the MONTAGUE tree™ Plum Cake by Kirsten Tibballs
- Servings
20
INGREDIENTS
- Vanilla Cake
- 250 grams egg yolks
- 460 grams caster sugar
- 30 grams honey
- 30 grams vanilla bean paste
- 480 grams egg whites
- pinch of cream of tartar
- 480 grams plain flour, sieved
- Roasted Plum Compote
- 880 grams the MONTAGUE tree™ plums, pitted and cut into 8ths
- 100 grams honey
- 3 star anise
- 10 grams cornflour
- Plum Syrup
- 100ml water
- 150 grams caster sugar
- 200 grams roasted plums, from above
- Vanilla Custard
- 345ml full cream milk
- 5 grams vanilla bean paste
- 70 grams egg yolks
- 90 grams caster sugar
- 30 grams cornflour
- 80 grams unsalted butter, cubed
- White Chocolate Buttercream
- 215 grams egg whites
- 130ml water
- 500 grams caster sugar
- 20 grams vanilla bean paste
- 680 grams unsalted butter, cubed
- 60 grams good quality white chocolate, melted
- Chocolate Glaze
- 1200 grams good quality white chocolate
- 120 grams grapeseed oil
- Finishing
- Block of good quality white chocolate
- 1 gram red oil-soluble colour powder
- 2 grams purple oil-soluble colour powder
- 15 grams grapeseed oil
- 4 the MONTAGUE tree™ plums
- gold leaf, to garnish
METHOD
Vanilla Cake
- Heat the oven to 160°C, fan forced.
- Grease and line 4 round cake tins, 200mm in diameter.
- Place the egg yolks, caster sugar, honey and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip on high speed for 10 minutes, then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites together with the cream of tartar on medium speed until it reaches medium peaks.
- Fold half of the egg whites through the yolk mixture, then fold in the sieved flour followed by the remaining egg whites.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared cake tins and bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently pressed.
- Allow to cool at room temperature, then place into the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours.
Roasted Plum Compote
- Heat the oven to 180°C, fan forced.
- Place all the ingredients into a baking dish and mix to combine.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes. Halfway through baking, quickly give the ingredients another mix.
- Allow to cool at room temperature before storing in the refrigerator.
Plum Syrup
- Place the water and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Add the plums, then blitz with a stick blender.
- Pass the mixture through a sieve to create a soaking syrup for the cake.
Vanilla Custard
- Place the milk and vanilla into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Meanwhile, place the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour into a bowl and whisk by hand to create a paste.
- Pour the boiled milk over the paste while whisking.
- Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan and continuously whisk over medium heat until it begins to boil.
- Pour the custard into a clean bowl. Add the butter, a piece at a time, whisking until completely incorporated after each addition.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the custard and place into the refrigerator for 2 hours to set.
White Chocolate Buttercream
- Place the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and begin to whisk.
- Meanwhile, place the water, sugar and vanilla into a saucepan and heat until it reaches 120°C.
- When the egg whites reach a medium peak and the syrup has reached temperature, pour the syrup over the egg whites while continuously whisking to create a meringue.
- Whisk on high speed until the meringue has doubled in volume.
- While the meringue is still hot, add the butter, a piece at a time, and continue whisking until completely incorporated.
- Pour in the melted chocolate and whisk to combine.
- Set aside at room temperature until applied to the cake. The buttercream may need to be whisked again prior to use.
Assembly
- Trim the top off each of the frozen vanilla cakes.
- Place one cake onto a cake board, 200mm in diameter, and return the other 3 cakes to the freezer.
- Brush the surface of the cake with the prepared plum soaking syrup.
- Transfer the prepared buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a 14mm round piping nozzle, then pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
- Transfer the prepared custard into a piping bag fitted with a 14mm round piping nozzle and pipe a ring of custard inside the buttercream ring.
- Spoon the roasted plum compote onto the cake, forming it into a ring inside the custard.
- Repeat with another ring of each filling to cover the entire surface of the cake.
- Repeat this process with another 2 layers of cake, syrup and fillings.
- Place the final layer of cake on top and brush with plum syrup.
- Cover the entire cake with a thin, even layer of buttercream. This is best done by placing the cake onto a turntable.
- Place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm.
- Return the cake to the turntable and cover with a second layer of buttercream, using a scraper or palette knife to spread it into an even, smooth finish.
- Place into the refrigerator until ready to glaze.
Chocolate Glaze
- Temper the white chocolate by placing it into a microwave-safe plastic bowl and heating in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until it is half liquid and half solids. Stir vigorously until the chocolate has completely melted.
- Add the grapeseed oil to the tempered chocolate and mix to combine.
- Place the cake onto an overturned bowl on top of a tray with sides.
- Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake, ensuring all surfaces are coated.
- Immediately use a palette knife to swipe off any excess glaze from the top of the cake.
- Allow to set, then use a small knife to cut any drips away from the base of the cake.
- Transfer the cake onto a serving plate.
Finishing
- Heat the block of white chocolate for 10-15 seconds in the microwave to soften slightly, then use a vegetable peeler down the length of the bar to create chocolate curls. Set aside until required.
- Combine the red and purple oil-soluble colour powders together with the grapeseed oil.
- With a fine paintbrush, brush thin lines over the set cake glaze to create a marble pattern.
- Prior to serving, cut the plums into wedges.
- Using double sided toothpicks, arrange the plum wedges so that they are centred on top and cascading down the side.
- Garnish with the white chocolate curls and a touch of gold leaf.
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Serves
8-
Prep Time
2 hours
Cooking Time
2h 25 mins