I have been thinking over and over again about this cake. I’ve been deliberating the different elements, which combined, would create the perfect treat. I made this cake for the birthday of a dear friend. And while I love to bake for special celebrations, I am also quite intimidated.

I usually put a lot of effort in coming up with, what I think, should be the most appropriate treat for the occasion. Then I compose the dessert, and generally, there are quite a lot of elements. Somehow, I always make it very complicated. And after that, I become very unsure. You see, the desserts I come up with, are usually cakes. And you can not try I cake beforehand. Sometimes I reserve a little form each layer and make a few glasses, supposed to resemble the cake, but it’s not the same. I hope that assurance comes with experience, and that I’ll get there some day.

The cake, that I came up with this time, was an Entremet. Because, in my head, when thinking about a special dessert, Entremet wins every time. And so the blueberry and chocolate entremet was born, and even though I would change some thinks when I make it again, I think that the result was quite satisfactory.

This is not an easy dessert to put together. The different elements are easy to execute but are a lot, and definitely time consuming, so I suggest starting a few days in advance if you decide to do this, or any entremet.

I recommend scheduling the processes the following way:

Day 1 – Prepare the sponge, the blueberry puree and the syrup. You need to make the sponge at least one day before soaking it with syrup for best results.

Day 2 – Prepare the chocolate cremeux, the mousse, the crunch ,and the gelee. Layer the elements and freeze overnight.

Day 3 – Prepare the glaze and finish the dessert at least 5 hour before serving. The glaze needs to set and the entremet needs time to thaw.

The biggest effort is during day 2.

 

Chocolate Sponge Cake

/Adapted from The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry/

• 1 tablespoon+2 teaspoons (25 gr.) of butter;
• 3 eggs;
• ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons (80 grams) of sugar;
• Pinch of salt;
• 45 gr. of flour;
• 1 tablespoon+2 teaspoons (25 gr.) of cornstarch;
• 1 tablespoon (15 gr.) of cocoa powder;
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (370°F), butter and flour a 24 cm (9 inches) pan.
  2. Melt the butter in  the microwave and leave aside to cool.
  3. Beat the eggs with the sugar and the salt with a mixer on high until pale and thick, and when you pick the batters the batter falls in thick ribbon, around 5 minutes.
  4. Sift together the flour, the cornstarch and the cocoa powder.
  5. Gently fold the flour mixture into the eggs until fully incorporated.
  6. Fold the melted butter into the batter.
  7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 15 minutes until the cake pulls away from the pan, and springs back when pressed in the center.

   

  

Syrup

• 2 tablespoons (30 gr.) of sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) of water
• 1 teaspoon of liquor

1. Heat the water and sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan to the boiling point, remove from the stove and add the liquor.

 Crunch layer

• 100 gr. (3,5 oz.) of milk chocolate;
• 50 gr. (1,8  oz.) cornflakes, crushed;

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or on the stove over a pan of simmering water. Mix the chocolate with crushed cornflakes.

 Blueberry gelee

• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of gelatin;
• 1 tablespoon of water;
• 250 gr. (9 oz.) of blueberries;
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice;
• 2 tablespoons (30 gr.) of sugar

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water.
2. Mix half of the blueberries with the lemon juice and the sugar. Puree the mixture and put it on the heat, bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin.
3. Mix the puree with the whole blueberries. Reserve 3 tablespoons from the mixture for the decoration.

 

Blueberry Mousse

• 500 gr. (18 oz.) of  blueberries, could use frozen;
• 2 tablespoons (30 gr.) of sugar;
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice;
• 18 gr. (1 heaping tablespoons ) of dry gelatin powder;
• 4 tablespoons of cold water;
• 2 egg whites;
• 3 tablespoons (50 gr.) of sugar;
• 200 gr. (7 oz.) of cream cheese;
• ¾ of a cup of heavy cream;

1. Mix the blueberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon. Heat briefly on the stove until sugar is dissolved, puree  the blueberries in a food processor or with an immersion blender. Pass through a fine sieve.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the 4 tablespoons of water and leave for 10 minutes.
3. Mix the blueberry puree with the gelatin and heat on low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Don’t let the mixture boil. Set aside to cool.
4. Whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy, gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks.
5. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.
6. Beat the cream cheese on low speed with a mixer and mix it with the cooled blueberry puree (the puree must not be set). Fold the egg whites into the blueberries. Finally, fold the whipped cream.

Chocolate cremeux

/adapted from Chef Eddy/

• 1 ½ teaspoons (6 gr.) gelatin;
• 2 tablespoons of cold water;
• ¾ cup (200 ml.) of milk;
• 1 ¼  cup (300 ml.) of heavy cream;
• 2 egg yolks;
• 3 tablespoons (45 gr.) of sugar;
• Pinch of salt;
• 200 gr. (7 oz.) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped;

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water, and let it bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Bring the milk and cream to a boil.
3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and thick. Add the salt.
4. Pour a little of the cream mixture slowly over the eggs, stirring constantly. Add the rest of the cream to the eggs and return to the heat. Stir constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Add the gelatin. Leave for one minute. Using an immersion blender, smooth the cream.

Chocolate Glaze

/recipe from Niksya.ru/

• 1 ½ teaspoons (6 gr.) of gelatin;
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml.) of water, divided;
• ½ cup (120 ml.) of heavy cream.
• ¾ cup (150 gr.) of sugar;
• 3 tablespoons (50 gr.) cocoa;

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of water;
2. Mix the water with the cream and the sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cocoa and using a wire whisk, smooth the mixture, remove from the heat. Add the gelatin.
3. Reserve in the refrigerator over night.

Assembly

Day 1: Divide the sponge cake with a serrated knight in 2 equal layers. Place one of the layers on the bottom of a 24 cm (9 inch) pastry cream. With a pastry brush, apply half of the syrup over the cake, soaking it. Put in the freezer.

Day 2: Distribute the chocolate crunch over the first cake layer. Pour the chocolate cremeux over the crunch and put in the freezer for 1 hour. Place the second layer over the chocolate cremeux and soak with the remaining syrup. Distribute the gelee over it. Place in the freezer for 1 hour. Release the cake from the ring. Using a 26 cm. (10 inch) pastry ring, place the cake in the center and pour the blueberry mousse on the top. Even the top with a spatula. Put the cake in the freezer overnight

Day 3: Remove the cake from the freezer and release it from the ring. Pour the glaze over it and put in the refrigerator for one hour. Leave in room temperature at least one hour before serving. Decorate with the reserved blueberry gelee and chocolate shavings.