Coconut, Strawberry, White Chocolate and Rhubarb Mousse Cake
serves 2-4
This was the featured recipe for Root Source: Rhubarb. You can read more about it at Canelle et Vanille.
Coconut Dacquoise:
135 grams (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) powdered sugar, sifted
225 grams (2 1/3 cups) unsweetened coconut (fine)
215 grams (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) egg whites
55 grams (1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons) sugar
Pâte à Bombe:
8 oz (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar
2 oz (2 3/4 tablespoons) corn syrup
4 oz (1/2 cup) water
3 oz (1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon) egg yolks
Strawberry Mousse:
2 oz pâte à bombe
1 1/2 sheet of gelatin
3 oz fresh strawberry puree (I left the seeds in)
1 cup heavy cream, beaten to soft peaks
White Chocolate Mousse:
4 oz pâte à bombe
3 sheets of gelatin
6 oz white chocolate, melted
2 cups heavy cream, beaten to soft peaks
Rhubarb Puree:
150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar
150 grams (3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons) water
200 grams (1/2 pound) rhubarb stalks
Rhubarb Mousse:
2 oz pâte à bombe
3 oz poached rhubarb puree
1 1/2 sheet of gelatin
1 cup heavy cream, beaten to soft peaks
Rhubarb jelly, grated coconut and dried raspberries, for garnish
prep: 1 hour 15 minutes
total: 2 hours 30 minutes
standing mixer
half sheetpan
parchment paper
offset spatula
square cake ring
candy thermometer
mixing bowls
1 small saucepan
1 large saucepan
food processor
grater
1. Make the dacquoise: Preheat the oven to 375F. In a standing mixer, whip the egg whites until almost fully whipped. Slowly add the sugar and whip to a stiff meringue. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the sifted powdered sugar and the coconut in two batches while gently folding. The meringue will deflate a little. (Don't worry, it's normal.)
2. Pour the batter onto a half sheetpan lined with parchment paper and spread the batter evenly with an offset spatula. Bake until lightly golden brown. Let it cool. When ready to assemble the cake, place a square cake ring on top of the dacquoise and press down so it cuts into it. This is where we will build the mousse cake.
3. Make the pâte à bombe: Cook the sugar, corn syrup, and water to 240F. In the meantime, whip the yolks until they turn fluffy and pale. Add the cooked sugar to the yolks and continue beating until light and thick and the bowl has cooled.
4. Make the strawberry mousse: Mix 2 ounces of the pâte à bombe with the strawberry puree. Soften the gelatin in ice water and then gently melt it in the microwave (maybe 5 seconds). Mix the gelatin into the puree and whisk until it is well incorporated. Fold in the whipped cream.
5. Pour the mousse into the square cake pan that we have lined with the coconut dacquoise. Spread over the dacquoise evely. Place the sheetpan in the freezer so the mousse hardens.
6. Make the white chocolate mousse: Repeat the same process as the strawberry mousse. Make sure the white chocolate is pretty warm when adding it to the pâte à bombe. If the bombe is cold, the chocolate will harden quickly and will be lumpy. Take the sheetpan out of the freezer and pour the chocolate mousse over the strawberry mousse and spread evenly. Return to the freezer.
7. Make the rhubarb puree: Make a sugar syrup with the water and the sugar by boiling them together. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat and add some of the rhubarb to it. (There's not enough liquid to poach all the rhubarb at once.) Cook on low heat until soft and tender. Repeat with the rest of the rhubarb, then puree all the rhubarb.
8. Make the rhubarb mousse: Mix 2 ounces of the pâte à bombe with 3 ounces of the rhubarb puree. Soften the gelatin in ice water and then gently melt it in the microwave (maybe 5 seconds). Mix the gelatin into the puree and whisk until it is well incorporated. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour over the white chocolate mousse and spread evenly. Return to the freezer and chill until everything is firmly set.
9. Top the mousse with a super thin layer of rhubarb jelly, coconut and grated dried raspberries.
