Mango mirror cake

This is my third birthday cake this month. This time is for my all time friend, one of my first friend in Melbourne. We went to college together, took the same subjects in Uni, used to live 10 doors away, sometimes my personal shopper and chauffeur.. our fondness memories together would be sleeping on beanbags in the computer labs during our last weeks of uni.

He has been a sweet tooth, even worst than me at times, so he loveeesss cake. Last year I made him a passionfruit sponge cake, but this year he requested a mango mousse cake. I decided to try strawberry mirror cake and substitute the strawberry for mango.

I first saw this cake from the food blogs I have become addicted to when they did the cake for one of the Daring baker's challenge. The cake itself is quite fiddley to make, but the result is sooo worth it. The bavarian cream is so silky smooth and creamy without being too rich. And it is the perfect pairing for the light sponge cake base. I would say that this sponge cake is becoming one of my favourite as the base for cakes. The shiny gelee on top of the cake gives a sweet touch to the cake, and a perfect canvas for any decorations. I didn't have time to make chocolate decorations, so I decided to use leftover's from the green tea-ramisu. One thing that I found disapointing is how soft the cake is, first I wanted to put half cut mango for decoration, but the weight is squashing the cake, so I opt for slices of mango instead. Perhaps I should use a stronger gelatine next time.

I'm still kicking myself for loosing my camera's battery charger. It was on its final breath when I capture this cake. So the quality is seriously lacking. These two might be the better ones out of the bunch.

Mango Mirror Cake (Adapted from Cakes and Pastries At The Academy by the California Culinary Academy 1993)

3 eggs
3 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
2 TBSP sugar
2/3 cup sifted cake flour
½ cup water
1/3 cups sugar
2 TBSP cointreau or any fruit liqueur

Mango Bavarian Cream
2 ½ TBSP unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups strained mango puree(around 1 mango)
5 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ cups milk
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 ¾ cups whipping cream

Mango Mirror
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TBSP kirsch
1 TBSP water
1 TBSP unflavored gelatin

Mango Juice

1 mango
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup water

1.Preheat oven to 450F. Butter and flour the sides of an 11-by-17 inch jelly roll pan(rimmed baking sheet). Line bottom of pan with a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit bottom pan exactly.
2.Beat eggs, egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar together in a medium bowl until thick and light. Beat in the vanilla.
3.In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, ad cream of tartar and beat until whites begin to form peaks. Add the 2 TBSP sugar and beat until the whites hold stiff, glossy peaks(do not over beat).
4.Sift flour over the egg yolk mixture and fold in . Stir in one fourth of the whites. Then carefully fold in the remaining whites.
5.Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until light brown and springy to touch(7 to 10 minutes). Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife along edge to loosen. Invert cake tin to cut out 8 ¼ inch circles of cake. Wrap the cake layers, separated with waxed paper, and set aside. Cake may be frozen at this point.
6.To make soaking syrup: Combine water and the 1/3 cup sugar in saucepan; bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Cool to room temperature; flavor with liqueur. Set aside or refrigerate in glass jar until ready to use.
7.To assemble cake: Brush sides of 10-inch springform pan lightly with flavorless salad oil or almond oil. Cut out a cardboard circle that is exactly the same size as the bottom inside of the pan; cover cardboard with aluminum foil and fit into bottom of pan. Center one layer of the cake bottom of pan. Brush the cake with some of the soaking syrup to just moisten(not drench) the cake; set aside.
8.Prepare Mango Bavarian Cream. Immediately pour about half of the Bavarian Cream over the first layer of cake in the pan. Set the next layer of cake on top of the cream. Pour remaining Bavarian Cream over cake and smooth top of the cream with spatula. Refrigerate until the cream sets(1 to 2 hours).
9.Prepare the Mango Mirror.
10.To serve: Wrap a hot towel around the outside of springform pan for a few minutes. Run a small sharp knife tip around the edge of the Mango Mirror to separate it form the sides of pan. Mirror will tear when sides are unlatched if it is stuck at ANY point. Slowly unlatch the pan and slide it off the cake. Slice cake in wedges and serve in upright slices.

Prep Work

Mango Bavarian Cream
1.Sprinkle the gelatin over the mango puree in a small bowl and set aside until spongy.
2.Combine egg yolks and sugar in a bowl’ beat until light. Bring milk to a boil in sauce pan. Pour hot milk into yolk mixture ans stir with a wooden spoon(it doesn’t say so but I would temper the egg mixture first to be safe). Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until your finger leaves a clear trail in sauce when drawn across the back of the spoon.(Do not boil or mixture will curdle.) Immediately remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin mixture. Pour into a stainless steel bowl places over a bowl of ice water. Stir in lemon juice and a few drops of red food coloring. Cool over ice water, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens to the consistency of softly whipped cream.
3.White gelatin mixture is cooling, whip the whipping cream until it holds soft peaks. When the gelatin mixture resembles softly whipped cream, fold the whipped cream into the gelatin mixture.

Mango Mirror
1.Prepare mango juice.
2.Place lemon juice, kirsch, and water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over this mixture; set aside until spongy and soft.
3.Measure 1 ½ cups mango juice into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer; pour over gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve gelatin. Place bowl over bowl of ice water and stir occasionally until the mixture is syrupy and just beings to thicken(do not let jell); remove from ice water.
4.When mixture is syrupy, pour a 1/16-inch layer over the top of cake. Refrigerate until set.

Mango Juice

Peel and cut mango into 3cm cubes, coarsely chop. Place mangoes in saucepan; crush to start juices flowing. Place over low heat; add sugar and water; simmer slowly 10 minutes. Pour juice and pulp through damp jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined colander and drain into a bowl for 15 minutes(Do not press down on fruit).