Sicile

Hello. Despite my goal to update this blog more frequently, I just cant seem to do that. Like this week for example, I am buried in my kitchen space every single night of the week after work, and sometimes in the morning before work too. It has been hectic with cakes for my nieces, nephews, and many more. You will see what I am up to when the post is up. Everytime I got myself into one of these kinds of week, I always tell myself "no more. I need a break", but it doesn't seem to be working.

In the meantime, let me tell you about the cake I made a few weeks ago (I have about five backlog posts before this cake, but this is the one I have the pictures for currently). I have been considerably close to my coworkers. Some has become good friends and we hung out during lunch time or outside work too.

A few weeks ago, when one my ex-coworker, J, asked me if I could make some kind of a cake for a farewell for his friend, I was more than happy to. We used to work together in one team before he moved for a better opportunity. M was still in Korea at the time on another last minute business trip and so I figured that I had some time to do it. Although schedule was a little crazy at the end, but it came out well I think. He mentioned that the cake was only for 4 people and I suggested individual cake, all he requested was for a non-chocolate cake.

When it comes to fruity mousse cakes, my first thought would be Hidemi Sugino. His cakes are mousse-based, lots of fruity flavored and not too difficult to make, but yet very very good. Sicile is one of the simpler ones, a pistachio and blackberry mousse cake. This cake has been on my list for a while and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to finally make it. I have the pistachio joconde ready to be used because I made too many when baking some other cake. So I kept it well-wrapped in the freezer, knowing that this "accident" would benefit me later.

It was actually pretty straight-forward to pull together, especially that the joconde has already been made. I made the simple syrup and the blackberry mousse the day before and made the pistachio mousse and assembled it the next day. I made the glaze the last. Mr. Sugino put a small wild strawberry in the center of the blackberry mousse, but it is not available here, so I omitted it.

I had 2 individual cakes extra that I was going to try myself, but the family at home was just too excited I guess and left none for me :). All heard after I came home was that the cakes were gone and they're very good. I still have most of the leftovers components and I am planning to make it again soon. I also have lots of pistachio mousse leftover that I poured into different sizes of baking pans and froze it for different cakes. You can expect some more cakes with pistachio cake and mousse in it very very soon in this blog.

Speaking of leftovers, I inspected my cake refrigerator last time (I have a separate fridge and freezer for cakes, the normal size) and I didn't realize that my freezer was full of leftovers. From chocolate cake layers, pistachio mousse, chocolate and pistachio joconde, strawberry mousse, coffee creme brulees, passion fruit cream, chocolate and regular streusel, anything you can think of. I made a list and I can make 5 different cakes with the leftovers only. So, be prepared also to see many Spring Cleaning cakes coming up :)

In the meantime, I need to go back to the kitchen. It's been a non-stop baking experience and crazy baking schedule!

Sicile

by Hidemi Sugino

Pistachio Joconde -- see this recipe

Blackberry Mousse
90g heavy cream
90g blackberry puree
4g gelatin leaves, soften in cold water (I used powdered gelatin)
30g italian meringue (see recipe below)
18g eau-de-vie de framboise
wild strawberries (I didn't use it)

• Whip the heavy cream to a soft peak and set aside
• Heat the blackberry puree and bring it to a simmer, take it off the heat
• Add the gelatin leaves or melted powdered gelatin, mix well
• Let the black berry mixture cool on an ice bath, stirring once in a while
• Once cooled, add the liqueur
• Fold in the italian meringue
• Lastly, fold in the whipped cream
• Pour into plastic-lined 7" square cake ring or baking pan and put it in the freezer
• Once frozen, cut out circles smaller than the cake ring you are using to assemble the cake

 Italian Meringue
120g sugar
30g water
60g egg whites

• Mix together the sugar and the water in a saucepan and bring it to 118-120C
• When the temperature is close, start whipping the egg whites
• Once the sugar syrup is ready, pour the syrup into the egg white with the mixer still running
• Whip until stiff and shiny

Pistachio Mousse
450g heavy cream
45g pistachio paste
450g milk
1/10 vanilla bean
100g egg yolks
100g sugar
10g gelatin leaves

• Whip the heavy cream until soft peak and set aside
• Combine milk,  pistachio paste, and vanilla bean seeds in a saucepan, bring to a simmer
• Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and the sugar until pale
• Once the milk mixture is ready, temper the yolk with the milk and return it back to the saucepan
• Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to 84C under low heat
• Add the gelatin and mix well
• Strain the mixture and let cool on an ice bath
• Fold in the whipped cream

Soaking syrup
40g 30°B sugar syrup -- see this recipe
20g water
25g Kirsch

• Mix all ingredients

To Assemble

• Assemble the cake upside down.
• Brush the pistachio joconde with the soaking syrup
• Place an acetate sheet in the bottom of a sheet pan and place the cake rings on top
• Pipe some pistachio mousse
• Place the blackberry mousse in the center
• Pipe more mousse almost to the top of the ring
• Place the pistachio joconde at the top, pushing it down slightly so that it is the same level with the mousse.
• Freeze overnight and unmold (the bottom is now the top part)
• Glaze with neutral glaze and decorate with blackberry and pistachio pieces