Orange and Chocolate Gâteau
This light and flavorful cake, a marriage of orange and chocolate, is a perfect summer dessert. In it, soft butter sponge cake layers are brushed with an orange-scented syrup, layered with a rich orange buttercream, then coated with the same bittersweet chocolate glaze used in many of our chocolate tortes. The result is a wonderful medley of flavors.
Orange and Chocolate Gâteau came about during the second season of Seven Layers, my Martha’s Vineyard pastry shop. I wanted to develop a new dessert using existing preparations. In this case, it was the Butter Sponge Cake that was made almost daily and French Buttercream which was one of the two buttercreams used in the shop. I don’t recollect how this particular flavor combination came to be, but on the first taste it was clear we had a new cake to add to our offerings.
Orange and Chocolate Gâteau is best enjoyed at room temperature, where the buttercream and the glaze are allowed to soften. To accomplish this, either prepare just two hours prior to serving, or remove from the refrigerator for two hours.
Many components of this cake may be prepared ahead. The butter sponge cake may be baked the day before, or frozen for up to three weeks. The buttercream can be prepared the day ahead, then allowed to temper to room temperature before whipping until smooth. Simple syrup will last three weeks in the refrigerator.
Orange and Chocolate Gâteau
| Yield: 1 8†cake | # of Servings: 10 | Method: Separated egg sponge | Difficulty:Moderate |
Ingredients:
1 recipe Butter Sponge Cake
1 recipe French Buttercream, or Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1 recipe Simple Syrup
1 tbl grated orange rind (from 2 oranges)
1 tsp orange extract or orange oil
½ cup (4 fl oz) simple syrup
¼ cup fresh orange juice (from above oranges)
1 tbl Cointreau, optional
Chocolate Glaze
4 oz chocolate, 61% to 64%, wafers or chopped
3 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp light corn syrup
Finishing:
Reserved buttercream
1 tsp grated orange rind
Special tools and equipment required:
- 8†by 2†cake pan
- 8†parchment circle
- 7†cardboard cake circle (optional)
- Handheld or countertop mixes
- Pastry brush
- Long spatula for glazing the cake
- 1 pastry bag with small star tip, such as Ateco # 843
Pre-recipe preparations:
- If buttercream has been refrigerated, bring to room temperature.
Directions
- Beat the buttercream with the orange rind and the orange extract. Set aside.
- Flavor ½ cup simple syrup with the fresh orange juice.
- With a long-serrated knife, slice the cake in three equal layers.
- Place the bottom layer (bottom crust side down) on the cake board or a cake serving plate. Lightly brush syrup over the surface. It should feel slightly moist, not wet.
- Spread 1 cup of the orange buttercream over the cake layer. Place second cake layer over the buttercream and press lightly. Brush with syrup.
- Spread an additional cup of the orange buttercream over the second layer. Place top cake layer, cut side up. Press down lightly.
- Crumb-coat the entire cake with a thin layer of orange buttercream. Reserve 1 cup of buttercream for finishing the cake. Refrigerate for one hour.
Glazing the cake:
- Place the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a small heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Over very low heat, warm the mixture enough so the chocolate is mostly melted. Do not overheat.
- Remove from the heat and stir with heat-proof spatula or spoon until all the chocolate is melted. Stir with a whisk once or twice just until smooth. Do not whip air into the glaze.
- Let sit, gently stirring occasionally until 90°F to 92°F.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator.
- Place the cake on either a cooling rack over a clean work surface or a decorating turntable.
- Pour all the glaze over the top of the cake and with long metal spatula quickly spread the glaze over the entire cake, letting it fall over the sides. The less you work the glaze the shinier it will be.
- Use the glaze that has dripped off the cake to cover any bare spots.
- Lift the rack a half-inch off the surface and drop to help the glaze drip down the sides.
- Let the cake sit until the glaze is set, approximately 1 ½ hours.
Finishing:
- Whip the reserved buttercream until smooth and place in the pastry bag with star tip.
- Pipe small buttercream stars over the glaze. Using a paring knife or tweezers, top each star with a touch of grated orange.
Serving and storing the cake:
- For optimal taste and appearance (shiny glaze), the cake should be served at room temperature. It may be left at a cool room temperature for 3 hours.
- Store in the refrigerator overnight and remove for at least 3 hours prior to serving.
Notes:
