Mousse and Other Nonesuch Things.

This entry was posted in Cakes and tagged Blackberry, Glaze, Icing, Lemon, Mousse, Recipe, Sponge on June 30, 2010.

I have a few pet peeves. Ok maybe more than a few, but I won't make you labour through reading all that, so here are just a few:

Dried toothpaste in the sink. A sticky nightmare to clean off and you just know it's been in someone's mouth.

The word flimsy. It sounds too much like my own name. Call me crazy, but I don't like it.

When people mispronounce or misspell words we use everyday like supposebly for supposedly, presentating for presenting and know for no. That's no way to communicate people.

A sink filled with dirty dishes next to an empty dishwasher. No further explanation is necessary.

Soap scum. So getting clean somehow makes the shower dirty. Really? How fair is that?

Bugs. Just get your creepiness out of my house! Nobody likes you!

Fingerprints on my glasses. Call me obsessive compulsive, but I prefer to see out of those things.

When you peel the lid off an open tub of cream cheese and the last person to use it has left the metal seal on it.

That sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you experiment with a completely new recipe for the first time and you're sure something horrible is going to go wrong.

The best part is when that bad feeling is replaced by a good feeling that causes you to pump your fists in the air and jump up and down. Yeah, I love me some good feelings.

The whole afternoon I was worried about how the mousse layer would turn out in my Lemon Blackberry Mousse Sponge Cake. I'd never made a mousse layer in a cake before. It would surely be a catastrophe. I nervously opened the fridge dozens of times to check on it and I fretted over it when I gingerly poked the parchment paper with my finger. I was sure that when I peeled back that parchment paper that all heck would break loose and my mousse would come pouring out like some unstoppable force. Then I'd have to cry in a puddle of my own purple failure.

Luckily that was all in my imagination. I mean, look at it! I don't like to brag, but come on really, It's perfect! You know how much I like to make things pretty and I'm proud to say this is one of the prettiest things I've ever created. Pretty and pretty tasty to boot. Lemon Blackberry Mousse Sponge Cake

Source: My imagination.

Sponge Cake:

3 tbsp water 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 egg yolks 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup cake flour (or substitute) 5 egg whites 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Blackberry Mousse:

1 cup whipping cream 1 1/2 cup blackberries 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tbsp unflavoured gelatin

Lemon Glaze:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice Printer-Friendly Version

To Make the Sponge Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center. Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans and set them aside.

In a medium bowl with an electric mixer blend the water, vanilla, egg yolks and sugar until it gets light and fluffy. Add the flour and mix it until it's smooth.

In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and continue whipping it until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites until it's combined. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and smooth out the tops. Bake them for 20 – 25 minutes until the tops get golden brown and are springy to the touch.

Let them cool on cooling racks then pop them out. You might need to run a small knife along the edges to help the process along. If the edges are a little wonky like mine were trim off the uneven edge with a sharp knife using an upside down plate or bowl as a template. Place the bottom layer of Sponge Cake on your serving plate then wrap a ring of parchment paper snugly around it and tape the ends together to pour the mousse into. Wrap the other layer of Sponge Cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you're ready to use it.

To Make the Mousse:

In a large bowl with an electric mixer whip the cream reserved for the mousse until soft peaks form. Put it in the refrigerator to chill and use when you're ready.

In a small sauce pan on medium heat combine the blackberries and sugar. Stir it until it becomes liquid then mix in the gelatin and remove it from the heat. Let it sit for 5 minutes then fold in the chilled whipped cream.

Pour the mousse on top of the bottom layer of Sponge Cake with the prepared parchment paper edge. Allow it to chill in the refrigerator 2 - 3 hours until the top is set and no longer shiny.

Mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until there are no more lumps. Add more sugar or lemon juice to get your desired consistency for the glaze. Carefully remove the tape and peel off the parchment paper to reveal the mousse. Place the top layer of Sponge Cake on top and glaze it with the lemon glaze until the edges drip slightly. Enjoy!