Chocolate Raspberry Bavarian Cake

This can be described in one word: Superb!!   Delicious!!  This recipe comes from Nick Malgieri’s book:  “Chocolate – From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers”. I picked this book up on clearance from a book store for a bargain price of $7.99 years ago. This book is one of my favorites! You will not be disappointed in this recipe.  The chocolate sponge base is moistened by a simple raspberry syrup. The mousse is intensely flavored raspberry mousse that is just out of this world.  A thin layer of ganache separates the layers, and it gets decked out with raspberries and shaved chocolate, making this a special occasion, show stopper dessert cake!  This recipe comes together in record time. Once you get the cake baked, it just a matter of steps, that take no time at all to complete.  Don’t miss out, make it today!

Chocolate Raspberry Bavarian Cake

“The light raspberry Bavarian cream is a perfect foil to the moist genoise layers and thin layers of chocolate filling. Serve this for a very special occasion – especially since it can be made entirely in advance and just finished off on the day you’ll serve it”.

Makes 1 – 10 inch cake, about 12 servings

By: Nick Malgieri – Chocolate: From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers

Raspberry Syrup

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Raspberry Liqueur

Chocolate Filling

1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

4 oz. Semisweet Chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces) (I used Callebaut Semi Sweet Chocolate Disks)

2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) Unsalted Butter

Raspberry Bavarian

Two 10 oz. pkgs. Frozen Raspberries

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Raspberry Liqueur

1 1/2 Envelopes Unflavored Gelatin

2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

One 9 inch Round Chocolate Genoise, page 30, baked and cooled

Finishing:

1 Cup Heavy whipping Cream

Chocolate Shavings, (page 392) (I used Callebaut Semi Sweet Chocolate Disk, and put them through my food processor)

One 1/2 pint basket raspberries

Confectioner’s Sugar

One 10 inch springform pan

1.  For the syrup, combine the sugar and water, bring to a boil and cool.  Stir in the liqueur.

2.  For the chocolate filling, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from heat, add the chocolate, and allow to stand 2 minutes.  Whisk in the butter until smooth and cool.

3.  To make the Bavarian, combine the raspberries and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Use a food mill or a fine sieve to puree and strain away the seeds. Cool.  Combine the liqueur and gelatin in a small, heatproof bowl and soak 5 minutes.  Place bowl over simmering water to make liquid again,  then whisk into cooled puree. Whip cream and fold it in.

4.  Slice genoise into two layers and place on in the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan. Moisten with half the syrup. Whip cooled chocolate filling to lighten and spread half of it over cake layer;  pour on half the Bavarian. Repeat with remaining cake layer, syrup, chocolate filling, and Bavarian.  Chill to set.

5.  To unmold, run a small knife between dessert and mold and lift off side of pan.  Whip the cream and spread over the sides of pan. Press some of the chocolate shavings into the cream. Arrange the raspberries on top in two concentric circles around the top rim, then sprinkle center with shavings and confectioner’s sugar.

My Notes:  I didn’t have a 10 inch springform pan on hand, so instead I baked my Genoise cake in an 8 inch pan, and then used my 9 inch cake ring to put the cake together with.  Came out perfect.  My cake layers are thicker, and I had a little bit of Raspberry Mousse leftover, that my husband loved me for. Other than that, the recipe came out excellent and tasty!! Just as described in the recipe. This cake goes in my Favorites folder and will be made again and again!

On the last picture you can see that my Raspberry Mousse has slightly discolored. If you use a plastic fine mesh strainer, to press your raspberries through, this will not happen. All I have is a  metallic one, so I have some discoloration.

Recipe also available here

Raspberry Miroire

I’m so sorry it’s been so long since I have posted a dessert here. Truth is, I have not been making that much dessert lately! I know, hard to  believe. I have such a sweet tooth too, so I think this one was worth the wait!!   I have mentioned before that my husband’s favorite dessert, is anything mousse.   We thoroughly enjoyed this dessert and I hope you do too.  This is not an overly sweet dessert. Perfect balance.  This has a lot of ingredients and a long list of instructions, but do not let that sway you from making this. It comes together easily and with no trouble.

Strawberry Miroire

Preparation Time: 1 hour, plus several hours refrigeration

Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 8-10

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Sponge Base:

1 Egg

2 Tbsp. Caster Sugar (I used regular sugar) (Or you can whirl it in a food processor)

2 Tbsp. Self-Rising Flour

1 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour

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Raspberry Mousse:

500 g. (1 lb.) Fresh or Frozen Raspberries (I used frozen)

4 Egg Yolks

1/2 Cup ( 125 g/4 oz.) Caster Sugar (I used Regular)

1 cup (250 ml/8 fl. oz.) Milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. Gelatin

1/4 cup (60 ml/2 fl. oz.) Creme De Cassis Liqueur (I used Raspberry Pucker, as the liquor store did not have Creme De Cassis, it worked fine)

1 Cup (250 ml/9 fl oz.) Cream

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Raspberry Topping

2 tsp. Gelatin

1 Tbsp. Creme De Cassis Liqueur (Again, I used Raspberry Pucker)

1/3 Cup (80 ml/2 3/4 fl oz.) Water

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Chocolate Bark:

100 g (3 1/2 oz.) White Chocolate melts, melted (My husband is not patient, I didn’t get to do this part!)

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Raspberries, to decorate

Icing Sugar, to dust

Cream, for serving, optional

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Directions:

Preheat the oven to a moderate 350 Degrees F. (180 Degree C/Gas Mark 4).  Lightly grease a round 9 inch (22 cm) springform tin and line the base with baking paper.  Beat the egg and sugar in a small bowl with electric beaters, for 5 minutes, or until  thick and fluffy.  Sift the flours together three times, then fold into the egg mixture with a metal spoon.  Spread evenly into the prepared tin and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and shrunk slightly away from the edge. Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the raspberry mousse:

Blend or process the raspberries in batches until smooth and press through a plastic strainer (not a metallic one or the raspberries may discolor) to remove the seeds.  Reserve 1/2 cup (125 ml/4 fl oz.)  raspberry puree for the topping. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl for 5 minutes, or until thick and pale. Bring the milk to a boil and gradually  pour onto the egg mixture, beating continually. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Allow to cool.

Sprinkle the gelatin in an even layer over 1/4 cup (60 ml/2 fl oz.) water in a small heatproof bowl and leave to go spongy. Do not stir.  Put a small saucepan of water on to boil. When it boils, remove from the heat and place the bowl in the water (it should come halfway up the side of the bowl) then stir until clear and completely dissolved. Cool slightly. Stir the gelatin mixture, raspberry puree and liqueur into the custard mixture, then refrigerate until thick but not set.  Beat the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the raspberry mixture, with a metal spoon. Place the sponge into the springform pan.  Pour the mousse mixture evenly on to the top of the sponge cake mixture, and refrigerate several hours or until firm.

For the topping, sprinkle the gelatin in an even layer over 1/3 cup water in a heat proof bowl and leave to go spongy.  Do not stir. Put a small saucepan of water on to boil.  When it boils, remove from heat and place the bowl of gelatin into the water. It should come halfway up the side of the bowl), then stir until clear and completely dissolved.  Cool slightly. Stir in the reserved raspberry puree and the liqueur, pour evenly over the set mousse, then refrigerate until set.

To make the chocolate bark, cover a baking tray firmly with plastic wrap, spread the chocolate thinly  over the plastic, and allow to set.  When set, break into large angular pieces.

To serve, cut the Raspberry Miroire into wedges, place pieces of chocolate on the back of each slice and keep in place with a dob of cream.  Decorate with extra raspberries, dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with cream if desired.

Note: Miroire denotes the shiny jelly topping, meaning “mirror” in French.

Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Mousse

My husband loves mousse desserts. Doesn’t matter what kind of mousse, he just likes that creamy, cool, refreshing mousse and isn’t picky what kind. I didn’t have any fresh fruits on hand but I did have the Jumex nectar juices. That worked pretty good, and made a nice creamy mousse topping for the chocolate cake. The Strawberry nectar wasn’t dark enough in color to make my mousse red, I guess you could use a food coloring to color the mousse if you wanted too. I thought it worked out just fine without coloring. The flavor was wonderful!

Chocolate Cake:

6 Tbsp. Butter, room temp.

1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

1 1/2  tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs, room temp.

1 Cup Plus 3 Tbsp.  All Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder

3/4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

3/4 Cup Buttermilk, room temp.

Mousse:

2/3 Cup Jumex Strawberry Nectar (Or a flavor of your choice)

1/4 Cup Cold Water

1 1/2 tsp. Gelatin Powder

2 Large Eggs

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

3/4 Cup Whipping Cream

Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. while making the cake batter.  Grease and flour a 9 inch Spring form pan, line with parchment paper and set aside.  In a bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Beat in Vanilla and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  In a separate bowl, sift all flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add alternately with buttermilk, starting and ending with flour mixture blending gently but well after each addition. Scrape batter into spring form pan, tap on counter to remove any air bubbles and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, than invert cake to a cooling rack to cool completely. Wash, rinse and dry the spring form pan, and line again with parchment paper around the sides of the pan. Return cake back to pan and set aside.

Pour cold water over gelatin and stir. Whisk eggs, sugar and lemon juice over a pot of simmering water until fluffy and warm.  Remove from heat and add gelatin, whisking until melted.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.     Whip cream to medium peaks, and fold in egg mixture, gently but quickly add strawberry nectar. Pour over the cake in the spring form pan and refrigerate  for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.  To serve, remove ring from pan, and gently peel away the parchment paper from the side of the cake.  Top with Fresh Fruit if desired. (I just didn’t have any.)