Pineapple and Coconut Cake

Last week I had the great pleasure of host a lunch for my lovely friends Cecilia and Silvia. We had a wonderful time listening Ella Fitzgerald , drinking sparkling pink lemonade and, of course, having good food. Enjoying moments like that with lovely friends are one of the best pleasures of life. This post is for you! 

I made strawberry salad with pink peppercorn, a delicious salmon and leek quiche, and a pineapple and coconut cake for dessert. My cake was a great success. They loved the combination of spongecake, pineapple compote and coconut cream. I think I can call this coconut cream as coconut brigadeiro too, since I used sweetened condensed milk, butter, cream and coconut milk.

Instead of whipped cream I decided to use coconut whipped cream as frosting.  This was the first time that I made coconut whipped cream and I loved! I added to it some tablespoons of sugar and vanilla bean paste. It ended up perfectly. The texture was very similar with regular whipped cream but with a light addition of coconut flavor.

Beyond the marvelous flavor of the cake, I have to tell you about the decoration, which I loved by the way! I used some coconut flakes on top of the whipped coconut cream and then I added one gum paste ranunculus, one gum paste rose, and two gum paste tulips. I was inspired by some real flowers that I bought weeks ago. The ranunculus was a bit hard-working but I loved the final result. Don't you think it looks like the real one?

Pineapple and Coconut Cake

by Lulu's Sweet Secrets

Sponge cake

(makes three 6-inch round cake pans)

5 whole large eggs, room temperature

 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer bowl and beat with the paddle attachment until fluffy and pale yellow in color, about 10 minutes. Fold in the flour with a rubber spoon until just incorporated (don't overmix). Divide the batter between the 3 cake pans. 

 Bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen and just firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Pineapple Compote

1 ripe pineapple, top, skin and core removed, cut into cubes

2/3 cup sugar

2 cups water

Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Over low heat cook until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency and the pineapple is soft.

Coconut Cream

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup coconut milk + the water leftover from the whipped coconut cream.

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Stir to combine. Over medium heat cook, stirring, until thickened.

Coconut Whipped Cream

1 can coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

3 tablespoons sugar

Place the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight.

Scoop all the thickened coconut cream, stop as soon as you reach the water at the bottom of the can.  Don’t use the water to make the whipped cream, you can use it in the coconut cream.

Place the coconut cream in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar and vanilla paste. Whip the coconut cream on high speed about 3 to 5 minutes.

Assembly: Place one layer cake on a serving plate. Spread half recipe of pineapple compote over top. Spread half recipe of coconut cream over top. Repeat to make 1 more layer of each. Top with remaining cake. Cover with coconut whipped cream.

Teacup Cake and Sugar Roses

I love the combination between teacups and flowers. They are such a pretty and charming pair. When I ventured to make my first sugar rose I used a teacup to photograph it. At that time I received a comment suggesting that I should try to make a teacup cake too. I loved the idea but that would be a big challenge for me. I didn’t have the knowledge and practice to conquer that.

Almost 2 years late I decide to give it a try. I was inspired by the polka blue floral design from Royal Albert Fine China. I have a passion for all the patterns, but those lovely blue teacup with white polka dots and English country roses are my favorite.

Actually, I think my main motivation was the opportunity to paint the floral theme on the teacup cake. It has been a while that I want to publish some of my paintings, and I couldn’t think a better opportunity than this one. First I covered the cake with buttercream and fondant and molded into the teacup shape. Then I used gel food-coloring diluted with water for painting the rose. 

I also used some sugar roses and mini cakes for decoration. As I was so excited with my painting, I decided to cover mini cakes with fondant and paint them too. For making the teacup cake and mini cakes I used my delicious recipe of white chocolate cake. 

To my Mom, with Love

This week was my mother’s birthday. And of course a special occasion like this deserves a really special cake. But before describing the cake, let me talk first about the decoration.

My mom has a great passion for flowers like me. Therefore, I couldn't think anything else besides flowers to decorate the cake. And I was so glad that I could find one of the most beautiful flowers: english garden roses. I’m fascinated for those heirloom roses. What a such perfect gift to flatter some one you love, don't you think?

After photographing some of these beauties, I created these sugar roses to embellish the cake. I have to say they were one of the most beautiful sugar flowers that I have ever made so far. Maybe because they were made with extra love!

Talking now about the cake, it consists of butter sponge cake filled and covered with coconut cream. I love this butter sponge cake recipe from Julia Child's book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It’s light, fluffy and it made a great pair with the coconut cream. 

I love you, mom!

Coconut Cake

Butter Sponge cake

(from the book Mastering The Art Of French Cooking)

For a 10-inch cake pan - I used two 6-inch pans.

4 Tb butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 egg whites

pinch of salt

2 Tb granulated sugar 

3/4 cup cake flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and flour cake pans.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

Gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks, add the vanilla, and continue beating for several minutes until mixture is thick and pale yellow.

Beat the egg whites and salt together in a separated bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle on the sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Scoop one fourth of the egg whites over the top of the egg yolks and sugar mixture. Sift on one fourth of the flour, and delicately fold in until partially blended. Then add one third of the remaining egg whites, sift on one third of the remaining flour . fold until partially blended, and repeat with half of each, then the last of each and half of the tepid, melted butter. When partially blended, fold in the rest of the butter but omit the milky residue at the bottom of the pan. Do not overmix; the egg whites must retain as much volume as possible.

Turn into prepared cake pan, tiling pan to run batter to the rim all around. Set in middle level of preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, is lightly brown, and has just begun to show a faint line of shrinkage from the edges of the pan. 

Coconut Cream

(Adapted from the book Extraordinary Cakes, Karen Krasne) 

1 1/3 cup coconut milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup unsweetened medium shredded coconut

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Place the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk continuously until the mixture cooks and thickens to a custardlike consistency.  Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth and homogeneous. 

Pour into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surgace of the cream, and cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Assembly

Place one cake on a serving plate. Spread 1/4 recipe coconut cream over top. Place the second cake on top.  Cover with remaining coconut cream. Coat with coconut flakes.

White Open Rose

Unfortunately I’m still waiting for spring. After weeks of snow, it seems that finally now we will have the flourish of crocus, daffodils and magnolias. Can’t wait to see them!

While I'm expecting the blossoms of my favorite season, I’ve been making some new types of sugar flowers. Today I present to you this white open rose. This rose is different than the others that I made so far.  It has a core with some yellow stamens and I used some round cutters to make the petals.

I really love it. It’s perfect as a wedding cake topper, don’t you think?

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter my dear friends! 

For this lovely day I prepared this amazing dessert: chocolate eggs filled with hazelnut praline and brigadeiro. 

Chocolate Easter eggs filled with some wondeful flavors have become a hit on Brazil this year. Besides brigadeiro, the other option are dulce de leche, brownies, ganache, and what else your imagination can create!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

      Chocolate Easter Egg Filled with Hazelnut Praline and Brigadeiro

First make the praline and brigadeiro:

Hazelnut Praline

Vegetable oil, for baking sheet

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon corn syrup

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skins removed

Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Heat sugar, corn syrup, and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until deep amber. Stir in nuts. Spread mixture into prepared sheet. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Break praline into pieces, then coarsely grind in a food processor.

Brigadeiro 

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

200g chocolate (I used Callebaut Belgian Chocolate, 54.5% Cocoa)

Place all the ingredients into a medium saucepan. Over low heat, stir the mixture until it starts to show the bottom of the pan while you scrape it with a spoon. The mixture should be thick enough to show the bottom of the pan for a few seconds before the mixture back again. Transfer to a greased bowl. Let cool completely before use as filling.

To make the chocolate egg follow the intructions for chocolate tempering and chcocolate eggs on this post. I used about 500g/  1lb of chocolate, but it depends of the size of your mould.

Pour in each half of chocolate egg about 3 tablespoons of praline. Fill with brigadeiro leaving about 3mm (1/8’) of space. Cover each piece with tempered chocolate. Decorate with grated chocolate.

Chocolate Easter Eggs

Hello dear friends! Today I will share with you my Easter table. This year I decorated it with dyed eggs, sugar flowers and chocolate eggs. 

Chocolate eggs are a sweet Easter tradition on my country. All candy and chocolate brandies have their egg version in several sizes and flavors. They are also wrapped in colorful foils and ribbons, and some special edition come in fancy boxes.

Some parents there like to hide the chocolate egg so the kids can find them. During my childhood, I preferred to receive my early morning, and guess what I wanted for breakfast? That was always a feast!

I made some chocolate eggs decorated with funfetti, nonpareil, and sugar flowers. To make the table happier and colorful, I wrapped the chocolate eggs with floral fabrics and ribbons. If you are planing a party, they could be a cute favor for your guests!

Chocolate Easter Eggs

You will need 300-400g of chocolate to make an egg, depending on the size of your moulds. 

 Chocolate Tempering

I used the seeding method to temper the chocolate because is the cleanest and best way to temper chocolate with precision when work in a home kitchen. 

1. Cut the chocolate into small pieces, so it will melt easily and faster.

2. Melt the chocolate slowly in a bowl over a hot water bath (the bowl should not touch the water), with the water simmering, not boiling.

3. Bring the chocolate to between 45ºC/113ºF and 50ºC/112ºF. Take the bowl off the simmering water bath. 

4. Add solid chocolate to the melted chocolate. This chocolate will act as ice, cooling the melted chocolate down. A good amount to start with is about one-quarter of the amount that is in the bowl. Stir continuously, checking the temperature frequently. 

5. Continue to stir until the chocolate reaches the desired temperature, which varies depending on the chocolate: 30ºC/86ºF to º C/ 90ºF for dark chocolate, 29ºC/84ºF to 30ºC/ 86ºF for milk chocolate, and 28ºC/ 82ºF to 29ºC / 84ºF for white and colored chocolate. 

Chocolate Egg

1. Using a ladle fill the egg mould about a quarter full with chocolate, then tilt and twirl the mould until the chocolate covers the whole thing. Tip the excess back into the bowl. Do the same with the other half.

Wipe around the edges if any chocolate escapes the mould.

Leave the first layer of chocolate to set. 

2. Once the first layer of chocolate is set in the egg mould, pour in another ladleful and swirl the chocolate round again. You'll need to do this three of four times until the egg is thick enough. Put the egg halves into the fridge to set. 

3. After an hour or two, take them out and gently but firmly pull the corners of the mould – the egg will pop out easily.

Funfetti Chocolate Egg

After temper the white chocolate add some tablespoons of funfetti. Stir to mix well. Follow the chocolate egg procedure. 

Using a teaspoon or pastry brush, paint the edges of the two halves with melted chocolate and glue them together. Put the whole egg back in the fridge for five or ten minutes to firm up.

Place funfetti into a medium size bowl. Brush corn syrup or edible glue on the edges. Dip your egg in the funfetti. Let your egg dry. 

Wrap with foil wrap and then with fabric.

Sprinkle Egg

Place nonpareils into a medium size bowl. Using a brush, coat your egg with corn syrup or edible glue. Dip your egg in the sprinkles. Let your egg dry. 

Wrap with foil wrap and then with fabric.

Gold Egg with White Flowers

Brush gold luster dust gently on the egg surface. To make the flowres I used the small blossom cutter from Wilton. I used edible glue to fix then.