Throughout the demo Chef H stressed to us the importance of timing with this cake. He set deadlines for us to have completed different components, without which I think I would have been doomed. We had one thing going for us today - we had already made the cigarette paste in our practical class the day before, so it was one less recipe to make. However, on the big exam day we will have to make that from scratch as well.
The cake is composed of a ladyfinger sponge on the bottom soaked with syrup & blood orange juice. On top of that is white chocolate bavarian cream, then a layer of flourless chocolate sponge cake and then the blood orange mousse. Holding all of it together is a joconde sponge lined with chocolate cigarette paste. Once all of it has been put together, you need to let it rest in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, otherwise it will be a soupy mess when you unmold it. I topped mine with some bubble sugar, chocolate ribbons and fresh fruit.
Count them - 3 sponge recipes, 2 cream/mousse recipes and the cigarette paste, not to mention having to temper chocolate for the decorations. What results is a whole lot of rush. The practical kitchen was a blur of students rushing back and forth for ingredients and the air was filled with shouts of "behind", "open oven" and, most of all, "CHEF!!"
In all honesty, those 2 1/2 hours are mostly a blur in my memory now too. I rushed to get everything done and was able to finish exactly on time - something I was extremely proud of... until Chef H told me I have to work faster next time. Always the same refrain: "work faster". I think that is probably my biggest weakness and will always be an ongoing battle for me in the kitchen.
Hi :D
ReplyDeleteI'm Beau, also a student of Le Cordon Bleu Bangkok (Thailand). I have seen many of your products done at school. I love how your blood orange and chocolate mousse cake is decorated. Would you mind if I ask you for the recipe of this cake? It would be so much helpful for my upcoming exam, which I got blood orange for main ingredient. Actually I have done a cake called "Passionata" which is similar to your orange + chocolate mouse cake but compositions inside the cake are different. What I realized is your menus and mine are different, so I hope we can exchange our recipes. I would be my pleasure to give if you want mine.
bowyamap_s@hotmail.com is my email, or Beau Panturat is my facebook name.
:D Thank you