Silken soft and delicious mousse cake with pears. I made this cake a couple of weeks ago when pear season was at its highest. The season might be over soon, but you can still make it. I used Clara Friis as they are my favourite sort. But you can use others as well.
This is also an experimental cake for me, as it is my first attempt at making a mirror glaze, something I most certainly will be doing again.
The cake can be made over a couple of days as parts of it goes into the freezer for a while.
AUTUMN CAKE
10-12 SERV.
BASE:
100 G ALMONDS, BLANCHED
40 G EGG WHITES
100 G SUGAR
10 G COCOA POWDER
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees celsius.
Blitz 70 g almonds finely and 30 g almonds coarsely in a blender. Mix the two together.
Whisk the egg whites to form stiff peaks, add the sugar a little at a time. Whisk it into a stiff meringue.
Fold cocoa powder and almonds into the meringue.
Spread the meringue out into an 18 cm spring mould, lined with baking paper.
Bake the base for about 15 min, until the top no longer is “wet”.
Remove the base form the mould and allow it to cool completely.
JAM DISC:
150 G APPLE-CINNAMON JAM
2 SHEETS OF GELATINE
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5-10 min.
Heat the jam, wring the water out of the gelatin and melt it in the hot jam. .
Pour the mixture into a round silicone mould with a diameter of 11 cm.
Place the mould in the freeze for at least 2 hours.
PEAR MOUSSE:
300 G PEARS, PEELED AND CORED
50 G SUGAR
4 GELATIN LEAVES
JUICE OF 1 LEMON
300 G HEAVY CREAM
SEEDS OF 1 VANILLA POD
30 G ICING SUGAR
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5-10 min.
Cut the peeled pears into smalle pieces and cook them tender with the sugar.
Puree the pears, but leave some smaller chunks intact for a bite of concentrated pear amongst the silky soft mousse.
Heat the lemon juice, wring the water out the leaves and melt the in the juice.
Pour the juice into the warm pear puree in a thin stream, while stirring.
Allow the puree to cool until you can stick your little finger into it and it will be the same temperature.
Whip cream, vanilla seeds and icing sugar to soft peaks.
Fold the whipped cream gently into the pear puree.
Pour the mousse into a round silicone mould with a diameter of 18 cm.
Remove the jam disc from its mould and pres it gently into the mousse until the tops line up.
Smooth out the surface.
Cover the mousse with cling film and place the mould in the freezer for at least 2 hours, even over night.
CHOCOLATE MIRROR GLAZE:
125 G WATER
225 G SUGAR
6 GELATIN LEAVES
130 G HEAVY CREAM
30 G COCOA POWDER
Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5-10 min.
Heat water and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
Add cream and cocoa powder, whisk until the are well incorporated.
Wring the water from the gelatin and stir it into the mixture.
Cool the glaze to a temperature of 26-28 degrees celcius, optionally done over an ice bath. Then it’s ready to use.
The glaze can be stored in the fridge for about a week, so leftover glaze can be saved and reused. Just reheat to the right temperature.
ASSEMBLY:
Remove the frozen mousse from the mould and place it on top of the base.
Pour the tempered glaze into a clear jug, makes it easer to handle.
Place the cake on a wire rack with a tray underneath, lined with baking paper.
In one continuous circular motion pour the glaze over the cake. Start in the middle and move outwards. This will ensure a smooth coating, and the frozen mousse will set the glaze almost instantly,
Carefully move the glazed cake to the serving plate and place it in the fridge for a couple of hours to completely set and thaw.
DECORATION:
1 PEAR
LEMON JUICE
ALMOND SPLINTERS
SPRINKLES
Slice the pear thinly and place them into a bowl of lemon juice, this will prevent them from browning. Dap them dry with a piece of paper towel.
Decorate the cake with apple slices, almond splinters and sprinkles.
