Chocolate Joconde (Biscuit Joconde au Chocolat)

70g almond powder
70g powdered sugar
70g egg yolks
30g egg whites
55g cake flour
20g cocoa powder
25g unsalted butter, melted
French Meringue:
130g egg whites
45g sugar

• Sift together the cake flour and the cocoa powder. Set aside.
• Combine the almond powder, powdered sugar, egg yolks, and 30g egg whites together and whisk until thick and pale
• On a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy and add the sugar a little at a time until it form firm peak
• Fold some of the meringue into the yolk mixture to lighten it.
• Add in the sifted flour mixture, and fold well.
• Fold in the melted butter
• Fold in the rest of the meringue
• Spread the batter into half-sheet pan (you might end up with less volume if you overmix the batter and might want to use 9x13" pan)
• Bake in the oven at 230C for 5-6 minutes

Pistachio Joconde (Biscuit aux Pistaches)
90g almond paste 50%
38g pistachio paste
45g whole egg
40g egg yolks
25g egg whites
45g cornstarch
20g unsalted butter, melted
French Meringue:
80g egg whites
50g sugar

•  Mix the almond paste and the pistachio paste together in a mixer bowl
• Add the whole egg, egg yolks, and egg whites and beat until thick and pale
• Make french meringue in a separate bowl (see the chocolate joconde instruction)
• Mix some meringue into the batter, fold well
• Add the sifted cornstarch, fold well
• Add the melted batter
• Lastly, fold in the rest of the  meringue
• Spread the batter into half-sheet pan (you might end up with less
  volume if you overmix the batter and might want to use 9x13" pan)
• Bake in the oven at 230C for 5-6 minutes

Raspberry Jam (Framboise pepins)
35g sugar
20g glucose
8g water
100g fresh or frozen raspberries
4g pectin mixed with 23g sugar
6g lemon juice

• Bring the sugar, glucose, and water to a boil in a saucepan
• Mix the raspberries in and continue to boil
• Mix in the pectin-sugar and boil until raspberry has broken down and soft
• Cool in an icebath and add the lemon juice
• Refrigerate until needed
• The recipe called for 50g of this jam

 30°B Sugar Syrup
20g sugar
15g water

Boil together and let cool

Sirop d'imbibage
20g  30°B Sugar Syrup
15g water
15g eau-de-vie de framboise

Mix all the ingredients together

Dark Chocolate Mousse (Mousse au Chocolat Noir)Make this before you are ready to assemble the cake

440g heavy cream, whipped to soft peak. Refrigerate until ready
Pate a bombe:
      60g whipping cream
      50g sugar
      100g egg yolks
200g 66% dark chocolate, melted and let cool

• Make pate a bombe by boiling the 60g of heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan 
• Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks 
• Pour the hot xream mixture into the egg yolk with the mixer still running and keep whisking until it is thick and fluffy
• Pour this mixture into the cooled melted chocolate, fold well
• Fold in some of the whipped cream to lighten it, then pour half of it into the whipped cream, fold in well.
• Pour the last half of the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream and fold.

Note:

•  When I made the pate a bombe the first time, I brought the mixture to 245F (softball stage) before pouring it into the egg yolks (the classic pate a bombe mixture) and the resulting pate a bombe is thick and fluffy quickly.
  This time, I just boil the cream and pour it in. The resulting pate a bombe is thinner and takes a lot longer to get thick (although not as thick as the classic preparation).
  I am not sure which one Mr. Sugino uses as I can't understand Japanese, but both works fine.

Pistachio Mousse (Mousse a la pistache)
130g heavy whipping cream, whip until soft peak and refrigerate until ready
20g pistachio paste
70g milk
1/10 vanilla bean seeds
40g egg yolks
15g sugar
2g gelatin leaf, softened in a cold water

• Make creme anglaise by boiling the milk, pistachio paste, and vanilla bean in a pot
• Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl
• Temper the yolks with the boiled cream and return it back to the pot under a low heat
• Keep stirring until the temperature register 84C
• Take it off the heat and strain (to avoid some scrambled eggs)
• Add the softened gelatin and stir until it melts
• Let cool in an icebath
• Fold in the whipped cream
• Pour the mixture into 18cm baking frame or baking pan that has been lined with plastic wrap, overhanging on the side (for easy removal)

Chocolate Glaze (Glaçage au Chocolat)Make this the last after the cake is completely frozen and you are ready to glaze.

150g water
250g sugar
100g cocoa powder
150g heavy cream
15g gelatin leaves, soften in cold water

• Combine the water, sugar and cocoa powder in a saucepan and bring it to boil
• Add the heavy cream and bring back to boil
• Take it off the heat and strain
• Mix the gelatin in and stir until completely melted
• Let cool while occasionally stirring to keep the surface to harden and make it smooth

Assembly

• Cut out the pistachio joconde to 18cm square, brush one side with the sirop imbibage and place it on top of the pistachio mousse, brushed side down. Then brush the other side with the syrup.
  Freeze
• Once frozen, take it out of the freezer and spread 50g of framboise pepins on top
• Using a cookie cutter or fondant cutter, cut circles with diameter slightly smaller than the cake ring you will use. (I use 2.5" cookie cutter and 3" cake ring)
• Cut the chocolate joconde using the same size of cookie cutter.
• Assemble top-side down. Line a baking pan with acetate sheet and place the 3" cake rings (or any size of rings you want) on top.
• Pipe some chocolate mousse at the bottom, then place the pistachio mousse-raspberry cut out on top (raspberry side on the top)
• Spread some more thin layer of mousse, then lastly place the chocolate joconde circle on top
• Freeze until frozen and flip the cake onto a wire rack with baking sheet underneath (to catch the drips when glazing)
• Once the chocolate glaze is almost at room temperature (slightly warm but still pourable), pour the glaze on top of the cake and smooth it with spatula
• Refrigerate overnight and decorate

Pistachio Joconde -- see this recipe


Blackberry Mousse
90g heavy cream
90g blackberry puree
4g gelatin leaves, soften in cold water (I used powdered gelatin)
30g italian meringue (see recipe below)
18g eau-de-vie de framboise
wild strawberries (I didn't use it)

• Whip the heavy cream to a soft peak and set aside
• Heat the blackberry puree and bring it to a simmer, take it off the heat
• Add the gelatin leaves or melted powdered gelatin, mix well
• Let the black berry mixture cool on an ice bath, stirring once in a while
• Once cooled, add the liqueur
• Fold in the italian meringue
• Lastly, fold in the whipped cream
• Pour into plastic-lined 7" square cake ring or baking pan and put it in the freezer
• Once frozen, cut out circles smaller than the cake ring you are using to assemble the cake

 Italian Meringue
120g sugar
30g water
60g egg whites

• Mix together the sugar and the water in a saucepan and bring it to 118-120C
• When the temperature is close, start whipping the egg whites
• Once the sugar syrup is ready, pour the syrup into the egg white with the mixer still running
• Whip until stiff and shiny

Pistachio Mousse
450g heavy cream
45g pistachio paste
450g milk
1/10 vanilla bean
100g egg yolks
100g sugar
10g gelatin leaves

• Whip the heavy cream until soft peak and set aside
• Combine milk,  pistachio paste, and vanilla bean seeds in a saucepan, bring to a simmer
• Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and the sugar until pale
• Once the milk mixture is ready, temper the yolk with the milk and return it back to the saucepan
• Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to 84C under low heat
• Add the gelatin and mix well
• Strain the mixture and let cool on an ice bath
• Fold in the whipped cream

Soaking syrup
40g 30°B sugar syrup -- see this recipe
20g water
25g Kirsch

• Mix all ingredients

To Assemble

• Assemble the cake upside down.
• Brush the pistachio joconde with the soaking syrup
• Place an acetate sheet in the bottom of a sheet pan and place the cake rings on top
• Pipe some pistachio mousse
• Place the blackberry mousse in the center
• Pipe more mousse almost to the top of the ring
• Place the pistachio joconde at the top, pushing it down slightly so that it is the same level with the mousse.
• Freeze overnight and unmold (the bottom is now the top part)
• Glaze with neutral glaze and decorate with blackberry and pistachio pieces

Recipe below makes about 4 mini cakes using oval cake rings,
adapted from Le goût authentique retrouvé by Hidemi Sugino
(note: methodology below was inferred since I don't read Japanese, so feel free to modify any step you deem appropriate)

Décor:

18g dark chocolate
6g vegetable oil
5 to 6 tsp mirror gel



1. Biscuit joconde sans beurre au café:
Combine almond flour, icing sugar and instant coffee. Beat in egg yolks and whites one at a time till mixture till completely emulsified and pales. Make french meringue till soft peaks form (do not over beat till stiff peaks). Fold a bit of the meringue into almond batter. Fold in cake flour, then remaining meringue. Spread batter into parchment lined 25 x 20cm cake pan and bake at 230C for 4 to 5 minutes. Once cooled, cut out 8 pieces of joconde with oval cake rings.

2. Mousse au café:
To make crème anglaise au café, bring milk & coffee to boil, remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Whisk egg yolk with sugar till pale yellow. Whisking constantly, pour half of the hot milk into egg mixture to temper it. Pour tempered mixture back into remaining milk. Cook, stirring constantly until cream coats back of metal spoon and a finger drawn through leaves a clean stable line. Remove cream from heat and pour it through a sieve into mixing bowl set over an ice-water bath. Cover cooled cream with plastic film and refridgerate until chilled.
Soak gelatin sheets in cold water till it blooms. Melt gelatin over bain marie and add to crème anglaise au café, mixing well. Fold in whipped cream. Fold in cognac.

3. Sirop d'imbibage: Mix all 3 ingredients together and set aside.

4. Mousse au caramel:

For the crème caramel, bring creme fraiche & vanilla bean to a boil. Remove pod. Boil sugar & glucose till it starts to turn dark amber. Take if off the heat, pour in cream immediately, whisking continuously till it is well incorporated. Cool over ice water.
For the pâté à bombe, place sirop à 30°B in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Beat yolks slightly in mixer bowl to break them up. Increase the speed to medium high and slowly pour the hot syrup over the yolks.
Dissolve the gelatin over bain marie and add it to the pate a bombe. Continue to whisk until the mass is completely cold and airy. Fold in whipped cream, fold in Cognac.

5. Décor: Melt dark chocolate over bain marie. Add vegetable oil and mix well.

6. Assembly:
Ensure cake rings are well covered at the base with cling wrap. Pour mousse au café into cake ring till slightly less than half way. Place 1 piece of joconde into each cake ring on top of the mousse au café. Leave to set in refridgerator. Once set, brush half of the sirop d'imbibage on the first layer of joconde. Pour mousse au caramel on top of the joconde till just slightly short of the top of cake ring. Place second layer of joconde on top of the mousse au caramel. Brush remaining sirop d'imbibage on the second layer of joconde. Wrap top of cake rings with cling wrap and leave to set in refridgerator. Once set, flip over cake rings so that the mousse au café is at the top. Brush top with dark chocolate decor and leave to set for a few minutes. Pour mirror gel over the top, smoothing out with a spatula. Remove from cake ring.

Ambre Noix

A simple sliced entremet with a biscuit au noix as the base building up two layers of mousse au chocolat au lait followed by mousse au caramel with a layer of biscuit joconde au chocolat sandwiched in between, The cake is then robed with later of caramel glaze and a piece of toasted and lightly candied walnut.

A very simple piece but so full of earthy richness in the taste but in a non-obtrusive manner. Richness can sometimes be overwhelming and jarring but we had none of that in Ambre Noix. The bits of caramelised walnut nougatine embedded within the lower milk chocolate mousse layer, together with the toasted walnut decor on top added a lovely crunchy textural dimension against the smooth and coaxing textures of the mousse. And the aroma… boy o boy the aroma from the toasted nuts just linger on and on in the mouth and up the nasal cavity.

Tartelette au Caramel タルトレット • オ • キャラメル

Again, a piece with a very simple composition but incredibly delicious. Using pate sucree as a base, the perfectly baked sweet pastry crust is filled with an assortment of toasted nuts like almond, hazelnuts and walnuts, as well as dried fruit like apricot, raisins and cherries, mixed with Crème Caramel. This is minimally but elegantly decorated with a perfect quenelle of of Crème Chantilly.

The flavours are really beautiful as they have been pushed to the extremes. The caramel sauce exudes a rather prominent profile of bitterness and that actually helped to accentuate the nutty aroma of the assortment and innate sweetness of the dried fruit used. Also used to balance the sweetness is the snow powder which had been dusted around the perimeter as well as the quenelle of pastry cream on top.


One would notice that there are two Silician green pistachios being used partly as decor for the colour contrast provided by their their alluring emerald green and partly to add variety to the melange of nuts used. They stand out quite prominently against an almost dark amberish background, like what the very light dusting of cocoa powder does to the cream quenelle. Subtley in details that goes a long way…

Ambroisie アンブロワジー

The one piece which everyone is dying to try at Hidemi Sugino’s. It is the most expensive cake in the display but being the most popular, it is always the fastest to sell outm usually within one hour from the shop’s opening. It is a multi-component petite gateau, starting off with a biscuit joconde au chocolat as the base to provide support for mousse au chocolat noir which has layers of framboise pepins, biscuit au pistaches and a mousse a la pistache in between. The whole piece is then robed with a glacage au chocolat and decorated with some chocolate pieces and gold leaf.

Not wanting to risk sounding too cliche, the whole piece for me was an explosion yet perfect balance of flavours with components seemingly very diverse, i.e. sourish hues from the raspberry conserve against the gentle sweetness from the mousse layers as well as the dark intensity of the chocolate mirror glaze but maintained a wonderful harmony with one another. Many people have claimed this as the best chocolate cake they had ever eaten and I cannot disagree. The overall experience was a sense of being luxurious, elegant and pleasingly smooth. Very fine pastry making indeed and well worth the ¥740 we spent on it. But of course we didn’t just stop as just one.

Recipe below makes 8 individual cakes using 6-cm cake rings & dome molds

Ingredients:

Method:

1. For the butter génoise
Preheat over to 180 C. Hand-whisk eggs and sugar over bain marie till mixture reaches 40 C. Using an electrical whisk, beat eggs and sugar on high speed till fluffy and peaks form. Fold flour into egg mixture in 3 batches. Be careful not to overmix. Melt butter over bain marie, add a scoop of egg & flour mixture and mix well. Fold mixture back into remaining egg & flour mixture and fold gently till batter surface is uniformly shiny. Pour into 9-inch round cake tin and bake for 18 mins. Let cool before cutting into small 5-cm rounds placed at the bottom of lined 6-cm cake rings.

2. For the baileys milk chocolate mousse
Beat whipping cream on medium speed till soft peak forms, set aside. Soak gelatin sheet in cold water for a few minutes till it blooms. Melt gelatin sheet over bain marie, then add 1 teaspoon of whipped cream and mix well. Keep gelatin mixture over bain marie. Melt milk couverture over bain marie. When its fully melted, fold in 1/3 whipped cream, then add in gelatin mixture and mix well. Fold in remaining 2/3 whipped cream into mixture, then gently mix in baileys. Pour mousse into lined cake rings over butter génoise. Leave for about 2 hours in refrigerator till set.

3. For the earl grey mousse
Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for a few minutes till it blooms. Prepare earl grey milk by boiling earl grey leaves and milk in a small sauce pan. Cover sauce pan for 5 minutes after boiling to intensify tea flavor in the milk Strain leaves and ensure there is 80g of earl grey milk for the mousse. Boil prepared earl grey milk and whipping cream together. Whisk egg yolk and caster sugar till frothy, then pour in 1/3 of earl grey mixture and mix well. Pour egg mixture back into remaining 2/3 earl grey mixture and boil, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens slightly. Add gelatin leaves and mix well. Pour mousse into 8 pieces of 6-cm dome molds and leave for about 2 hours in refrigerator till set.

4. Assembly
Remove baileys milk chocolate mousse from cake rings (using hot towel or flame torch). Gently remove earl grey mousse from dome molds (by carefully dipping bottom of molds in hot water, taking care not to allow water into the mousse) and place each dome on top of each baileys milk chocolate mousse layer. Wrap exterior of individual cakes with dark chocolate, leaving top of dome layer visible. Top with dark chocolate decoration if desired.