Torched Chocolate Lemon Cakes
Ever since I bought a blowtorch, my life has turned 180 degrees, literally! I mean, seriously, all the things you can use it for – it’s so fun to use! However, my first thought when I had it in my hands it was this cake – I dreamt about a torched miniature cake for ages and I could finally make it.. imagine the joy! Probably influenced by the famous lemon meringue tart, I decided to include some lemon in my cakes and influenced by Pierre Herme, I thought chocolate should be the second flavor. I just felt that these two flavors would benefit the most from slightly caramelizing the meringue. It was a festive cake, rich and creamy with the lemony gooey center. Absolutely delicious!
These torched chocolate lemon cakes are quite simple at their core – a layer of graham crackers mixed with butter, a layer of chocolate mousse and a gooey inside of lemon curd, all covered in Swiss meringue which was torched just before serving to create the golden, caramelized look. Now that’s simplicity at its best!
I find these cakes to be so simple and pretty – the pure white meringue, the golden streaks and the bright red raspberries create a beautiful and appealing contrast of colors and flavors alike. Real gems of deliciousness!
{Chocolate Lemon Cakes}
Ingrediente
Crust:
- 200 g graham crackers (crushed)
- 80 g butter (melted)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon curd:
- 5 egg yolks
- 110 g butter (cubed)
- 210 g white sugar
- 90 ml lemon juice
- Zest from 2 lemons
- 1 pinch salt
Chocolate mousse:
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 200 g dark chocolate (chopped)
- 3 g gelatin + 15ml cold water
- 300 ml heavy cream (whipped)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 1 pinch salt
Swiss meringue:
- 4 egg whites
- 200 g white sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructiuni
Crust:
- Start by preparing 6-8 small cake rings. Place them on a board or baking tray lined with parchment paper and line them with acetate sheets.
- Mix the graham crackers, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of this mixture into each cake ring and press well with your fingertips. Place aside.
Lemon curd:
- Combine all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl. Place over a hot water bath.
- Cook the curd for about 20 minutes until it reaches 85C and it's thick and creamy.
- Remove from heat and pass it through a fine sieve. Cover with plastic wrap on its surface and allow to cool down overnight in the fridge.
Chocolate mousse:
- Bloom the gelatin in cold water for 10 minute.
- Bring the cream to the boiling point over low heat - don't boil it, it just has to be hot.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Mix until melted and smooth then stir in the gelatin.
- Allow the chocolate to cool down slightly then add the vanilla, rum and a pinch of salt.
- Fold in the whipped cream then spoon the mousse into your prepared cake rings, filling them with only a thin layer of mousse. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes then spoon a thin layer of lemon curd on top. Cover with the remaining chocolate mousse, splitting it equally between the cake rings.
- Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours until well set.
Swiss meringue:
- Combine the ingredients in a heatproof bowl and place over a hot water bath. Keep on heat for a few minutes, mixing constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and the sugar has dissolved - a thermometer should read around 65C.
- Remove from heat and begin mixing with an electric mixer until the bowl feels cold to the touch. It will take up to 7-8 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the freezer and carefully unmold them.
- Cover each cake with whipped meringue then torch it with a blowtorch. - it is best to do this just before serving.
These look amazing Olguta and I love my blowtorch too! It makes de-moulding entremets really easy too.
Can’t wait to see what else you blowtorch.
Thank you, Angela!
Dacă mai intru mult pe saitu’ ăsta fac diabet! 😀
I do have a blow torch but it isn’t the best, time to invest in a new one, especially now I have seen your gorgeous little meringue cakes! <3 x
WOW, these look amazing! I never would”ve guessed that chocolate and lemon could be a good flavour combo- must try it out myself some day. I read your about page as well and it looks like you also changed your career from what you studied in university to baking! I can’t wait to graduate as well and start pursuing my baking dreams.
Ok I need a blow torch right now! These look amazing, cannot wait to try them!
Buna,Olguta,
Comentez aici pt ca este primul lucru pe care l0am citit cand am intrat aici si am fost fff placut impresionata si,mai ales,bucuroasa ca impartasesti cu noi lucrurile bune pe care le-ai invatat.
Acum,am si eu un ,,chin” de care nu am reusit sa scap 🙂 Este vorba de adaugarea de nuci pralinate intr-un mousse : in primele minute dupa adaugarea acestor bucatele de nuci pralinate in mousse,e ok , sunt crocante asa cum ar trebui.Insa,dupa ce tortul sta la frigider,caramelul dupa nuci se topeste,se pierde pur si simplu in mousse si nu mai are acelasi farmec.Poti sa ma sfatuiesti cum ar trebui facut ? Multumesc !!!
Emilis, ma tem ca nu prea ai ce face. Se topesc pentru ca le incorporezi intr-un mediu umed, e normal 🙂