Chocolate Orange Mascarpone Gateau

By now you all must have understood that I love baking cakes and frosting them for birthdays and other special occasions. It was hubby’s birthday last week and this time I opted to make a Chocolate Orange Gateau adapted from Deeba’s blog with slight changes. I always wanted to try out the chocolate lace pattern she uses in most of her cakes. Making chocolate lace was a breeze, but I need to pipe the melted chocolate a little more thicker as mine was too thin and was breaking while sticking to the cake.  We loved the cake and it tastes better the next day J

Chocolate Orange Mascarpone Gateau
(Adapted from here with slight changes)

Orange Sponge
150gms {1 1/4 cup} plain flour
25gms {1/8 cup} corn flour
150gms {1 1/4 cup} powdered sugar
pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs, separated
5 tbsp oil {I used sunflower oil}
5 tbsp water
Rind of 1 orange
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp orange extract

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 190C. Line 2 10″ spring form tins; grease.
• Sift the corn flour, plain flour, baking powder, salt and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl.
• Beat the egg whites till they stand in soft peaks. Keep aside.
• With a whisk, lightly mix the oil, water, yolks, juice, rind and extract together. Stir into the dry ingredients.
• Beat with an electric beater on low speed until smooth.
• Carefully fold the beaten whites gently into the yolk mixture.
• Turn into 2 lined tins and bake for about 45 minutes till well risen and golden brown / until done. Check if it is done with a wooden pick.
• Leave in tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on rack.
• Once cool, cut into 2 layers each.

Soaking Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup water
1/2 tsp orange extract
Small stick cinnamon

Method:

• Simmer till the sugar has dissolved, and cool completely.

Orange Mascarpone Filling
Ingredients:
175gm homemade mascarpone
50ml cream, chilled
1 tsp orange sugar powdered1tsp orange extract
1/2 cup icing sugar{ adjust if required}
1tbsp rum (optional)
Method:

• Whip all ingredients together till thick and hold peaks. Adjust sugar if required.

Ganache
200ml low fat cream
225 gm dark chocolate

Method:

• Place the cream & half the dark chocolate in a pan over low heat and stir until the chocolate has melted.
• Put the remaining chocolate in a bowl, and pour the melted cream and chocolate mixture over it, and stir until all the chocolate has melted and is glossy. Reserve. {It will continue to thicken as it stands}

Assemble the Gateau

• Brush the cake with the cooled syrup and sandwich with the orange mascarpone filling.
• Frost the sides and top of the cake with the ganache.
• Decorate the top and sides with chocolate lace.
• Chill well for the flavors to mature.
• In winter keep out at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. In warm weather, serve straight out of the fridge.

Chocolate Lace Boarder

(Adapted from here)

50gm white chocolate , melted.

To make a border for the cake, measure the height of the border that you would like, and the circumference of the cake. Cut our parchment paper to this measure and squiggle patterns or doodle with melted chocolate on it. (If you are unsure, keep a pattern under the parchment and trace out with melted chocolate). Wait for it to almost set, where the paper is still flexible and the chocolate is not set hard. Wrap it around the cake and press gently to the frosted sides so that the pattern sticks to the sides. Gently peel off the parchment.