Ispahan Mini Cake

(makes 7 of 2 1/4″ diameter round cake)

Rose Joconde
30g almond meal
30g hazelnut meal *or use 100% almond meal*
2g dried rose buds
75g whole eggs
16g flour
12g melted butter
50g egg whites
8g caster sugar

Lychee Gelee
5 g gelatin powder
160g lychee puree
20g sugar
1 tbsp lychee syrup / water

Raspberry Mousse
125g raspberry puree (from frozen raspberry)
25g caster sugar (if using fresh raspberry, add sugar to taste)
7g gelatin powder
250ml cream, whipped to medium peaks

Rose Bavarian Cream
10g gelatin powder
2 egg yolks
20g caster sugar
125ml milk
1 tbsp rose extract (add to taste)
250g cream, whipped to medium peaks

Rose imbibage (soaking syrup)
100ml water
50g sugar
few drops of rose extract
few dried rose buds

Decorations
Fresh raspberry
Rose petals

Method

1. Make the gelee. Soak gelatin powder with water or lychee syrup (if using canned lychee) and let it bloom. In a food processor, whizz lychee till it’s like puree. In a saucepan, cook lychee puree and sugar till it bubbles. Remove from heat. Melt gelatin in the microwave for 1 minute. Add gelatin to lychee puree and stir. Pour into a flat surface (I used a 6″ x 6″ size ) The gelee layer should be about 1cm thick. Let it harden in the fridge overnight.

2.Make soaking syrup. Bring everything to boil in a saucepan. Leave to cool while you make the rest.

3. Make joconde. Whizz dried rose buds in a food processor. In a mixing bowl, whisk icing sugar, almond, hazelnut meal, rose and whole eggs till light and almost double in volume. It should be at a ribbon stage. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites till soft peak. add in caster sugar and whisk till medium peak. Set aside. Gently fold in flour into whole eggs batter. Gradually fold in melted butter. Then lastly fold in meringue in 2-3 batches. Pour into a sheet pan lined with Silpat or parchment paper, spread it. Bake at 220 C for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool. Cut the cake base with round cutters. Place them in the cake rings.

4. Make raspberry mousse. Soak gelatin powder with 1 tbsp of water and let it bloom. With a food processor, puree raspberry till smooth. Pour into a small saucepan. Cook with caster sugar till bubbly. Remove from heat. Melt gelatin in the microwave for 1 minute or more. Add into the raspberry mixture and stir. Whip cream till medium peaks. Fold into the raspberry mixture over ice bath to prevent whipped cream from curdling. Fill in a piping bag and pipe evenly out on 7 cake rings making sure the sides are filled.

5. Make rose bavarian cream. Soak gelatin powder with 1 tbsp of water and let it bloom. In a saucepan, heat milk and caster sugar. In another bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg yolks while whisking at the same time. Then pour back the custard into the pot and consistently whisk it over low heat till the mixture is thick. Melt gelatin in the microwave then stir into the custard mixture. Add in rose essence, the amount depends on which type of essence you use. Fold whipped cream into the custard mixture over ice bath.

6. To assemble, lay a rose joconde and with a brush, dampen it with the rose syrup. Fill the 1/st layer with raspberry cream which is about 3-3.5 cm thick. Then lay a layer of gelee, cut with smaller round cutters ontop of the raspberry cream. Put it in the fridge to chill. Then pour in the rose bavarian cream (this is not piping friendly as it’s quite liquid-y) evenly into 7 rings. Let it chill in the fridge for 3 hours or till it has set.

7. Decorate with rose petal and fresh raspberry.