The cake that awakens childhood memories
Recipe for popping candy cake
Our version of Heston Blumenthal’s Popping Candy Cake. The cake requires a sharp hand and precision, but we promise it’s worth it.
Servings: Portions
Popping candy cake
The cake that awakens childhood memories
Ingredients
- 100 gram Popping candy
- 85 gram Hazelnuts
- 40 gram Milk Chocolate
- 10 gram Ground ginger
- 370 gram Dark chocolate 350 g for the mousse and 20 g for the glaze
- 400 gram Cream
- 2 pinches Coarse salt
- 120 gram Water
- 8 Whole coffee beans
- 30 gram Cocoa powder
Instructions
For the crust:
- Roast the hazelnuts in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes.
- Blend the hazelnuts into a puree using a food processor and set aside.
- Melt the milk chocolate over a water bath. Stir in ground ginger and popping candy into the chocolate, then fold the blended hazelnut puree into the chocolate.
- Place a cake ring (12 cm) on a serving dish and gently press the crust mixture into the mold to a height of about 1 cm.
- Chill the crust for at least 2 hours.
- Finely chop 350 grams of dark chocolate and set aside.
- Bring 150 ml of cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir gently until the chocolate has melted into the cream. Add a pinch of salt.
- Let the chocolate mixture cool to room temperature, then whip 250 ml of cream to soft peaks. (Be careful not to over whip the cream)
- Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, ensuring not to knock out the air.
- Pour the chocolate mousse over the crust and chill again for at least 2 hours.
- Finely chop 20 grams of dark chocolate and set aside.
- Pour 120 ml of water into a saucepan, along with the 8 whole coffee beans and a pinch of salt.
- Whisk 30 grams of cocoa powder into the saucepan and let it simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- In another saucepan, melt 70 grams of sugar over medium heat until it caramelizes, keeping a close eye on it to avoid burning.
- Pour the caramelized sugar into the saucepan with water, coffee beans, salt, and cocoa. Be careful, as it will bubble and sizzle. Stir until the sugar mixture is dissolved.
- Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted.
- Strain the glaze through a fine mesh sieve.
- Let the glaze cool, keeping a close eye on it so it remains pourable when poured over the cake. It takes about 1 hour for the glaze to cool down.
- Pour the glaze over the cake and return it to the fridge.
- Before serving, release the cake from the ring using a hot knife.
- Cut the cake with a hot knife for easier slicing.
Notes
I chose to play a bit with the shape and used a silicone mold.
In this case, I started with the mousse and put it in the fridge.
Then I made the crust.
To get the cake out of the mold, I placed it in the freezer for at least 4 hours; otherwise, it would be hard to remove.
I placed the cake on a small box before pouring the glaze over it.
I let it drip off before lifting it onto my cake stand.
In this case, I started with the mousse and put it in the fridge.
Then I made the crust.
To get the cake out of the mold, I placed it in the freezer for at least 4 hours; otherwise, it would be hard to remove.
I placed the cake on a small box before pouring the glaze over it.
I let it drip off before lifting it onto my cake stand.
