A very light and refreshing cake perfect for the summer. Recipe adapted from tartine
Classic genoise (make one 9-inch cake)
4 large eggs, around 200g
100g sugar
60g unsalted butter
1tsp vanilla essence
100g cake flour
Lime Syrup
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. water
Lime zest, grated from 3 limes
1/2 c. lime juice (around 6 limes)
3 tbsp contreu
Bavarian Cream
2/3 c. passion fruit purée
2 large egg yolks
1/3 c. sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 t. unflavored gelatin
2 T. water
1 1/2 c. heavy cream, very cold
Topping1 1/2 c. heavy cream, very cold
1 1/2 T. icing sugar
1 c. unsweetened large-flake dried coconut
Make 2 classic genoise - slice each into 2 to have 4 layers & use only 3
Preheat oven to 175C fan with rack at bottom.
Prepare pan with parchment at botttom, by buttering and flouring the bottom & sides.
Prepare clarified butter by heating butter in small saucepan till milk solids drop to the bottom. Pour through a fine sieve into medium sized bowl to remove the solids. Add vanilla to this and leave aside to keep warm.
In a large mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water, heat the eggs and sugar until just lukewarm, whisking constantly.
Place the bowl on your stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment and whip it until very thick and tripled in volume. This will take about 5 minutes on high, followed by 3 minutes on medium and 1 minute on low to stablise the bubbles. While the whipping is happening, sift the flour.
Remove about 3/4 cup egg mixture and whisk in the warm-and-liquid beurre noisette.
Sift half the flour mixture over the remaining eggs and fold in gently with large ballon whisk.
Repeat with rest of flour, then fold in the butter mixture.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until the cake is golden brown and the cake starts to shrink away from the sides of the pan a bit. This should take 20-30 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan and turn it out on a rack to cool upright. When ready to use, trim top and bottom crusts
To make the lime syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan and bring to boil, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and chill until cool to the touch, about 30 minutes. Whisk the lime zest and juice & liquer into the syrup.
To make the Bavarian cream:
Pour water to a depth of about 2 inches into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, passion fruit juice, and salt in a stainless-steel bowl that will rest securely in the rim of the saucepan over, not touching the water. Whisk together and then place over the saucepan and continue to whisk until the whites are hot to the touch (120F), about 7 minutes. This is thebombe.
Meanwhile, in a small dish, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand for a few minutes to soften. When thebombe is ready add the gelatin and whisk well to dissolve. Remove the bowl from over the hot water and whisking to cool the mixture evenly.
In a mixing bowl, whip the cream with a whisk or a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until it holds medium-stiff peaks. Scoop about one-third of the cream into the bombe and whisk together to lighten the bombe. Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
To assemble
Fit 1 cake layer into the bottom of 9inch cake ring. Moisten the layer evenly with 6-8tbsp of lime syrup.
Pour half of the cream onto the first layer of cake. Top with the second layer, being careful as the filling is very liquid. Brush this layer with half of the remaining lime syrup and then immediately pour the remaining Bavarian cream over it. Carefully top with the last layer and moisten it with the remaining lime syrup.
Cover with clingfilm and chill in refrigerate overnight or in freezer for 2-3hrs.
When you are ready to finish the cake, remove the cake ring.
To make the topping, using the mixer or a whisk, whip the cream until thickened. Add the sugar and whip until the cream holds soft peaks. Using an offset spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake with the whipped cream, and then sprinkle the top and sides with the coconut. Return the cake to the refrigerator for about 2 hours before serving to allow the coconut flakes to absorb the moisture from the cream and soften.
Serve the cake cold. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Serves: 12-16
