Mini Chocolate Cakes with Orange Blossom Water

By Chef Anna Gal

Equipment

Kitchen thermometer
Kitchen scale
Silicon cake mold with 8 cavities (about 3 inches each)
Half-size baking sheet
Silicon ice tray with smaller cavities (about 1 inch each)
Chocolate spray gun (optional)

Hazelnut and Chocolate Sponge Cake

3 large eggs at room temperature
30 g golden syrup or honey
60 g granulated white sugar
50 g heavy whipping cream (liquid)
35 g unsalted butter
6 x 6 g Pure Nacional 100% Chocolate Mini Bars
75 g hazelnut paste or hazelnut butter
30 g almond flour
30 g all-purpose (plain) flour
4 g baking powder

Melt butter and Pure Nacional 100% Chocolate Mini Bars in the microwave, set aside. Whisk eggs, golden syrup or honey, and sugar. Add heavy cream, melted butter with chocolate, and hazelnut butter. Finally, add the flours and baking powder, and mix until combined. Cover with a plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet (approximately 11 x 16 inches) with parchment paper. Pour mixture onto the baking sheet, smooth with a spatula or a knife, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, remove parchment paper and cut eight circles, diameter of which should be slightly smaller than the diameter of your silicon cake mold’s cavities.

Fleurs d’Oranger Center

3 g Knox gelatin
18 g cold water
2 egg yolks
30 g sugar
190 g half & half (or 95 g heavy cream and 95 g whole milk)
1/4 tsp Eau de Fleurs d’Oranger (Orange blossom water, can be found at Middle Eastern stores or online; we use Cortas brand)

Combine gelatin and water, set aside. Make crème anglaise: whisk egg yolks with sugar, set aside. Bring half & half to a boil in a small pot. Pour half & half into the egg mixture while whisking with a wire whisk, return to the pot and bring to 85 degrees Celsius (185 degrees Fahrenheit) whisking constantly. Remove from heat, add gelatin and orange blossom water. Mix well. Pour into the ice tray and freeze.

Chocolate Mousse

2 g Knox gelatin
12 g cold water
185 g Fortunato No. 4 47% Dark Milk Chocolate
125 g whole milk
1 TBSP orange zest
1 TBSP orange juice
250 g heavy whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks

Combine gelatin and water, set aside. Melt chocolate in the microwave. Bring milk to a boil, add gelatin, stir well, and pour over the melted chocolate. Add orange zest and juice. Mix with a whisk or a stick blender until the mixture is silky and smooth. Once the mixture is only slightly warm, fold in whipped cream.
To assemble, pour the mousse into each cavity of the silicone cake mold, insert a fleurs d’orange center, and top with a circle of sponge cake. Smooth with a spatula and freeze overnight.

Chocolate velvet spray (optional)

50 g cocoa butter
50 g Fortunato No.4 47% Dark Milk Chocolate
Chocolate spray gun Melt chocolate and cocoa butter separately, mix until combined. Once the mixture is 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), spray on the unmolded frozen cakes.

Pro tip: Retemper your chocolate before using to retain the delicate flavors adored by chocolate connoisseurs