Chocolate Orange Cake

Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe

➡️Ingredients - Sponge cake with poppy seeds

6 eggs

180 g sugar

150 g flour

50 g corn starch

40 g poppy seeds

➡️Ingredients - Chocolate orange cream

1 or 2 yolks

400 ml double cream

5 sheets of gelatin

200 g mixed chocolate

( I used

1/3 - 80% Panama

1/3 - Orange 65%

1/3 - white chocolate )

325 ml of fresh orange juice (juice from 3 large oranges)

3 teaspoons orange peel (from 1 orange)

3 tablespoons orange liqueur (Cointreau)

➡️Ingredients - Orange syrup

300 ml water

150 gr sugar

3 tablespoons orange liqueur

6-8 tablespoons boiled coffee

➡️Ingredients - Meringues

100 g egg white

100 g granulated sugar

100 g powdered sugar

a pinch of salt

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How to make the sponge?

1. Preheat your oven at 170C/338F/Gas mark 3.

2. Start by mixing the eggs together with the sugar until they triple in volume and become light in color.

3. Bring in the flour with the starch, pass them through a sieve, then gradually add them to the eggs and mix carefully from the bottom up.

4. After the flour and starch are perfectly incorporated, add the poppy seeds and mix it with great care, from bottom to top.

5. Line a 26 cm round cake pan with parchment paper, transfer the batter in the pan and bake 20-25 minutes.

6. Do not open the oven in the first 15 minutes. I advise you not to open it at all. It is ready when it is golden and has come off the edge of the form.

7. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool in the pan and then turn it over on a grill.

8. When completely cooled, carefully cut it into three equal sheets.
   

How to make the orange syrup?

1. Boil water with sugar for 5 minutes.

2. When the sugar is completely melted, turn off the heat and add 2-3 tbs of orange liqueur and 6-8 tablespoons of freshly brewed coffee.

3. Set aside to cool.
   

How to make the orange cream?

1. Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes.

2. Place a small pan on low heat. Add in the juice from 3 large oranges, orange liqueur and orange peel. Let it become hot.

3. Drain the gelatine sheets and bring them over in the pan. Mix until dissolved. Set aside for a later use.

4. In a bowl, mix the whole egg and yolks in a bain marie until you get a thick foam and set aside.

5. Separately, melt the chocolate in a bain marie (pay attention to the quality of the chocolate used. If it is not good quality, it can harden).

6. Add the melted chocolate over the mixed eggs, stir a little, add the hot orange juice and mix quickly using a balloon whisk.

7. Next, pour the cream in a a tall bowl and using an electric mixer begin to whisk until soft peaks form.

8. Bring in the chocolate mix and whisk until well combined.

Cake assembly

1. Place the first cake sheet in a cake ring, spread the syrup in abundance and add 1/3 of the orange cream.

2. Repeat this process.

3. Refrigerate 2-3 hours so the cake will set.

4. Remove the cake ring and using the remaing cream, cover the whole cake.

5. Use coconut flakes to cover the edges and place the meringues on the entire surface of the cake or mix it up with your favourite chocolates.

How to make the meringues?

1. Mix the fresh egg whites, at room temperature, with the caster sugar and salt until they harden, then gradually add the powdered sugar and mix again until you get a meringue with a solid consistency.

2. Place a large round nozzle into a piping bag and using a spatula, put the meringue in the bag. On a lined baking tray, pipe small round meringue blobs in lines until you have used up the mixture.

3. Bake them in a preheated oven at 100C/212F/Gas mark 1/4 for 30-45 minutes.

4. Turn off the oven, open the door and let them dry and cool completely in the oven.

Hope you enjoy!