The January 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog accro. She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert.
My first challenge as a baker. I think I did it pretty well. At least now.
Let’s start with the given recipe and then I’ll tell you my notes.
Joconde Sponge
YIELD: Two ½ size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan
Ingredients:
¾ cup/ 180 ml/ 3oz/ 85g almond flour/meal – *You can also use hazelnut flour, just omit the butter
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/ 150 ml/ 2⅔ oz/ 75g confectioners’ (icing) sugar
¼ cup/ 60 ml/ 1 oz/ 25g cake flour *See note below
3 large eggs – about 5⅓ oz/ 150g
3 large egg whites – about 3 oz/ 90g
2½ teaspoons/ 12½ ml/ ⅓ oz/ 10g white granulated sugar or superfine (caster) sugar
2 tablespoons/ 30 ml/ 1oz / 30g unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
1. In a clean mixing bowl whip the egg whites and white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Reserve in a separate clean bowl to use later.
2. Sift almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, cake flour. (This can be done into your dirty egg white bowl)
3. On medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix until smooth and light. (If using a stand mixer use blade attachment. If hand held a whisk attachment is fine, or by hand. )
4. Fold in one third reserved whipped egg whites to almond mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in remaining whipped egg whites. Do not over mix.
5. Fold in melted butter.
6. Reserve batter to be used later.
Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste
YIELD: Two ½ size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan
Ingredients
14 tablespoons/ 210ml/ 7oz/ 200g unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups plus1½ tablespoons/ 385ml/ 7oz/ 200g Confectioners’ (icing) sugar
7 large egg whites – about 7 oz / 200g
1¾ cup/ 420ml/ 7¾ oz/ 220g cake flour
Food coloring gel, paste or liquid
COCOA Décor Paste Variation: Reduce cake flour to 6 oz / 170g. Add 2 oz/ 60 g cocoa powder. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together before adding to creamed mixture.
Directions:
1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use stand mixer with blade, hand held mixer, or by hand)
2. Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously.
3. Fold in sifted flour.
4. Tint batter with coloring to desired color, if not making cocoa variation.
My notes:
First time I made this biscuit I followed all the instructions and it was a 100% disaster. I tried it again yesterday and this is how I made it
-make the Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste first. If you make the Joconde Sponge first by the time you finish the patterned paste and freeze it the sponge collapses. Now, the recipe given yields too much paste so I had to cut the ingredients
* if you decide to make this cake use a scale that measures in grams, I don’t have the equivalents in cups or ounces to most of the ingredients
I started by creaming 5 tbsp soften butter with 65 gr confectioners’ sugar.
Add 3 whites, one at a time. Mix well after each addition.
If using cocoa to color the paste use 60 gr cake flour and 15 gr cocoa sifter 2-3 times together or 75 gr cake flour.
Mix well.
Using a pastry bag make some prints on parchment paper for a 11 X 17″ jelly roll pan. If the batter hardens put the bag under running hot water for 1-2 minutes (don’t forget to twist the tip).
Place the pan into the freezer and keep at least 30 minutes until the paste is well frozen.
When the paste is frozen turn the oven on at 475F.
Now it’s time to make the Joconde Sponge
In a bowl sift together 85 gr almond flour, 75 gr confectioners’ sugar and 25 gr cake flour.
Since the sponge required for 3 egg whites and I already had 3 left from the paste, instead of using 3 eggs as in the given recipe I substituted them with the 6 egg yolks.
When done sifting add the 6 egg yolks, one at a time mixing well after each addition.
When all the egg yolks are mixed in leave the batter side.
In a clean bowl whip 3 egg whites with 10 gr granulated sugar until stiff.
Add them to the yolk batter in 3 addition.
In the end add 3 tbsp butter melted but cooled.
Pour the sponge over the frozen paste and bake for 6-8 minutes. Keep a close eye on the oven. It easily gets burn.
After baking, remove the pan from the oven, let it cool slightly and sprinkle confectioners’ sugar all over.
Flip the pan and remove the parchment paper.
Cut the bottom for a 8″ springform pan and the sides. Don’t use a 9″ pan, you don’t have enough biscuit. Make sure the pattern is on the outside !!!
At this point you can fill it as you wish.
I used a two tone chocolate cheesecake and white chocolate mousse.
For the two tone chocolate cheesecake I mixed 2 X 8oz packages cream cheese with 6 oz melted milk chocolate
Add 1 X 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk.
Mix well.
Now, take half of the chocolate cheesecake and place it on a bowl.
Add 6 oz of melted dark chocolate to remaining cheesecake.
Start filling the cake adding 2 tbsp milk chocolate cheesecake, 2 tbsp dark chocolate cheesecake. Keep doing the same way until the cheesecakes run out. At this point I ran out of power so mind the flash photo.
Place the cake the the fridge until the cheesecake sets. Mine was until today since I was without power.
Today I made the white chocolate mousse.
In a small pot heat 1/2 cup cup heavy cream. Pour it over 6 oz white chocolate and stir until chocolate melts.
Keep stirring until the mixture cools and thickens.
In your mixing bowl whip 1 cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks.
Add a little whipped cream to chocolate mixture and stir.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the whipped cream and slowly mix.
Fill the rest of the cake with the mousse.
Place the cake back in the fridge and chill. Decorate as you wish.
Enjoy when chilled.
Biscuit Joconde Imprime / Entrement
Joconde paste
5 tbsp soft butter
65 gr confectioners’ sugar
3 egg whites
60 gr cake flour**
15 gr cocoa*
*if you don’t want to use cocoa replace it with 15 gr cake flour and add some food color to the batter
**make your own cake flour by replacing 25 gr out of 1 cup of flour with 25 gr cornstarch sifting several times
Directions
1. In your mixer bowl cream the butter with sugar
2. Add the egg whites one by one mixing after each addition
3. Add the cake flour sifted with cocoa, if using, and mix well
4. Using a pastry bag make some prints on parchment paper for a 11 X 17″ jelly roll pan. If the batter hardens put the bag under running hot water for 1-2 minutes (don’t forget to twist the tip)
5. Place the pan into the freezer and keep at least 30 minutes until the paste is well frozen
6. When the paste is frozen turn the oven on at 475F.
Joconde Sponge
85 gr almond flour
25 gr cake flour
75 gr confectioners’ sugar
6 egg yolks
3 egg whites
10 gr granulated sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
Directions
1. In a bowl sift together 85 gr almond flour, 75 gr confectioners’ sugar and 25 gr cake flour.
2. Add the 6 egg yolks, one at a time mixing well after each addition.
3. In a clean bowl whip 3 egg whites with 10 gr granulated sugar until stiff.
4. Add them to the yolk batter in three addition.
5. In the end add the melted butter
6. Pour the sponge over the frozen paste and bake for 6-8 minutes. Keep a close eye on the oven. It easily gets burn.
7. After baking, remove the pan from the oven, let it cool slightly and sprinkle confectioners’ sugar all over.
8. Flip the pan and remove the parchment paper.
9. Cut the bottom for a 8″ springform pan and the sides. Don’t use a 9″ pan, you don’t have enough biscuit. Make sure the pattern is on the outside !!!
10. At this moment you can fill it as you wish.
Thank for Astheroshe for this challenge and thank you all for reading. Looking forward to next challenge.
As usual,
Roxana
Hi! I'm Roxana, busy mom and wife. I'm a self-taught baker, wanna-be photographer and the writer behind this blog. Keep up with my baking adventures by
subscribing via email
{ 65 comments… read them below or add one }
So far…yours is THE BEST THAT I SAW TODAY!
Amazing, stunning, and simply masterpiece!
thank you Sandra. It's been a long day since we were without power. I really thought it's going to collapse over night.
Woooow! You are one patient Gringarl! It looks FANTASTIC!
Beautiful job! It's a good idea for St Valentine's day!
Wow your cake looks gorgeous! I love the filling you used
What a remarkable achievement – your cake is absolutely beautiful.
Mandy
Wish I could have a slice.
Your cake is beautiful and I too wish I could have a slice! It looks yummy.
Great instructions too.
Absolutely gorgeous and welcome to the Daring Bakers! I heart your joconde imprime
Oh my gosh. That is absolutely heavenly. I can't believe it's the first time you made this thing. You did an incredible job. You're making that for my birthday, right? WOW. I mean it. White chocolate mousse? The more I read, the better it got!
Roxane…U ARE THE BEST!!!…I wish I could have a slice….oh it looks utterly butterly yummy dear…u did an awesome job….this is definitely a master piece and I am going to share this on my FB page…U deserve it and the world needs to see it.
Wow! You did such a great job. It looks absolutely beautiful and delicious too.
You are amazing!!!! Wow!!! I wish I had the time to try this. It looks like so much fun!! You did excellently, must share!
Beautiful job…I love the heart design. The filling looks just wonderful.
Roxana, I love this. I love the heart design. I like how you scaled down the recipe. You did a great job, I want a huge piece. Hope you have a gret weekend.
-Gina-
OMG! Roxana, this is AMAZING!
Bravo.
Wow, have you got talent … wow … I'm so impressed! You did an amazing job with this… beautiful!!!
You did a wonderful job! I need to try this again with your notes in mind.
hi Roxana
that cake is a work of art! simply amazing!!!
I have seen many entries in this challenge and yours just blew me away……Great job, and I just know it was delicious, you can see how creamy that filling is.
Cheers
Dennis
Hi Roxana-this is beautiful! Great details and instructions. Love the hearts:) I bet the filling is out out of this world! Brava:)
That turned out so beautifully! I love the hearts
Wow, what a beautiful cake! You definitely did a great job… the hearts are adorable!
OMG This is so pretty, Roxana!! I've seen some entries for the challenge. Thanks SO much for including step-by-step directions! I was wondering myself how it was done. It seems complicated! I really like the heart!
Congrats on your 1st challenge! You did an amazing job….looks beautiful! Wish mine would have been a success.
beautifully presented looks delicious
Absolutely beautiful!
Your filling looks so fabulous and decadent! And your heart design is PERFECT…especially for Valentine's Day. I know how difficult it was to accomplish your design with such precision…brava!
That may just be the most fantastic dessert I have ever seen!!! I adore the hearts. I am completely amazed by your talent. Have a wonderful weekend Roxana
Roxana, you did an amazing job…I am so impressed, this is gorgeous! Looks so rich and creamy
Roxana-Your cake was a superb labor of "love" Such a challenge, I can only imagine the length of time and the patience to put this masterpiece together.
So gorgeous and creamy…love the heart shaped design incorporated into the cake. Genius!
I'm so glad the dolls arrived to you. Yes, do take a picture of them, I hope you like them!
Wow Roxana! The love that you put into this cake truly shines through. Absolutely gorgeous.
Yum!!! this looks stunning!
Great design
Girl, you really have lot of patience.. and the cake is looking heavenly.. I wish I lived your next door..
M-ai spart! Eu n-am inteles despre ce vorbesti tu colosha in reteta, ca-s mai blonda, ashea, da' cuscra-tu a zis ca ii esti datoare un tort cand ne-om vedea
)
So professional! This would be a delight to eat. Great job on this challenge.
Wow! You did an amazing job! I've seen quite a few of these…and I'm so impressed! Thank you for sharing your recipe and experience with me. I hope you have a Saturday full of relaxation and laughter! We all need it!
Hermoso tu Cake!!
Me voy a tomar la libertad de copiar la receta y hacerlo la semana entrante!!
Te felicito por tu blog!!! muy bueno y tus recetas de lo mejor!!
Awesome job..looks so nice & I learnt new way to bake the cake..
Wow, would be the perfect Valentines day dessert. Well done!
Looks great – welcome to the group
OMG!! OMG!! OMG!! That really doesn't look homemade! It looks beautiful and professional! I bet it tastes heavenly! I wish I could just take the plate that had the slice off this screen and eat it ..yummy!
US Masala
SO AMAZING!!! Great job on the challenge – your joconde entremet is absolutely breathtaking and the filling sounds so so delicious. Love the top of it btw!
Looks fabulous,so professional .I am just drooling here looking at the pictures .
U have a nice blog with lovely collection of recipes .Drop by my space Padhuskitchen
when u find time
This is a beautiful cake that really caught my eye, I love the chocolate hearts!
This looks like so much work and the cut piece of cake looks so good. The different mousses inside are amazing, really a masterpiece, congratulations:-)
That filling looks scrumptious! I'm getting hungry just looking at it. Your heart pattern is gorgeous too, really striking and pretty.
This is gorgeous! Congratulations!
You are already preparing for Valentine's Day
This might be a double comment. Something weird happened, but just have to say you outdid yourself with this post. I am so impressed!
Kristi
Yay! congrats on your first challenge! It looks amazing! I love the hearts and the filling sounds fanastic. Welcome to DB! I look forward to seeing what you come up with next!
I love, love this cake! It is so gorgeous and looks like it tasted amazing:) Thank you for participating in this months YBR!
Mon Dieu…quelle artiste!
Roxana, you've absolutely outdone yourself.
My, what will you do for an encore?
You were incredibly creative on this challenge…BRAVA!!!
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
Welcome to the DB community and yes, you have done very well. Congrats!
This looks fantastic! Beautiful entremet
So THAT's how they are done…., I'm a cheerin' from the sidelines type baker…. awesome work Roxana, awesome. Love your tutorial too., I'm such a visual learner I need these steps, you've 'almost' made me feel I could make this.
I love Valentine's Day desserts, and yours looks so, so delicious! You should really consider submitting this to Recipe4Living's Valentine's Day Recipe Contest! You could win a GreenPan Stainless Steel Todd's Perfect Gourmet Cook Set!
hi,roxana!first time here…amazed about your beauty!:)
This is so gorgeous, Roxana!! Very impressive and clean look. I love the hearts, and the filling sounds perfect! Awesome job on your first challenge!
It came out super! and i adore white chocolate
Wow!!! si eu care ma gandeam sa ma apuc de o cura de slabire, nici o sansa cand vad bunatatea asta! Felicitari!
Looks incredible! I will try it!
Awsome !!!
Absolut superb tortul tau, la fel si blogul. Felicitari!
This is absolutely stunning!!! I can only imagine how rich, creamy, and wonderful it was!! You did an impressive job!
Tortul este superb, explicatiile sunt mai mult decat exacte, pozele sunt de mare folos. Cu siguranta il voi incerca de Valentine's Day. Imi place la nebunie si ideea celor doua creme, doua jumatati de culori opuse, ale unui intreg de succes.
Ma bucur tare mult ca ti-am descoperit blogul, retetele sunt foarte inspirate si frumos prezentate. Felicitari.
Wow Roxana – that’s REALLY impressive.
Well done !
WOW!! Stunning cake! Love it
Love this!!! You have amazing talent….I bet anyone would fall for your special V-day wonder
{ 4 trackbacks }