Year after year, I still exciting to think a different way to make my kids' birthday memorable even they not little kids anymore. I even learned how to bake and decorate cake just to make birthday cakes for my kids before they weren't been born. Cakes always is the center focus point at my kids birthday party at home. They were not perfect but special made for them even store bought ones still got a custom fixed by mom.
I made this one for Chau's birthday this year. Biscuit Joconde is a thin sponge cake with almond flour. It is named after the Mona Lisa-La Joconde in French and used to line the outside of mouse cake, Charlotte etc. or a component of a layered cake. Mango is her favorite fruit. This cake needs 6 large ripen mango.
Biscuit Joconde/Joconde Sponge Cake: enough for an 9 -in round cake.
Two 13x18 in. sheet pans and two silicon sheets (optional) or parchment paper
4 large whole eggs
4 egg whites
152 gr almond flour (look at the natural whole food section at grocery stores)
152 gr powder sugar (sifted)
40 gr all purpose flour
32 gr butter, melted
40 gr sugar
1 pinch of salt
Food color: red, orange (optional)
1. Turn the oven to 450 oF. Line the sheet pan with silicon liner ( preferred for smooth surface), parchment paper, or butter and flour
2. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attached, blend almond flour, flour, and sugar well together. Add whole eggs beat until smooth and light about 10 minutes.
3. In another bowl, whip the egg white with salt and sugar until forming soft peaks.
4. While waiting egg white whipped, mix 1 cup of egg and flour mixture with melted butter set aside.
5. Fold 1/3 of the egg white to egg and flour mixture. When fully incorporated, fold in the rest of egg white and fold in the butter mixture. Equally divide into 2 sheet pans. Use a long offset spatula to level the surface. Bake until the cake not stick to the finger about 5-8 minutes. Do not overbake. The cake has to be soft and spongy. Remove from oven. Turn the cake upside down on a lightly sprinkled powder sugar parchment paper. Remove the silpat or parchment paper right away. If not use right away, wrap them up in plastic wrap at room temperature.
*The marble pattern is made by dividing the batter into 3: one part is mixed with 2 drops of red and one part is mixed with 3 drops of orange. Pour them into three long lines on a sheet pan and use a spatula to wind between the color to make the marble look. I learn this from the blog here.
Mango mousse (no egg)
2 cup mango puree from 2 large ripen mango
2 pack unflavored gelatin powder (7 gr each)
2 cups heavy whip cream
2 tsp lime juice
1/2cup water
3/4 cup powder sugar
1. Puree mango flesh in a blender. Press through a medium sieve to remove the fiber. Add lime juice, set aside. You may make one extra cup mango puree for mango mirror at this time too.
2. Sprinkle gelatin powder over water in a small microwave-proof bowl for at least 5 minutes. Microwave 30 seconds, mix and made sure all gelatin powder dissolved completely and the water is clear. If not, microwave it for 10 more seconds. Mix melted gelatin into room temperature mango puree.
3. Whip cream and powder sugar until soft peaks and fold it into the mango puree.
Mango Mirror: make it later when the mousse is set.
1 cup mango puree
1 pack unflavored gelatin
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 cup water
Sprinkle gelatin powder over cold water and melt in microwave like above. Mix melted gelatin with room temperature mango puree and lime juice. Pour atop of the mousse right away.
Mango rose
2 mango1/2 cup of apricot jam or any light yellow color jam
1. Peel mango and cut two large big cheeks out (the flatter sides along the long axis; start at the stem join). Thinly slice from the stem join down horizontally. Fold a small and short pieces to make the center. Then alight the other petal overlap lightly together to the size you prefer.
2. Warm apricot jam and strain it through a medium sieve. Set aside to cool down but still thin and spreadable. Brush cool jam on the petals.
Assembly the cake
2. Cut 2 long trips of Biscuit Joconde and line against the side next to the parchment paper. The height of the trips needs to be at least 2/3 of the height of the pan if you want a partial of the mousse filling is shown.
3. Cut a piece of the cake slightly smaller to the pan (the pan's width minus the cake thickness of sides) and put it down to the bottom of the pan.
4. Pour 1/2 of the mango mousse atop of the cake and level with an offset spatula.
5. Rearrange the cake remnants into an even layer atop of the mango mousse and pour the rest of the mousse in. Level and chill in the fridge for 3 hours.
6. Prepare the mango mirror and pour atop of the mango mouse. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour for the mirror set. The gelatin will be fully set after 24 hours. Transfer the cake to the platter. Unmold, remove the cake ring or springform ring. Remove parchment paper. Assemble the mango rose. Brush the rose with strain apricot jam to make it shine and prevent the mango turning dark color the next day.
7. Whip 1/2 cup of heavy cream and decorate the cake with rosettes or star before serving. If you do not serve the cake right away use gelatin to stabilize whipped cream as instruction here
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