This is like a second chapter to my last post and I feel this person deserves to be treated to a full blog post about them, not just a shared one.
I have received a generous offering as an early Christmas present. Not from a family member or close friend but a person I hardly have contact with. Funny how this time of year throws you a curve ball occasionally. This is a clear example of the good will people develop this time of year, and I can only hope that this continues into the New year.
They have gone out of their way to give me something out of Christmas cheer, so as something special I have made a cake just for them.
I filled it with crushed peppermint meringues; some spiked Swiss butter cream covered in white chocolate marshmallow frosting then topped it with the macarons from my last post. This is my favourite chocolate recipe and I have always used it. It produces the deepest darkest chocolate cake but still fluffy and soft.
I drew inspiration behind this from Nigella Lawson’s Grasshopper pie where she uses the combination of chocolate, liquor and marshmallows to create her pie. So I guess this is a dressed up version of it.
It is only small 18cm layered chocolate cake but do not let appearances fool you. This cake is filled with sweet flavors that work so well with each other, to produce a mouth full of minty chocolate delight.
Thank you to that person for the gift. I hope you enjoy this cake as much I did making it
Grasshopper macaron cake
1 quantity of grasshopper Swiss butter cream
1 quantity of mint meringues
1 quanitiy of dark chocolate cake
1 quanity of marshmellow frosting
Mint Meringues
4 egg whites
200g caster sugar
5g corn flour
pinch of salt
1tsp of Mint extract
1. Preheat oven to 110c.
2. Line two trays with grease proof paper.
3. Place egg whites and salt in a stand mixer and whip until soft peaks on high.
4. Reduce to medium. Add sugar a teaspoon at a time until combined.
5. After mix on medium high for another 2 minutes. It should be very shiny and thick, also from a peak on the whisk.
6. Add mint extract and corn flour beat for another minute.
7. Spoon into a piping bag with a large star or round nozzle. Pipe small meringues on the baking trays prepared earlier.
8. Bake for 2 hours until crisp and leave in oven until cool.
Chocolate cake
Makes 6 x 18cm cake layers
200g plain flour
100g white sugar
100g brown sugar
1tsp of baking powder
1tsp baking soda
2g salt
60g cocoa powder
200g unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp chocolate essence
200ml sour cream
1. All ingredients should be at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 180c. Grease and line your 18cm tins.
3. Shift flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.
4. Cream butter and sugars until very fluffy about four minutes.
5. Add each egg , one at a time, beating well between each addition.
6. Add vanilla and chocolate essence
7. Add sour cream and flour mixture. Beat until just combined.
8. Pour mixture into your tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, and using a skewer to test if ready.
9. Allow to cool in tins for ten minutes then turn out on to cooling racks.
Marshmallow frosting
230g marshmallow spread
200g unsalted butter, soften
30ml Creme de caco Blanc
300g Pure icing sugar
1. Beat butter until fluffy, should take 5 minutes.
2. Add marshmallow spread and beat until fluffy again.
3. Add liquor and icing sugar and beat for a further 4 minutes.
Cake assembly
1. Even out your chocolate cake layers into 1.5 cm high slices. Set aside
2. Take on layer and spread 1/2cup of Grashopper butter cream.
3. Meringues are added on top this layer. Place another cake on top.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have a cake, 6 layers in height. Fridge for at least 30 mintues.
5. Take a small amount of Marshmallow frosting to form a crumb layer. Fridge for 1 hour.
6. Remain icing can be used to frost the cake. You may go for a smooth look or textured looked.
7. Place macarons on the top. Fridge for 30 minutes.
8. Serve and enjoy with a special person
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