Today is the beginning of the Chinese year of the Dragon. It is supposedly a very good year, since the dragon is seen as strong and lucky. I always enjoyed the Chinese New Year's Parade in San Francisco or Vancouver and this year it is probably extra beautiful with lots of colorful dragons.
For the occasion I made some Asian flavor inspired cakes. We had them for our Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. They have a crunchy layer of milk chocolate and Rice Krispies. In the middle a creamy plum-wine mousse, topped with a mango glaze. The different flavors worked really well together and we enjoyed them very much.
I wish you all a very prosperous year of the Dragon. Gung hay fat choy!
For the occasion I made some Asian flavor inspired cakes. We had them for our Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. They have a crunchy layer of milk chocolate and Rice Krispies. In the middle a creamy plum-wine mousse, topped with a mango glaze. The different flavors worked really well together and we enjoyed them very much.
I wish you all a very prosperous year of the Dragon. Gung hay fat choy!
Mango - Plum Wine Cakes
(adapted from "Der süße Lafer" by Johann Lafer)
for a square baking pan
80 g milk chocolate
50 g Rice Krispies
4 egg yolks
70 g sugar
140 ml Chinese plum wine
4 sheets of gelatin
280 ml whipping cream
250 g mango puree
juice of 1/2 lime
3 sheets of gelatin
1 mango, cut in pieces to decorate
Put a square baking pan or baking frame (20x24-cm /8x10-inch) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate over a water bath. Stir in the Rice Krispies and combine. Spread the mixture evenly into the cake frame. Let cool for about 15 minutes until set.
Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar over a hot water bath until creamy, add the plum wine and keep whisking until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the gelatin sheets into the mixture and stir until dissolved.
Take of the heat and keep whisking over an ice bath until the mixture is cooled down. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and fold into the egg yolk mixture as soon as it starts to set. Pour on top of the Rice Krispies layer and smooth with an offset spatula. Put in the fridge for about an hour.
For the mango glaze first soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for about 3 minutes. Mix the lime juice and the mango puree together. Let the gelatin dissolve in a small pot over low heat. Add a few tablespoons of the mango puree. Then add the gelatin mixture to the remaining mango puree. Pour over the cake and let cool for another hour.
Cut the cake in slices and decorate with some mango pieces. Serve together with the remaining mango pieces.
Melt the chocolate over a water bath. Stir in the Rice Krispies and combine. Spread the mixture evenly into the cake frame. Let cool for about 15 minutes until set.
Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar over a hot water bath until creamy, add the plum wine and keep whisking until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the gelatin sheets into the mixture and stir until dissolved.
Take of the heat and keep whisking over an ice bath until the mixture is cooled down. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and fold into the egg yolk mixture as soon as it starts to set. Pour on top of the Rice Krispies layer and smooth with an offset spatula. Put in the fridge for about an hour.
For the mango glaze first soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for about 3 minutes. Mix the lime juice and the mango puree together. Let the gelatin dissolve in a small pot over low heat. Add a few tablespoons of the mango puree. Then add the gelatin mixture to the remaining mango puree. Pour over the cake and let cool for another hour.
Cut the cake in slices and decorate with some mango pieces. Serve together with the remaining mango pieces.
Enjoy and Guten Appetit!
