Advanced Baking: Cranberry & Orange Christmas Entremet with White Chocolate Mirror Glaze

Instructions

1. Instructions
2. 1. Make the Orange Chiffon Cake
3. 2. preheat oven to 375°F, and line the bottom of your cake pans with parchment paper. (this recipe enough for 2 Entremets)
4. 3. Separate your eggs, adding 3 yolks to a large mixing bowl, and egg whites into your stand mixer bowl. Set the whites aside.
5. 4. Add 20 g of granulated sugar, salt, canola oil, fresh orange juice, and the grated orange zest.
6. 5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and milk powder.
7. 6. Sift the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
8. 7. Get your stand mixer bowl with the egg whites, place it on your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and whisk the egg whites on low speed just until foamy. Add in cream of tartar and continue whisking over low speed until soft peaks form.
9. 8. Add in the sugar gradually and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
10. 9. Gently fold this meringue into the batter in 3 batches, mix gently using a balloon whisk, then fold gently using a rubber spatula until well mixed.
11. 10. Pour the batter slowly into the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly with an offset spatula, then drop the baking pan onto the countertop a few times (to pop any large air bubbles).
12. 11. Bake at 375°F for 12 – 15 minutes, until the cake is golden brown.
13. 12. While the cake is still hot, flip the cake out of the pan onto a wire rack, and set aside to cool completely. (Wash the pan to use for the next step)
14. 13. Make the Candied Walnut Praline
15. 14. While the cake is cooling, reduce the oven temperature to 350F
16. 15. Line your baking tray with parchment paper.
17. 16. Spread the walnuts out in a single layer on the prepared baking tray and bake for 5 – 10 minutes, until just toasted and slightly more browned (don’t overdo it, nothing worse than burnt nuts!). Set aside to cool.
18. 17. Add ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar into a small-medium stainless steel saucepan and shake slightly to level the sugar evenly on the bottom of the pan. Slowly drizzle 1 tbs water all around the sugar. Let it sit for a minute to hydrate the sugar.
19. 18. While you are waiting, sprinkle the baking soda over the cooled walnuts in the pan (these should still be on the parchment paper). Set aside to use after the sugar melts.
20. 19. For the sugar, turn the heat on very low and let the sugar melt and come to a bubble without touching or moving it. Let it continue melting until it’s a very light amber color.
21. 20. Remove from the heat.
22. 21. Grab the sides of the baking paper with the walnuts and the baking soda and tip the walnuts and baking soda into the caramel. Stir it immediately, it will bubble, don’t be afraid of it.
23. 22. Place the parchment paper back on the tray, to be ready for the next step.
24. 23. Coat the walnuts in the caramel, stirring gently.
25. 24. Tip the praline out onto the parchment-lined tray. Spread out the walnut praline with your spoon and let it cool completely to set.
26. 25. Make the Cake Soak, Orange Simple Syrup
27. 26. In a small sauce pan, add 1 cup (200 g) sugar, 1 cup (240 ml) water and bring to a boil.
28. 27. Add the juice of one orange or 2 tsp orange blossom water and stir. Remove from heat.
29. 28. Set aside.
30. 29. Make the Cranberry Orange Jelly
31. 30. Line one of your 8 inch cake pans with clear cling film, completely covering the bottom and sides with one piece of cling film.
32. 31. In a heavy saucepan, combine ¾ cup water, 2 tbsp orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier (or substitute orange blossom water), 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 whole oranges (cut in half), and 1 bag (12 oz) fresh (or frozen) whole cranberries.
33. 32. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the cranberries burst and are very soft, at least 10 minutes total (or use a candy thermometer and cook mixture to 210 to 215 degrees). The mixture should be reduced and thickened, like a very loose jam.
34. 33. Pour this mixture into a sifter or sieve over a large bowl and strain out all the solids, pressing all the cranberries and oranges against the sifter/sieve to release all of the juices.
35. 34. While this is draining/straining, put 2 tbsp cold water into a small bowl, and sprinkle 1 packet (7 g) gelatin over the top of the water, and mix to get all the gelatin wet. Set aside for 5 minutes to bloom.
36. 35. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan.
37. 36. Return the liquid to a simmer (almost boil) and remove from the heat.
38. 37. Into the hot liquid, add the bloomed gelatin, and stir until the gelatin is melted and dissolved completely.
39. 38. Once dissolved, pour the liquid into the plastic wrap-lined cake pan, the liquid should be only ½ inch to ¾ inch thick. (Save any leftover jelly for a delicious Turkey Sandwich spread!)
40. 39. Carefully place the jelly into the refrigerator, and chill on a flat surface until the jelly has solidified.
41. 40. Once it’s completely set, gently cover the top with plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
42. 41. When ready to assemble:
43. 42. Using your 6-inch cake ring, cut a 6-inch circle of cake, and set aside, wrap in cling film until ready to use.
44. 43. Using your 6-inch cake ring, cut a 6-inch circle of jelly. Remove the outer ‘extra’ jelly, cover the circle with cling film and freeze the 6-inch circle of jelly until solid.
45. 44. Brush the top of the cake with orange simple syrup.
46. 45. Make the Cranberry Orange Mousse when ready to assemble:
47. 46. Place 1 bag of cranberries, 12 ounces, in a large saucepan.
48. 47. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 2 large oranges, cut in half, and squeeze the juice into the pan with the berries.
49. 48. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until cranberries have burst, and the mixture has a thick jam-like consistency.
50. 49. Remove from the heat, and add 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier (or substitute orange blossom water) and stir to combine.
51. 50. Using a sifter or sieve, strain all solids, removing the oranges and throwing solids away.
52. 51. Let this puree cool, must be cold or at least room temperature.
53. 52. When the puree is cool, put 2 tbsp cold water into a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the top of the water, and mix to get all the gelatin wet. Set aside for 5 minutes to bloom.
54. 53. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, pour 2 cups (480 g) heavy whipping cream
55. 54. Whip cream to stiff peaks.
56. 55. Microwave the small bowl of bloomed gelatin, on ‘defrost’ or low, until gelatin is melted. (do not overheat, zap it for 10-second increments until melted)
57. 56. Pour the jam into a large bowl.
58. 57. Add the melted gelatin to the cranberry-orange puree.
59. 58. Add half of the whipped cream to cranberry orange puree, and fold until incorporated.
60. 59. Add the rest of the whipped cream, and fold until completely combined and no streaks remain.
61. 60. Place all of the mousse into a very large piping bag with a 1M large plain tip.
62. 61. Place your silicone mold onto a small cookie sheet or half-sheet baking sheet and clear a space in your freezer where this sheet can sit unobstructed.
63. 62. Using your filled piping bag, pipe a thick layer of mousse into the silicone mold. (Depending on the thickness of your cake, and the thickness of your mold, you might need to do a double layer of mousse)
64. 63. Onto this layer, add the frozen jelly ring, and then fill in the gap and cover with more mousse.
65. 64. Sprinkle a layer of the walnut praline on top of the mousse.
66. 65. If your silicone is deep enough, you could add more mousse on top of the walnut praline.
67. 66. Add your cake ring (syrup/soak side DOWN into the mousse) on top, and this should meet the edge of your silicone mold.
68. 67. Using your piping bag, fill in the gaps with more mousse.
69. 68. Gently pick up the tray with your silicone mold about 1 inch off the counter, and drop it to help settle the mousse to avoid any gaps in your filling. You can do this once or twice, gently.
70. 69. Press the cake into the mold, and if any mousse come up the sides, use an offset spatula to clean off the edges. It should be flush with the silicone mold. Add more mousse if there is a gap.
71. 70. Place this into the freezer, and leave at least 4 hours, but better if overnight.
72. 71. Keep completely frozen until ready to glaze.
73. 72. Make the Mirror Glaze
74. 73. Make sure you have a completely frozen cake
75. 74. Demold carefully, avoiding any dings or dents, smoothing carefully if needed. Any imperfections will show in the final result.
76. 75. Once your cake is ready, begin to prepare the mirror glaze.
77. 76. In a medium bowl, place 350 grams (or 3 ¼ of the 4 oz bars) of chopped white chocolate.
78. 77. In a separate small bowl, put 4 tbsp cold water and sprinkle 2 packets (14 g) gelatin over the top of the water, and mix to get all the gelatin wet. Set aside for 5 minutes to bloom.
79. 78. In a large saucepan, heat ½ cup (150 grams) water, 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar, and 2/3 cup (200 grams) of condensed milk.
80. 79. When the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid is hot, turn off the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin.
81. 80. Pour this mixture over the chocolate.
82. 81. Wait about 5 minutes for the chocolate to melt. Using an immersion blender (or a hand mixer on low) blend this mixture until smooth. Into your measuring pitcher, pour this glaze mixture and allow it to cool, gently stirring every so often to prevent a film from forming on top, trying to avoid any bubbles.
83. 82. Set this aside, let cool to about 92°F (33°C).
84. 83. When the glaze is between 90°F and 94°F (32°C – 34°C), it is ready to be poured over the cake.
85. 84. Pour the glaze over the frozen cake, in a circular motion from the center out to the sides.
86. 85. Allow the glaze to chill on the cake for a few minutes
87. 86. Transfer the cake to a serving dish or a cake base, and then chill in the refrigerator.
88. 87. Optional Sugared Cranberries, for decoration
89. 88. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar to a boil.
90. 89. Remove from heat.
91. 90. Pour the fresh (not frozen) cranberries into the syrup and let sit for a couple of minutes. (this will help you notice any berries that are soft/squishy/wrinkled. Remove them and discard.)
92. 91. Scoop out the cranberries, and place on a parchment lined cooking sheet to dry (for at least an hour or so, they’ll still be sticky but not super wet).
93. 92. Once they’re sticky (instead of wet) sprinkle and cover them with granulated sugar, tossing gently to coat them.
94. 93. They’re now ready to use as decoration, or put them in a bowl for a sweet/tart treat!
95. 94. Enjoy!