Vegan Cappucino Cheesecakes

Believe it or not the idea for this dessert came from wanting to try and create a vegan sponge cake to use as a patterned joconde imprime (fancy french talk for sponge with a patten in it used to wrap a cake in. See here). One look at this recipe and you can probably guess things did not go as originally planned... but let's not dwell on that! 

I love coffee. I love vanilla. I love chocolate. 

Combine the three into a multi-layered, vegan, gluten and dairy free, nature packed chilled dessert and you kind of know its going to be some sort of amazing. Vegan sponge be damned! (for now...muh ha ha!)

Now I decided to be a sadist and make individual-sized cakes but you could easily just use a small baking tin to make one large cake and slice it as needed. Also, I used instant coffee in the base and middle layer but if you wanted to make this dessert totally raw you could swap these for the cold-dripped variety, though the flavour may not be as strong. Do what you wish free-will lovers! 

Vegan Cappuccino Cheesecakes

For the Base 

1 cup of dates, pitted
1 tsp dried instant coffee

1 cup of raw nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, cashews etc.)

2 tbsp organic cacao powder

1 tbsp pure maple or agave syrup

For the Cheesecake Filling 

2 cups raw cashews, soaked until softened

2 cups raw macadamias, soaked until softened

1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup water (add a little at a time as needed)

2 heaped tbsp raw cacao

2 tbsp super strong black coffee, cooled

(coffee amount will depend on your tastes!)

To make the base simply blend the dates, nuts, cacao and sweetener in a food processor until totally chopped and it comes together to form a dough consistency (if its still to dry add a teaspoon of water at a time and blend until it all comes together. 

Press the mixture into the base of non-stick baking tin or the individual non-stick muffin tray holes. Freeze while you make the filling. 

To make the filling blend everything except the cacao and coffee in the food processor until totally smooth and 'creamy' (mine took about 6 minutes).

Divide the mixture into three bowls. Into one add the raw cacao and mix until totally combined. Spoon the chocolate cheesecake mixture on top of the chilled base(s) and smooth flat. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow it to firm up.

In the second bowls of filling stir through the coffee and spoon or pipe it on top of the firmed chocolate layer.  Chill again for the coffee layer the firm. 

Spoon or pipe the remaining plain filling mixture atop the coffee layer and carefully smooth the top. 

Chill the entire cake for about an hour to allow it to totally set.     

Remove from the freezer and dust with some extra cacao, top with some raw nuts or just eat as is.

Enjoy! xo

Raw Vegan Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake

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Oh. My. Good. God. 

Peanut Butter and Oreo Cheesecake Slice

 

So its been a while since I've posted anything not vegan, raw, gluten free etc. etc. 

You know, that healthy hipster stuff that makes me feel like the best thing to hit Instagram since Valencia. 

However I was asked to make a traditional sweet slice of some sort for someone who will remain nameless (just kidding. It was my Mum...) and thought it was the perfect chance to do a little creative comparison. I decided on making this decadent Peanut Butter and Oreo Cheesecake Slice and then create a healthier, more me-friendly version which I will be posting shortly (and hopefully with a funky little YouTube video to accompany if I can get my video-editing butt into gear). 

So, for those unburdened by gluten and dairy intolerances and unafraid to indulge their taste buds a little, I present to you this ammmazingly creamy and delicious (come on Mum, back me up here!) Oreo and Peanut Butter Cheesecake Slice!

 

Oreo and Peanut Butter Cheesecake Slice

Serves ~12

 

For the Crust 

50g butter, melted
270g traditional Oreos (plus extra for decoration)

 

For the Cheesecake Filling

 3 teaspoons powdered gelatin
3 tbsp boiling water
500g cream cheese, softened 
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 heaped tbsp (~3/4 cup) smooth peanut butter
300ml whipped cream, whipped to soft peaks



Blend the oreos in a food processor until you are left with fine crumbs then slowly add in the melted butter, adding enough that the mixture starts binding together with the consistency of wet sand. Press the crumb mix into the base of a baking tin lined with baking paper and refrigerate or freeze  while you make the filling.

To make the filling start by stirring the gelatin in the boiling water until fully dissolved and then allow to cool.

Using an electric beater or mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the peanut butter and cooled gelatin and continue beating until fully combined.  Fold in the whipped cream using a spatula.

Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the Oreo base and smooth with an offset spatula. Refrigerate overnight or until fully set.

Remove the slice from the tin and slice into individual-sized squares. Top with some crushed extra oreos and serve.  

 

 P.S. Keep an eye out in the next few days when I will be uploading my 'healthier' version!

Carrot cake = Good!

Individual sized carrot cupcakes = Amazing!

Individual sized carrot cupcakes topped with cream cheese and candied carrot tuille = SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

 

Carrot and Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Makes ~10 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes

125g Self-Raising Flour

1/2 tsp Bi-Carb Soda

2 tsp Cinnamon, ground

Pinch of Salt

150g Caster Sugar

1 cup Pecans, chopped

2/3 cup Vegetable Oil

2 Eggs

2 large Carrots, grated

For the Cream Cheese Icing

250g Cream Cheese

500g Icing Sugar

100g Butter 

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

To Decorate

2 cups Pecans

Candied Carrot Tuilles (see this recipe for how to make them)

To make the cupcakes, start by combining the first six ingredients in one bowl and the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, whisking the wet mixture until combined. Add the wet mixture into the dry and stir until totally combined. 

Divide the cupcake mixture between 10 cupcake cases and bake at 180 degrees C for 20-25min until cooked through when tested with a skewer. Set them aside to cool completely. 

To make the icing, beat the butter and cream cheese in an electric mixer until totally combined and light. Beat in the vanilla and then gradually add in the icing sugar and continue beating until the entire mixture is smooth. 

Use a knife to spread a thin layer of icing over the top of the cooled cupcakes. Take half of your decorating pecans and place them in a zip lock bag, then use a rolling pin to crush them finely. Sprinkle the crushed nuts over the top of the cupcakes, making sure they are well covered all the way to the edges. Shake off any excess nuts which didn't stick in the icing. 

Place the rest of your icing in a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip and pipe a swirl of icing on top of each nut-covered cupcake. Top each with an extra pecan and a candied carrot curl.

That's it! Enjoy XO

Just Peachy!

So it has been a while between posts... apologies for my laziness!

But what better way to get back into the swing of things than with a peach- coloured feast of tiered cake, macarons and cupcakes!

And flowers. Don't forget the flowers.

The Great Cake Drape

 

Guess what guys?! Today I decided to give you another tutorial-style post! Yay for learning!

Unfortunately... along the way I had a few issues with what you would think would be a relatively simple cake. Boo!

But hey, I'm still learning as I go, so I decided to go ahead with this post anyway and you can take it as a what to and what NOT to do guide. Now that's some silver-lined lemonade!  

So, as you can probably assume from the image above, today I'm going to show you step by step how to make this fancy-pants cake featuring draped fondant, roses and pearls. Snazzy right?! 

Ok, so right off the bat let me give you a helpful hint: make sure your tiers are sized proportionately.

I think the cake looked better in real life than it appears in the photos, but looking at that first photo you can see that the top tier is slightly too small in contrast to the bottom tier so the entire thing just looks a little misshapen. If you don't have a stack of cake tins measuring every other dimension (as I clearly don't) then just use what you have and I'm sure it will still turn out fine. Like I said, in reality the cake looked fine and it's really only been since looking at the photos that it had been nagging at me. So my point is: try to proportion your tiers where possible but where you can't don't stress it too hard. 

My second major issue... that rose on the right making a break for freedom. 

If I had my way again I would have moved the drapery join and the adjourning rose inwards. As it is every time I look at these pictures I can imagine that rose sprouting legs and jumping for freedom off the edge of the cake! Call me paranoid, compulsive or simply observant... but that little detail really bugs me! So, to avoid that gnawing agitation that I am currently experiencing, make sure you know EXACTLY where you want each detail to be! Plan plan plan is all I can say!

Now that my neurotic frustrations are out the way, lets make some cake! 

What You Will Need

• Fondant/Gum paste Flowers (I used 5 but feel free to go nuts! - I will be posting a how to on these at some point too!)
• 2 x baked cakes (I used a 20cm and a 12cm...regrettably! See above griping)
• 2 x Cake boards
• Roughly 2lb of white fondant (will vary depending on the size of your cakes)
• Buttercream (or ganache... explained further below)
• Ribbon of a colour of your choice
• Fondant smoother
• Icing sugar / cornflour 
• Rolling pin 
• Wooden dowel 
• Water
• A butt load of patience! 

Step 1: Optimus (Cake) Prime

The first thing you will need to do is to prime your cakes ready for decorating. Simply split your cakes horizontally and fill them with you preferred flavour of buttercream icing (or ganache or really whatever filling floats your boat). Sandwich them back together, pop them onto individual cake boards and then give each of them a good crumb coating.

Never crumb coated before? Never fear!
It simply means covering the outside of the cake in a very thin coat of icing which will hold down any stray crumbs so that when you give it a final coat you wont have any flecks of cake ruining the look of your pretty icing. Set the cake aside in a cool spot until the icing is firm to touch (refrigerating for about 10min can speed this up if your short of time).

Give the cake a second, thicker coat of icing. Your don't want it too thick or else it might go soft under the fondant and you will end up with lumps and bumps. I aim for between 1-2cm usually. 

 

Now you want to try and get this layer as smooth and even as possible. Here in Western Australia the weather has been crazy hot for the last few months and I found my icing was just not wanting to set and so when I eventually had to put my fondant over the top the soft icing didn't hold its shape as well as I would have liked, resulting in a generally 'softer' looking cake without the sharper edges I was after. If you are in a similarly hot or humid area I would recommend considering using a ganache icing instead of the buttercream. Ganache stands up in the hot weather much better than buttercream, believe it or not, and will increase your chances of getting that crisper, more professional looking final result.

Buttercream or ganache, whichever you use, set the cake aside until the icing has set firm and is not 'tacky' to touch, give your cake board a wipe to get ride of any excess icing and then roll out your fondant. Using a dusting of icing sugar or cornflour will help stop the fondant from sticking to the counter top and rolling pin but be careful not to overuse it as it can dry out your fondant and result in cracks later on! Just use only as much as you need to roll out the fondant without it sticking. 

Additionally, when rolling out your fondant make sure you don't go picking it up, flipping it over etc. Give it a roll, carefully rotate it 45 degrees, roll again and repeat until it is even and at your desired thickness.

You want the fondant to be no thinner than 3mm (otherwise it will become prone to tearing!) and not much thicker than 5 or 6mm. Use your rolling pin to help lift the fondant and drape it over the top of the cake and the use the palms of your hands to carefully press it onto the cake. I always start at the top and work my way down the sides, gently stretching the adjusting the fondant to get rid of any creases which inevitably happen with round cakes! Use a sharp knife (or a pizza cutter...) to trim the excess fondant from the bottom of the cake      

Next up, I grab my fondants smoother (pictured below) and go all over my cake with it to get rid of any imperfections. It also gives the cake a shinier, smoother look and for less than $10 I would say that's worth the money!

Do the same thing for your other cake layer so that you have two, fondant covered tiers just waiting to play the cake equivalent of stacks on!

Yes. We have another mistake on my part.

When I was trimming the excess fondant from my smaller cake I may have cut a little too close to the base so that you can see a little of the icing/cake glaring out. But guess what? We are covering the base of our cakes in ribbons and pearls so no one will ever know! Most convenient I would say.

Grab your wooden dowel and trim it if necessary (you want it to be just shorter than the height of the two cakes when stacked. Find the centre of your bottom tier and insert the dowel, pushing it all the way down to the cake board below. Dab a little extra buttercream on the bottom of your top tier (to act as glue) and press it down onto the dowel so it is is sitting smack-bang in the centre of the bottom tier.  

 Time to pretty up the base of the tiers with some ribbon! Now you can use ribbon made of fondant if you want but I opted to go for the real thing since I had it lying around and just really liked the colour of it.

There are a number of ways you can go about attaching the ribbon to the cakes. Some people pipe a ring of icing around the cake and press the ribbon into it, but I find the fat from the icing has a habit of leaking through the ribbon and staining it. Not the greatest look!

I decided to try out a new technique I had read about for the first time and overall I was fairly impressed by it. You simply take your ribbon, dunk it in clean water, thoroughly wring and use your fingers to squeeze out any excess water so the ribbon is just damp but not overly wet to touch. Then you simply wrap it around the cake and press the ends together to seal them. The dampness will help the ribbon stick to the sugar in the fondant and when it dries it will hold on tight.

Time to make some pearls! Grab some extra white fondant or gumpaste and use it to roll out enough small balls to go around the base of each tier. I tried to get all of mine as close to 1cm high as I could. For a little extra pizazz you can give your pearls a light  dusting with lustre dust or you can simply use them as they are. Attach them to the cake using small dabs of water, getting them as close to the side of the cake as you can without squashing them.  

  

Looks like its all coming together now! Thumbs up for progress.

So you now have your basic cake structure and its time to dress it up and make her  pretty!

To make your fondant drapery grab 3 or 4 dowels (depending on how thick you want the drape to be) and line them up on a bench top, evenly spaced with around a cm between each one. Thinly roll out some fondant large enough to cover the dowels, you want it thin enough to have the look of fine material (slightly thinner than what you did for the cake covering).

Place the fondant over the dowels and carefully press the fondant down so the grooves are well defined. Trim off any excess fondant and then leave the fondant for a few minutes to firm up a little. You don't want to leave it so long that it starts turning hard otherwise you may get cracks and lines when you try to bend it around the cake. A couple of minutes should do the trick. Repeat with a second drape for the second tier.

Using a few dabs of water as glue, pinch the two ends of the drapes and stick them to the cake. I started at the top and worked my way down. When joining the two drapes in the middle of the cake I tucked the bottom drape around the end of the first one to make it look more like one flowing piece.  

 Grab your edible roses and use a little more water or edible glue to attach them at each point that the drapes intersect the cake. You may need to support the roses as the water dries but they should hold their positions when fully dried.


 

 

 

   


And there you have it!

Simply yet fancy-pants cake to serve at birthdays, anniversaries or to simply carry around and give you an air of superiority!

Hit up the comments below with your thoughts and let me know if you give it a go!

  

 

Not Your Normal Cup of Coffee...

 

Working in a cafe, it seems almost inevitable that I would develop a love of coffee. 

Its like that saying about not trusting a skinny chef, right? 

In my last post I made the magical leap from beverage to dessert with a deliciously light Tiramisu Cake and I enjoyed "testing" (a.k.a "eating my body weight in")  the coffee cream filling so  much I wanted to recreate the experience, albeit on a slightly smaller scale. 

And so the Individual Coffee Cake was born!

Designed to look like a cup of cream-topped coffee, these cakes feature a patterned joconde imprime sponge, coffee and mascarpone creamy filling, layers of coffee syrup soaked sponge and topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of chocolate. Not only do they taste delicious, but the use of a joconde imprime gives these cakes a more impressive finish and takes them from being a simple tiramisu sponge to an eye catching dessert to "wow" those at your next morning tea!

You can keep your traditional, skinny long macchiato and your double shot soy latte - just give me these cakes any day! 

A quick note before you begin!     

Previously I have posted a joconde tuille cake with a mousse filling (see here) and while this recipe worked well, this recipe I used here is slightly different and I have to say I think it is my new favourite! I have used it a number of time now and am yet to have any issues or baking fails with it. I also think that the sponge is a little more flexible than previous recipes I've used which makes bending and lifting it into your mold just that much easier. 

Individual Coffee Cakes

 Makes 5 x 10cm cakes

For the Chocolate Joconde-Decor Paste

100g unsalted butter, softened

100g icing sugar

4 egg whites

85g cake flour (to see how to make your own see here)

30g cocoa powder

Cream the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until light and pale in colour then, whilst continuously beating, gradually add the egg whites and continue to beat until totally incorporated. Don't worry if your mix looks like it's splitting as you add the whites, it will come together when you add the dry ingredients. 

Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and beat the whole mixture until the mixture is smooth and totally combined. 

Using a piping bag or a stencil, pipe or stencil the decor paste onto a  non-stick Silomat (or non-stick baking paper if you don't have a mat). You want the design to be about 1/2 cm thick as any thinner and it may soften and result in a distorted pattern and any thicker and it may affect the flexibility of the final sponge cake. Place the mat on a baking tray and stick it in the freezer, making sure it is lying flat. 

For the Joconde Sponge

85g almond meal 

75 icing sugar

25g cake flour 

3 eggs

3 egg whites 

10g caster sugar

30g unsalted butter, melted

Sift the almond meal, icing sugar and flour into a mixing bowl and add the eggs, whisking to combine.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with the caster sugar until soft peaks form. Fold one third of the egg whites into the flour mixture, making sure not too knock the air from the mixture. Fold in the remaining whites and then the melted butter.

Remove your chilled decor paste from the freezer (it should feel firm to touch) and pour 3/4 of the sponge mixture over the top, making sure to cover all of the paste. Pour the remaining 1/4 of mixture into a small square cake tin lined with non-stick paper.

Bake the sponges in an oven preheated to 230 degrees Celsius for 5-10 minutes or until the sponge has started to brown and springs back when lightly touched. It can burn very easily and very quickly so keep a close eye on it!

When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes then turn upside onto some baking paper dusted with icing sugar (this will stop the sponge from sticking to the paper). Remove the Silomat (or baking paper) from the top (the pattern should be exposed and facing upwards) and allow to finish cooling.

Now it's time to cut your patterned sponge into strips to line your cake moulds.

Measure how high you want the cakes to be and use this height to determine how wide you will cut your strips of sponge. Use the circumference of your moulds to determine how long your strips need to be. To measure the circumference I simply cut a strip of baking paper and wrap it around the inside of my mould then cut the sponge to the same length.

Cut your strips using a sharp knife (or a pizza cutter like I did) and carefully pick them up and use them to line your moulds, making sure the patterned side is facing outwards.

If you find the sponge is sticking to the baking paper use a palette knife (or a normal knife) and carefully run it under the sponge to help lift it away from the paper. Don't worry to much if your strips break, you can use the offcuts to make little filler pieces, just try to match up the patterns with the pieces you are filling so that the gap isn't too noticeable (you can see in the picture below where I had to do a couple of fill jobs!)

Where the ends of the sponge meet press them firmly together to seal them.

Now grab the second, smaller square of sponge that you made (the one without any pattern) and use a dough, cookie or some other cutter to cut out small circles to fit snugly into the bottom of your moulds to form the base of your cakes. It needs to be a fairly snug fit or your filling may start to seep out the bottom of your cakes and no one likes a soggy bottom!

Cut out another 5 circles (one for each cake) and set them aside.

 

For the Coffee Syrup

90g caster sugar

75 ml strong coffee
50ml rum (you could instead use Frangelico, Kahlua, Marsala etc.)


Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to make sure the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.  

For the Coffee Cream Filling

500g mascarpone

1/4 cup icing sugar 

1/4 cup coffee syrup 

1/4 cup whipping cream 

Whisk the cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form and set aside.

In a separate bowl whist the remaining ingredients until smooth and well combined and then fold in the whipped cream.   

To Assemble

300ml whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp icing sugar

Cocoa powder  
Chocolate decorations 



Using a piping bag (or a simple spoon), half-fill your sponge-lined cake moulds with coffee cream.

Take the extra circles of sponge you cut out earlier, dip them into the remaining coffee syrup and place inside the cake moulds. Use the remaining coffee cream to fill the moulds to the top. Then wrap in clingwrap (to prevent them from drying out) and refrigerate for at least two hours or until well chilled and firm.

Take some melted chocolate and pipe it onto a sheet of baking paper, some into long thin stick shapes and some into U-shapes (these will be the 'handle' of your coffee cup). Refrigerate until well chilled and solid.

Whisk your cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until firm peaks form and pipe on top of each cake using a star tipped piping nozzle. Dust with cocoa powder and add your chocolate decorations, sticking your chocolate sticks into the cream and gently pressing your U-shaped handles into the sides of the cake.

And voila!

Five delicious coffee cup cakes are now yours to share with your nearest and dearest or to simply scoff yourself in a blaze of indulgent bliss.   


Sound off in the comments and let me know your thoughts xx

 

This week I added a new customer to my list of cake-loving clients!

A wonderful lady who comes into my work everyday (and we always end up chatting for a good 20 minutes or  so!) had seen me bringing in cakes and other goodies for my lucky cafe crew and asked if I would make her a simple cake for her birthday. Nothing fancy or extravagant, just something to stick some candles in and taste delicious.

I feel pretty confident in saying that this cake nailed both criteria. Plus, as an added bonus, it wasn't too hard on the eyes either!

Inspired by the dessert found in many city cafes and Italian restaurants, this Tiramisu cake is a coffee lovers dream! Layers of delicate sponge soaked with a sweet coffee/rum syrup, sandwiching a layer of coffee tinted cream mascarpone and surrounded by the delightful crunch of almond praline. Ahhhhh... Seriously, remembering the taste of that mascarpone filling it giving me feelings no dessert should be able to!  

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**Note!**

If you are making this cake and want it to be child friendly (we all know what happened when Maggie Simpson got her hands on coffee ice cream... enough said!) you can simply swap the coffee for decaf and the liquor for a teaspoon of rum essence or some chocolate flavouring.

Tiramisu Cake

*Serves 8-10*

For the Sponge

2 tsp plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
Cornflour
4 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced) and grease two 20cm round cake tins with spray oil. Line the bottom and sides of each tin with baking paper. 

In a one cup measuring cup place the flour, bicarb soda and cream of tartar. Fill the remainder of the cup with cornflour (so you have a total of 1 cup of dry ingredients!) 

In an electric mixer whisk the eggs and sugar for 10min. It will become incredibly aerated,creamy looking and at least doubled in volume. Add the vanilla and beat for a further minute.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, being careful not to knock the air from the mixture, until smooth.

Divide the mixture between the two prepared cake tins and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until sponge springs back when touched. 

 
 Place baking paper on wire cake racks to cover and turn the sponges onto the wire racks but don't  lift off the cake tin!  (this will allow the resulting trapped steam to keep the cake moist!). Leave the  sponges to cool completely.

For the Coffee Syrup 

90g caster sugar
75 ml strong coffee
50ml rum (you could instead use Frangelico, Kahlua, Marsala etc.)


Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to make sure the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

For the Vanilla Cream 

300ml whipping cream

4 tbsp icing sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk the cream until it just starts to thicken then add the sugar and vanilla. Continue whisking until the cream is at the firm peaks stage then set aside in the fridge. 

 

For the Mascarpone Filling

250g mascarpone cream

5 tsp of cooled coffee syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

50g icing sugar

1 cup of the pre-whipped vanilla cream

Whisk the mascarpone in a medium mixing bowl until smooth then add the sugar, coffee syrup, and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Add one cup of the earlier-made vanilla cream and use a spatula to fold into the mascarpone mixture until smooth and even. 

For the Almond Praline 

1 tbsp Vegetable oil

150g slivered almonds 

1 cup caster sugar

Grease a baking tray lightly with the oil and pour over the nuts in a single layer. 

Place the sugar in a large fry pan over a low/medium heat and allow the sugar to heat and caramelise (you may want to agitate the pan occasionally but try not to stir it too much or you may end up with crystallisation). Once the sugar is fully melted and has turned a light amber colour remove it from the heat and pour it over the almonds, trying to cover them as evenly as possible.

Allow the caramel to cool then use your hands to break the praline into small chunks. Process the praline in a food processor until slightly larger than breadcrumbs. 

To Assemble

Use a pastry brush to lightly brush each sponge layer with coffee syrup (don't go overboard and make your whole sponge soggy though! Just brush it onto the top). 

Place one layer onto your cake board or serving plate (with the syrup brushed side facing upwards) and spoon the mascarpone mixture over the top, spreading it so that it is even and flat. Top with the remaining cake layer with the syrup-brushed side facing downward. 

Use your remaining vanilla cream to coat the top and sides of the cake, using a pallet knife or spatula to get it as smooth as possible. 

Use your hands to press the praline around the sides of the cake, using the cream as your glue. 

And that's all folks! 

I piped some extra cream into small blobs and stuck a chocolate disk on top for a little extra decoration and gave it a light dusting with chocolate powder but that it totally optional! 

Enjoy with a cup of coffee if you can handle the extra coffee buzz and, as the name Tiramisu literally means, enjoy the "pick me up."

 Seriously, crumbs will be all that's left!

    

 

Every now and then you just get the craving for something rich, decadent and possibly swimming in alcohol or chocolate.

Then there are those other times when you simply want something light and sweet which won't leave you feeling like an elephant has taken refuge in your stomach cavity!

This cake is perfect for such instances and hence I decided to artfully name it the "Almond Cloud Cake". Incredibly cryptic name right?!

Almond: 

Well, you may notice the bunch of nuts stuck around the outside....

Cloud:  

Just like those pillows of the sky, everything about this cake screams light and fluffy, from the delicate sponge to the aerated cream coating!

Cake: 

Umm... yeah that one is just too self-explanatory.

Almond Cloud Cake

 

 

 

For the Sponge:

 

2 tsp plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
Cornflour
4 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

For the Custard Filling:

4 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
25 plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
350ml milk (whole fat)

300ml whipping cream

3 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract 

230g flaked almonds 

To Make the Sponge

 

Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced) and grease two 20cm round cake tins with spray oil. Line the bottom and sides of each tin with baking paper. 

In a one cup measuring cup place the flour, bicarb soda and cream of tartar. Fill the remainder of the cup with cornflour (so you have a total of 1 cup of dry ingredients!)

In an electric mixer whisk the eggs and sugar for 10min. It will become incredibly aerated,creamy looking and at least doubled in volume. Add the vanilla and beat for a further minute.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, being careful not to knock the air from the mixture, until smooth.

Divide the mixture between the two prepared cake tins and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until sponge springs back when touched.

 Place baking paper on wire cake racks to cover and turn the sponges onto the wire racks but don't  lift off the cake tin!  (this will allow the resulting trapped steam to keep the cake moist!). Leave the  sponges to cool completely. 

To Make the Filling

 

Whisk the yolks and sugar until light in colour and thick then add the flour, whisking to incorporate.

Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan (or microwave) and then slowly pour into the egg/sugar mix, whisking continually to make sure the eggs don't scramble. 

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook over med-low heat, whisking constantly to prevent the mixture sticking to the bottom until the mixture starts to boil. Continue cooking and whisking for a further two minutes until the mixture is thick and remove from the heat.

Stir in the vanilla and pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl and cover with clingfilm (so it is actually in contact with the custard) to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until completely cool. 

 

To Assemble

Spread the almonds evenly over a baking tray and toast under an oven grill until lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely.

Whisk the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until firm peaks start to form and then set aside.

Place one of the cakes on your serving plate and, if necessary, trim the top with a serrated knife to ensure it is flat and level. Spread the the top with the chilled custard filling and place your remaining cake on top and press down gently to sandwich the cakes and filling together. 

Use a spatula to spread the whipped cream all around the cake, both top and sides, and use your hands to press the cooled almonds around the sides of the cake. 

You can leave the cake as it is or decorate the top with your choice of chocolate, fresh fruits or wherever your imagination takes you!