Baking with Marianne

---

NOTES:

Preparation Time

I am always hesitant to give an estimated time of preparation because I think that it can vary a lot from person to person. However, I also think it can be helpful, in particular for cake recipes that includes several steps, having an idea how long it takes. Hence, I will include an estimated preparation time in my future recipe post. It took me about 3 1/2 hours to prepare this layer cake. You have to freeze the cake for at least 6 hours. You can also keep the cake in the freezer for a couple of weeks.

Equipment

A cake frame/pan extender is needed.
Please use a kitchen scale. In this recipe I wrote down only the ingredients in metric and not in cups. I started to convert the ingredients from grams to cups and tablespoons but I was not comfortable with it. It is simply too imprecise.
Be prepared that you will need lots of bowls.


Makes one rectangular cake (15 cm x 18 cm)

Sacher Sponge Cake

• 35 g almond flour
• 35 g granulated sugar
• 55 g egg white
• 45 g powdered sugar
• 30 g egg
• 35 g egg yolks
• 20 g chocolate (70%)
• 20 unsalted butter
• 20 g pastry flour, sifted
• 10 g unsweetened cacao powder, sifted
• Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 355 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
• Mix the almond flour, sugar, 15 g egg white in a medium bowl. Gradually add 25 g powdered sugar to the mixture. Add egg and egg yolks and beat until the mixture is pale in color (use a kitchen machine or an electric mixer) which takes about 4 to 5 minutes. 
• Beat the remaining egg white until almost stiff; gradually add the rest of the powdered sugar and beat until stiff.
• Melt the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler. Add the almond sugar mixture to the melted chocolate and stir well. Add flour and cacao powder and stir again. Lastly, add the beaten egg white and fold it into the mixture. 
• Spread the sponge cake mixture evenly onto the baking sheet. 
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let the sponge cake cool completely. Cut the sponge cake into three 15 cm x 18 cm rectangles. 

Orange Jam

• Orange peel of 1 orange (medium size)
• 200 g filleted oranges
• 55 ml orange juice
• 175 g gelling sugar (1:1)
• Place all ingredients in a pot. Let the mixture come to a boil, lower the temperature to medium high and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the orange mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the pot and let the mixture come to a boil again, lower the temperature to low and let the orange jam simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Set the orange jam aside and let it cool completely. 

Orange Syrup

• 3 cm piece of vanilla bean
• 45 g granulated sugar
• 45 ml water
• 50 ml orange juice
• Split vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds (use the tip of your knife or the dull size of the knife). Place the vanilla seeds, the empty vanilla pod, granulated sugar and orange juice into a small pot. Let the mixture come to a boil. Remove the empty vanilla pot and let the orange syrup cool.

Orange Ganache

• 40 g chocolate (66%), finely chopped
• 35 g milk chocolate (35%), finely chopped
• 100 ml orange juice
• 10 g granulated sugar
• 15 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• Place both chocolates into a bowl. 
• Pour the orange juice into a small pot and bring it to a boil and let it simmer over medium heat until the orange juice has reduced to 45 to 50 ml. Add sugar to the reduced orange juice, bring it to a boil again and let it simmer until the sugar has resolved. Gently pour the orange juice to the chopped chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Add the butter cubes and mix until smooth. Set the orange ganache aside. 

Orange Chocolate Glaze

• 3 g gelatin sheets
• 250 ml orange juice
• 3 cm piece of vanilla bean
• 20 g granulated sugar
• 25 g chocolate (70 %), finely chopped
• Soak the gelatin sheets in ice cold water for 7 minutes, wring out the sheets gently in order to remove any excess water.
• Split vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds (use the tip of your knife or the dull size of the knife). Place the vanilla seeds, the empty vanilla pod and orange juice into a small pot. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer over high heat until it has reduced to about 125 ml orange juice. Add the sugar to it and let it simmer until the sugar has resolved. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the gelatin sheets to the mixture and stir until the sheets are completely dissolved. 
• Pour the mixture through a sieve to the chopped chocolate and stir well until the chocolate is completely melted. 
• Pour the mixture into a jar and let it cool to room temperature. Cover with a lid and store in the fridge. 

Chocolate Mousse

• 160 g chocolate (66 %), finely chopped
• 75 ml whole milk
• 30 g egg yolks
• 15 g granulated sugar
• 275 g whipping cream
• Make sure that you have prepared the sponge cake (cut into three rectangles), orange jam, syrup, ganache (you can prepare the orange chocolate glaze after you assembled the cake) before you start making the mousse.
• Place the finely chopped chocolate in a big bowl. 
• Pour the milk into a pot and bring the milk to a boil. Set aside. 
• Whisk egg yolks and sugar until fluffy. Slowly add the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture and stir well. Pour the mixture back to the pot, bring it to a boil over low medium (stir constantly) until the mixture thickens. Pour the mixture through a sieve to the chocolate. Stir until well combined. Let chocolate mixture cool to room temperature. 
• Whisk the whipping cream until creamy. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

Assembling

• Prepare a board with parchment paper and adjust a cake pan extender to the size of 15 cm x 18 cm. 
• Place one sponge cake rectangular into the cake pan. Soak the sponge cake with the orange syrup (use 1/3). Spread the orange ganache onto the sponge cake. Spread half of the chocolate mousse onto the chocolate ganache. Place a second sponge cake layer on top of the chocolate mousse. Soak the sponge cake again with orange syrup (save half of the syrup for the last sponge cake layer). Spread the orange jam onto the sponge cake. Place the third sponge cake rectangular onto the orange jam. Soak the cake layer with the remaining orange syrup and spread the other remaining chocolate mousse onto the cake layer. Level the surface with a palette knife. 
• Freeze the cake for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Place the chocolate glaze into a small pot and gently reheat the glaze. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the glaze set for 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge. Carefully remove the cake extender. Trim the sides of the cake. Cut the cake - with a sharp knife - into rectangles or squares (I cut the cakes into 4 cm x 8 cm rectangles) and decorate the cakes to your liking (I use slices of kumquats). Let the cake defrost in the fridge (it takes about 1 hour).