). Add sugar gradually and keep whipping until getting a firm meringue. *

• *Pour the meringue over the lemon pie. You can use a piping bag or use a spoon to make peaks. *

• *Bake in oven for a few minutes until slightly golden brown. *

Tips:

- If you don’t like strong lemon flavour, you can reduce the amount of lemon juice.

- When making meringue you need a firm mixture (you could even put the mixing bowl upside down and it will keep there). To get good results, the mixing bowl has to be completely free of grease. Be careful when baking meringue because it get burnt very easily.

- You can also make shortbread pastry instead of biscuit pastry.

Comments

Marisa (2013-04-03 10:48:50):

Yum! I love this tart. Make it for me one day, please. :)