Magnolia Cakes & Dessert

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Green Tea Mousse Cake - II

Green Tea Mousse Cake with White Chocolate Decorations

Recipe

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Tiramisu - For my brothers wedding surpirse

Tiramisu

Adapted from Gourmet | January 2009

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings (8 inch square pan)

Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 7 hr
2 cups boiling-hot water

3 tablespoons instant-espresso powder

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

3 tablespoons Tia Maria (coffee liqueur)

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup dry Marsala (if sweet Marsala is used, cut down on the sugar above)

1 pound mascarpone (2 1/2 cups)

1 cup chilled heavy cream

36 savoiardi (crisp Italian ladyfingers; from two 7-ounce packages)

Unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder for dusting

Preparation

1. Stir together water, espresso powder, 1 tablespoon sugar, and Tia Maria in a shallow bowl until sugar has dissolved, then cool.

2. Beat egg yolks, Marsala, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water using a whisk or handheld electric mixer until tripled in volume, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat. Beat in mascarpone until just combined.

3. Beat cream in a large bowl until it holds stiff peaks.

4. Fold mascarpone mixture into whipped cream gently but thoroughly.

5. Dipping both sides of each ladyfinger into coffee mixture, line bottom of a 13- by 9- by 3-inch baking pan with 18 ladyfingers in 3 rows, trimming edges to fit if necessary. Spread half of mascarpone filling on top. Dip remaining 18 ladyfingers in coffee and arrange over filling in pan.

6. Spread remaining mascarpone filling on top and dust with cocoa. Chill, covered, at least 6 hours.

Let tiramisu stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving, then dust with more cocoa.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Playstation 3 Cake

Chocolate Cake with Mocha Buttercream

covered in Chocolate Ganache

Mocha Buttercream Recipe - A definite keeper

adapted from Gourmet | December 1997 Makes about 3 3/4 cups

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter

6 tablespoons water

3/4 cup sugar

3 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon of instant coffee powder

Method:

1. Chop chocolate. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, and let cool. Cut butter into pieces and soften to cool room temperature.

2. In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 248°F.

3. While syrup is boiling, in a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy and beat in cream of tartar. Beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and beat in hot syrup in a stream (try to avoid pouring onto beaters and side of bowl). Beat mixture at medium speed until completely cool, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, beating until mixture is thickened and smooth. (Buttercream will at first appear very thin and at some point look like it is breaking but, as more butter is beaten in, it will thicken and become glossy and smooth.)
5. Beat in cocoa powder, coffee powder, melted chocolate, and a pinch salt, beating until smooth.

(Buttercream may be made 2 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container. Bring buttercream to room temperature and beat before using.) (If buttercream is too cold when beaten it will not be glossy and smooth.)

Yield: