Strawberry-Chocolate Pavlova

July 7, 2013July 7, 2013 ~ bakingwithsibella.com ~ 40 Comments

I wanted to make this Pavlova since I discovered it last year on a French website. This is the second item to cross off my 2013 (baking) To Do List . The first item was Bourke Street Bakery croissants, which were a-m-a-z-i-n-g, but I still didn’t find time to post about them (that’s still coming).

The original recipe actually calls for raspberries and dark chocolate. I changed the quantity of some ingredients and also used what I had in the house, which were some sweet Michigan strawberries and milk chocolate. I didn’t regret it because it was a huge hit with my family, so I am perfectly happy. 🙂 This is such a great summer dessert! I hope you will be making it soon. Happy SUMMER!

Strawberry-Chocolate Pavlova

{printable recipe}

(Serves about 10 people)

Pavlova:

4 egg whites
235 g (8.2 oz) powdered sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon cornstarch
35 g (1.2 oz) of grated chocolate

Filling:

175 g (6 oz) chocolate (melted)
450 ml (about 2 cups) heavy cream whipped thick (add sugar after your own taste)
450 g (1 lb) strawberries (raspberries or blackberries)

1. Draw 3 rectangles of 10 X 30 cm (4 X 12 inches) on sheets of parchment paper and place on two baking sheets. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, then gradually add half of sugar while beating . The mixture should be very firm and look shine.

2. Using a spoon or spatula, gently fold in the remaining sugar, cornstarch and grated chocolate.

3. Place the prepared meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm star tip. Fill the rectangles drawn by drawing lines with the meringue. Bake in preheated oven at 100° C (about 200 F) for 1 hour. Without opening the door, turn off the oven and leave the meringues cool inside. Then take off from the paper.

4. To make the filling, melt the chocolate and spread it over two meringues. Allow to harden.

5. Place one of two chocolate meringues on a plate and cover with about 1/3 of the whipped cream and strawberries. Gently place the second meringue chocolate on top and cover with half the cream and the remaining strawberries.

6. Finally, place the last meringue on top and decorate with the remaining cream and strawberries. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top and serve.

Cherry Upside Down Cake

June 4, 2013 ~ bakingwithsibella.com ~ 24 Comments

Hello dear friends! Here is the history of another childhood cake that I really, really LOVE:

My father’s sister (my favorite aunt) had a wild cherry tree in her backyard. It was growing quite close to the house, it was very tall and surpassing the roof of their two-story home. I loved visiting my aunt! I would often stop by her house to have a glass of juice, a treat and to get some auntie love. She would take my hand, lead me through her bedroom to the open window and she would reach out and grab a cherry branch. I would stand there, holding the branch, picking the sweet, little cherries and stuffing them in my mouth. Didn’t wash them either and I am still alive! Can you believe that? 😉

In February of 2004 we moved to our first home here in the U. S. Snow and cold prevented me to explore my backyard and see what’s there, but when the spring came, imagine my surprise! Right in the corner, just a few feet from the house there was a wild cherry tree! God sure works in mysterious ways! Having that wild cherry tree in my yard, almost next to my bedroom window made me feel just a little more at home.

Auntie’s cherry upside down cake is mouth-watering good, moist, lightly sweet and served with vanilla whipped cream on top. Since my wild cherries are not ripe yet, I used bing cherries this time. Nonetheless, it was GOOD, and I mean really, really GOOD! I hope you give it a try while cherries are in season.

Cherry Upside Down Cake

[print recipe]

Ingredients:

900 g (2 lbs) cherries + 5-10 cherries for the decoration
5 TBSP sugar
1 vanilla sugar
5 large eggs
3 TBSP hot water
100 g sugar (1/2 cup)
1 vanilla sugar (or 1 TSP vanilla extract)
125 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
1 TBSP baking powder
- 2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa (OPTIONAL)
500 ml (about 2 cups) heavy whipping cream
sugar and vanilla to taste

Also needed:

1 medium cake pan (about 8-9 inch or 20-23 cm)
Circular piece of parchment paper, 1 -2 inches larger than the pan circumference.

Method:

Wash and pit the cherries.
Line the cake pan with parchment paper. You should have about 1-2 inches extra which will line the walls of the pan.
Place the cherries on the parchment paper and sprinkle with sugar and vanilla sugar. Paper will keep all the cherry juice from running out of the pan and cake will be nice and moist.
Crack the eggs into the mixer bowl and add 3 TBSP of hot water. Mix at high speed for a minute or two.
Add sugar and vanilla and mix for two more minutes.
Combine flour and baking powder, reduce the mixing speed to slow and add the flour to eggs until just combined.
At this point you can take 1/3 of batter and add 2 TBSP cocoa to it.
Pour the yellow batter onto cherries, then pour the cocoa batter on the top of it and swirl around a bit with a fork.
Bake at 365 F (185 C) for about 30 – 35 minutes. Cool completely and then leave in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.
Whip the heavy cream until dense; add sugar and vanilla after your own taste.
Invert the cake onto the serving plate, spread with whipped cream and decorate with fresh cherries.

Chocolate Mousse-Blackberry Birthday Cake

April 18, 2012April 22, 2012 ~ bakingwithsibella.com ~ 38 Comments

My youngest child, my baby daughter has turned 15. I still remember the day she came into this world and into my life. I felt immeasurably happy and blessed to hold my little bundle of joy in my arms. I miss those days when she was so dependent on me and when I could spend every minute taking care of her, cuddling her and kissing her chubby cheeks. I miss dressing her for school, brushing her hair, playing with her, coloring together. I even miss buying toys! 🙂 I got a bit misty eyed remembering the good old days, but I am delighted to see her growing up to be a beautiful, smart, artistic and caring young lady. Can a mother ever say enough of great things about her child? 🙂

As she has a beautifully distinguished character, so her wish for a birthday cake was a bit unusual as well: A Blackberry Cake. Birthday blackberry cake was certainly a challenge, but it turned out super delicious!

Chocolate Mousse-Blackberry Birthday Cake Printable recipe

Cake:

3 eggs
3 tbsp water
½ cup (100 g) sugar
1 pack vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
2.6 oz (75 g) flour
1.7 oz (50 g) corn starch
1 tsp baking powder

Chocolate mousse:

2 cups (500 ml) chilled heavy cream
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4.4 oz (125 g) semi-sweet chocolate
2.6 oz (75 g) milk chocolate

Frosting and decoration:

1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
4 tbsp sugar
1 pack vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
5.2 oz (150 g) semi-sweet chocolate
24 oz (700 g) blackberries
1-2 tbsp powder sugar
Blackberry leaves for decoration

Cake preparation:

Divide eggs. Beat egg whites with 3 tbsp water until foamy. Slowly add sugar and vanilla, mix for couple of minutes, then add one by one egg yolk. Combine flour, corn starch and baking powder. Gently fold into egg mixture. Pour the batter into a 9 inch (23 cm) spring form cake pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 365 F (185 C) 20 – 30 minutes. Cool completely and then slice through into two equal pieces.

Chocolate mousse preparation:

Heat 3/4 cup (125 ml) cream in a 1-quart heavy saucepan until hot. Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160°F (71 C)on thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla.

Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water stirring frequently. Whisk custard into chocolate until smooth, then cool. Beat remaining 1 1/4 (375 ml)cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk one fourth of cream into chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.

Place the bottom cake part back into the spring form. Pour the chocolate mousse onto the cake. Cover and leave it in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Do not put top cake piece over the mousse as it is still very soft. Cover with plastic wrap and save it until ready to ensemble the cake.

Prepare frosting and decoration:

Whip heavy cream until firm, add sugar and vanilla. Cover and leave in the fridge until ready to ansamble the cake. Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Spread the melted chocolate in two thin ribbons on piece of parchment paper, place it in the freezer. Make sure each ribbon is at least 3 inches (7-8 cm) high.

Wash blackberries and place them on a kitchen towel to dry.

Ensamble the cake:

Remove the spring form with mousse from the fridge. If the mousse is firm enough, place the second sponge cake on the top.
Remove the cake from the spring form and place it onto a serving plate. Frost the cake all around with whipped cream.
Remove the chocolate ribbons from the freezer. Break them up into 1 – 2 inch pieces. Make sure pieces are little higher than the cake. Place the pieces around the cake to form a „fence“.
Place the blackberries on the top of the cake. If desired, dust with powder sugar and decorate with blackberry leaves.

Enjoy! 🙂