If you asked me a few years ago about buttercream, I would have said I hate it, even though I always loved butter on toast or butter on everything. I just felt like buttercream was this sweet, dense, tasteless mess that didn’t go well with cakes in my mind at that time. But here I am – years down the road – loving buttercream. How did it happen? I discovered Swiss meringue buttercream and its Italian version with all their variations – it’s like a whole new world open in front of me! Yes, buttercream is not as delicate and airy as a mousse, but it’s surely smooth and silky and it’s worth a place in the walk of fame of pastry fillings. Mind you, I’ve been using it quite a lot ever since I discovered it and it always turns out great – it’s a reliable recipe, that’s for sure! You can see it in action on these Rose Velvet cakes as well. And even though it’s not my first go-to recipe for cake fillings, it’s surely on the top of my list for frosting and icings.

My favorite is the Swiss meringue buttercream because it’s easier to make and stable enough to use for fillings and decor, either simple or upgraded with chocolate or fruit purees. But I prefer the Italian version for those times when I need a cream that surely doesn’t have raw egg whites – although the Swiss version starts on a hot water bath, the heat may not be enough to cook the egg whites completely, while the 118C sugar syrup used at making Italian meringue surely does. In terms of stability however, I can’t say I noticed any differences – perhaps just the fact that the Italian meringue buttercream takes longer to curdle and then come back together into a smooth cream.

This chocolate cherry cake is a show stopper, no doubt about that! The duo flavored cream and the cherry filling are a match made in heaven, complementing well the moist and fluffy chocolate sponge. It’s as simple as a cake can get, but equally delicious! I decided to play a bit with the decor and Isomalt sugar seemed to be the perfect choice – a gorgeous red sail to make the cake stand out was definitely a good choice!

What’s interesting about decorating cakes is the amount of choices one has once the cake is filled, covered and set. You can turn to the evergreen fresh flower look, caramelized sugar, more buttercream, meringues, sprinkles, chocolate shards and the list can go on. I like to have an idea about it before I start baking, but sometimes it’s the final cake that inspires the decor and it may be a flick of the moment. That’s one of the best things about baking – it’s fun and adventurous!



{Chocolate Cherry Cake} Print Author: Olguta - Pastry Workshop Serves:: 8-10 servings Ingredients: Chocolate sponge cake: 4 egg yolks + 150ml neutral vegetable oil

300g all-purpose flour

65g cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

300g white sugar

330ml cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Cherry sauce: 150g frozen cherries (sour cherries)

50g white sugar

30ml water

10g cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water Duo Swiss meringue buttercream: 4 egg whites

200g white sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

250g butter, softened

150g dark chocolate, melted and chilled

100g white chocolate, melted and chilled Dark chocolate ganache: 50g dark chocolate

50ml heavy cream Directions: Chocolate sponge cake: Start by preheating your oven to 350F-180C and line 2 18cm baking pans with parchment paper. Make the mayonnaise by mixing the egg yolks with the vegetable oil until creamy. Mix the eggs and sugar in a bowl until double in volume. Stir in the mayonnaise and mix well then add the water and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix just until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes until well risen and the cake passes the toothpick test. When done, remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool down in the pans. Level the cakes then cut each of them into 2 discs. Place aside. Cherry sauce: Combine the cherries, sugar and water in a saucepan and place over low heat. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with cold water then stir it into the cherry sauce. Cook 1 additional mintue just until thickened then remove from heat and allow to cool down, covering the sauce with plastic wrap. Duo Swiss meringue buttercream: Combine the egg whites, sugar, salt and vanilla in a heatproof bowl and place over a hot water bath. Keep over heat, stirring all the time, until the mixture is hot and the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove from heat and start mixing with an electric mixer until you get a meringue that has a shiny look and it's stiff, while the bowl has gone completely cold. Add the butter, all at once, and mix well on low heat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture curdles then comes back together. When done, split the buttercream in ⅔ 1/3. Mix ⅔ of the cream with dark chocolate and the ⅓ with white chocolate. Spoon both buttercreams in two piping bags fitted with a round tip. Dark chocolate ganache: Heat the cream in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Mix well until smooth then allow to cool to room temperature. To assemble the cake: Place a disc of sponge cake on a platter then pipe a ring of dark chocolate buttercream, followed by a ring of white chocolate buttercream and a ring of cherry sauce. Continue to do the same with the remaining discs of sponge cake and buttercream. Use the remaining dark chocolate buttercream to cover the cake into an even layer of cream then refrigerate. Pour the ganache over the cake, making sure it drips on the sides. Decorate with Isomalt, fresh fruits or chocolate shards. Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.5.3208

Cu cat fac mai multe deserturi cu ciocolata, cu atat imi dau seama cat de versatila si ofertanta e. Oricat de mult ai folosi-o sau in oricat de multe combinatii, tot iti mai ramane ceva de incercat, ceva care sa te surprinda, atat vizual, cat si in materie de gust. Asa ca astazi am pentru voi un tort cu multa ciocolata si un sos de cirese (visine) care sa ofere nu doar un contrast de culoare, ci si de gust. Aveam reteta asta in sertar de mult timp, insa ce m-a convins sa o scot la suprafata a fost cutia cu bunatati primita de la Golin si Lidl saptamana trecuta. Am gasit in ea o multime de ingrediente minunate, dar ciocolata a fost cea care mi-a atras atentia si m-a inspirat cel mai mult.

Daca ma intreba cineva acum cativa ani despre crema de unt, m-as fi strambat, desi imi place untul in cantitati industriale de cand ma stiu. Totusi, aveam impresia ca o crema de unt e gretoasa, grea, ca are gust pronuntat de grasime si ca nu merge cu orice aroma. Facand peste ani crema de unt pe baza de bezea elvetiana insa, mi-am dat seama ca lucrurile nu stau chiar asa si ca o crema de unt de acest gen nu e aerata ca un mousse, clar, dar nu e nici densa. E mai degraba o crema afanata, catifelata si suporta si o multime de arome, de la mult iubita ciocolata, la diverse pireuri de fructe. In plus, poate fi folosita cu succes la decor, cat si la umplutura.

Ingrediente:

Blat cu ciocolata:

4 galbenusuri + 150ml ulei vegetal pentru a face maioneza

300g faina alba

65g cacao

1 lingurita bicarbonat

¼ lingurita praf de copt

½ lingurita sare

3 oua intregi

1 lingurita extract de vanilie

300g zahar alb

330ml apa rece

1 lingurita extract de vanilie

Sos de cirese:

150g cirese congelate

50g zahar

30ml apa

10g amidon + 2 linguri apa rece

Crema duo:

4 albusuri

200g zahar

1 praf de sare

1 lingurita extract de vanilie

250g unt la temperatura camerei

150g ciocolata neagra, topita si racita

100g ciocolata alba, topita si racita

Mod de preparare:

Blat cu ciocolata:

Preparati maioneza din cele 4 galbenusuri si 150ml ulei vegetal, turnand uleiul in fir subtire peste galbenusuri, amestecand continuu cu o lingura de lemn. Dati deoparte cand este gata. Cerneti faina cu cacaoa, bicarbonatul, praful de copt si sarea. Mixati ouale intregi cu zaharul pentru cateva minute pana isi dubleaza volumul. Adaugati maioneza apoi incorporati apa si vanilia si mixati bine. Adaugati amestecul de faina si mixati doar pana la incorporare. Nu insistati cu mixarea! Turnati aluatul in doua tavi de 16cm si coaceti in cuptorul preincalzit la 180C pentru 40 minute. Lasati blaturile sa se raceasca in tava apoi taiati fiecare blat in jumatate, obtinand 2 discuri/blat.

Sos de cirese:

Combinati fructele, zaharul si apa intr-un vas si dati in clocot. Fierbeti cateva minute pana se inmoaie apoi adaugati amidonul si apa. Tineti pe foc pana sosul se ingroasa, apoi lasati-l sa se raceasca inainte de a-l folosi, acoperindu-l cu folie alimentara la suprafata.

Crema duo:

Combinati albusurile, zaharul, sarea si vanilia intr-un bol termorezistent si puneti bolul pe baie de aburi, avand grija ca bolul sa nu atinga apa fierbinte. Tineti pe baie de aburi pana amestecul atinge maxim 65C sau zaharul se topeste complet si albusurile sunt fierbinti la atingere. Luati bolul de pe baie de aburi si mixati aproximativ 10 minute sau pana bolul se raceste si obtineti o bezea ferma si lucioasa. Adaugati untul, tot o data, si continuati sa mixati 2-3 minute la viteza mica. La inceput crema de unt se va taia, dar dupa 2-3 minute isi revine, devenind o crema fina si pufoasa. Impartiti crema in doua parti: 2/3 si 1/3. Amestecati 2/3 cu ciocolata neagra si 1/3 cu ciocolata alba Puneti cremele in doua posuri.

Pentru a finisa tortul: