J
oconde sponge cake, yummy milk chocolate ganache and silky mocha French buttercream – do I need to say more about my almond and chocolate mocha cake? Delish!
First let me say a few words about Joconde – light and moist sponge cake. It is made by mixing almond flour, powdered sugar, flour, whole eggs and melted butter into a smooth paste. Then, the paste is mixed with French meringue. Joconde batter is usually thinly spread onto a baking mat and baked until lightly golden. The great thing about this cake is that once it is cooled, it remains flexible and moist, so you can use it for various desserts. I decided to divide my Joconde batter into four cake rings to get layers for my mocha cake.
Next, I will make simple syrup for soaking my Joconde, and when it cools down I will add some rum inside. If you are a true coffee aficionado, feel free to add some coffee extract into the syrup, too. Then I will make milk chocolate ganache. Yum!
To make my almond and chocolate mocha cake I will use coffee flavored French buttercream. Now, if you want to learn more about all types of buttercream, check my buttercream foursome post. Finally, I will assemble my cake. I will soak each Joconde layer with my syrup, and then I’ll spread some milk chocolate ganache onto it. Once the ganache is set, I will spread some coffee buttercream onto it. I will continue until I use all the cakes, and then I will cover the whole cake in coffee buttercream.
If you like buttercream cakes, take a glimpse at my Devil’s Food cake or chocolate and hazelnut cake, you won’t regret it!
Almond and Chocolate Mocha Cake
by:Tereza Alabanda,The Pastry Maestra
PRINT PDF (EN) ISPIŠI PDF (HR)Prep. time : 60 minutes
Cook time : 20 minutes
Ready in 80 minutes plus cooling
Level : Advanced
INGREDIENTS
Joconde Sponge Cake:
- Almond flour 150g (5.3oz)
- Powdered sugar 130g (4.6oz)
- All purpose flour 40g (1.4oz)
- Eggs 165g (5.8oz)
- Butter, melted 30g (1oz)
- Egg whites 115g (4oz)
- Sugar 30g (1oz)
- Water 100g (3.5oz)
- Sugar 100g (3.5oz)
- Rum 10g (1Tbsp)
- Milk chocolate 200g (7oz)
- Cream 35% 100g (3.5oz)
- Butter 55g (2oz)
- Egg yolks 115g (4oz)
- Sugar 200g (7oz)
- Butter 285g (10oz)
- Coffee extract 40g (1.4oz)
- Chocolate sprinkles
- To make Joconde sponge cake place powdered sugar, almond flour and flour into a large bowl and stir well with a whisk. Then, add eggs and melted butter and stir until you get smooth paste. To make French meringue place egg whites into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form. Then, gradually add sugar and continue mixing until firm peaks form. Add the prepared paste into the French meringue and mix with a silicone spatula until combined.
- Prepare four 16cm (6″) in diameter cake rings and line them with aluminum foil to prevent the cake batter from leaking. Divide the cake batter into four equal parts, about 150g (5.3oz) each. Pour the Joconde batter into the cake rings and smooth the top using a small spatula. Then, bake them at 190°C (375°F) for about 10-12 minutes, until golden. Take them out and leave them to cool down completely.
- To make simple syrup put water and sugar into a bowl and stir well with a whisk. Heat up this mixture in the microwave until it boils and the sugar crystals dissolve. Then, leave it to cool down. Add rum into lukewarm syrup and stir with a whisk to combine. Set the syrup aside until needed.
- To make milk chocolate ganache melt milk chocolate in the microwave on low heat and add warm cream into the chocolate. Stir with a whisk until the mixture becomes uniform. Then, add softened butter and stir until it melts. Cover the ganache with cling film and leave it on the counter until it becomes pipeable.
- To make French buttercream first thing you need to do is make pâte à bombe which is a mixture of whipped egg yolks and cooked sugar syrup. Place egg yolks into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and start mixing on medium speed. Put sugar and water (enough to cover the sugar) into a saucepan and put the lid on. Once the syrup boils, the steam will wash down sugar crystals from the sides of the pan and you can remove the lid. Insert the probe of a digital candy thermometer into the syrup and continue cooking until it reaches 118°C (244°F). At that point pour it carefully without turning off the mixer into whipped egg yolks. It is important to pour the syrup between the whisk and the side of the mixing bowl. Be very careful, if you pour the syrup directly on the whisk while it’s working, that could splatter your hands or face with hot sugar syrup and you could get serious burns! Once all the syrup is inside, continue whisking pâte à bombe until it cools down. When pâte à bombe is cooled, start adding softened butter gradually until everything is incorporated. Add coffee extract into the buttercream and stir with a silicone spatula to combine.
- To assemble the cake, put the first sponge cake onto a cake board and soak it with rum flavored simple syrup. Then, put 85g (3oz) of milk chocolate ganache onto the cake and spread it using a small spatula. Place this in the fridge to set. When ganache is set, put 115g (4oz) of mocha buttercream onto it and spread it using a small spatula. Place the second Joconde cake onto the buttercream and soak it with syrup. Place everything in the fridge until the buttercream sets. Repeat this procedure until you use all of your cakes.
- Add some more buttercream onto the sides of the cake and smooth it using a scraper.Then, put some buttercream on top of the cake and spread it using a spatula. Place the cake in the fridge until the buttercream sets.
- Pipe some more buttercream onto the sides of the cake and smooth it using a scraper. Continue until you get regular shape of the cake and then, put it in the fridge until the buttercream sets.
- Decorate the sides with some chocolate sprinkles. Put remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with star tip and decorate the cake. Next, place some chocolate sprinkles on the top. Finally, pour warm ganache onto the cake and shake to distribute it evenly.
- There, your delicious almond and chocolate mocha cake is done! Enjoy!
Copyright© PastryMaestra.comTM
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