Best Marjolaine Cake Recipe | Foodie Shehroz

Even while the Marjolaine cake may not receive as much attention as the opera or mille-feuille, any chef knowledgeable about classical French cooking will probably start raving about this tiered delicacy.

The cake, buttercreams, and ganache are the three essential components of this dish. A 9x4x3-inch steel mold is required for this recipe. If you can't find one, you can construct the cake as instructed in the recipe instructions below using a pair of half-gallon milk cartons or a Pullman pan coated with parchment or foil.

Ingredients

Serves 10 

Cake Base:

➡200 g or 1½ cups of compressed hazelnut powder

➡4 eggs, 1⅔ cups (180 g), plus 5 tablespoons (40 g) of powdered sugar, divided

➡½ cup (60 g) sifted all-purpose flour

➡5 egg whites

➡1/4 teaspoon salt

Ganache:

➡12 ounces (350 g) of finely chopped, 65 percent cacao dark chocolate

➡1¼ cups plus 3 tablespoons (350 ml) of whipped cream (35 percent butterfat)

Vanilla and Hazelnut Buttercreams:

➡four egg yolks

➡240 g or 1¼  cups of granulated sugar

➡Water, 3½ tablespoons

➡1½ cups (340 g) of room temperature, cubed unsalted butter

➡one vanilla bean

➡two large tablespoons of Nutella

➡six tablespoons (90 ml) of boozy rum

➡35 g of roasted, peeled hazelnuts, or about ¼ cup

First, for the cake:

Step 1

Set the oven's temperature to 350°F (180°C). Two rimmed baking sheets, 11 by 17 inches (28 by 43 cm), should be lined with parchment paper. Step 2

Bake the hazelnut powder on a second baking sheet with a rim for about 5 minutes, or until it smells like roasting nuts, to form the cake base. After taking it out of the oven, spoon it into a basin to chill.

Step 3

Whip the eggs with the remaining 1⅔ cups (180 g) of powdered sugar in a stand mixer with the whip attachment until they are light and fluffy. You may also do this by hand with perseverance. When mixed, stir the flour and hazelnut powder with a rubber spatula. Rinse the whip attachment and the mixer bowl after transferring the mixture to a big basin. Dry completely.

Step 4

Put the remaining 5 tablespoons (40 g) of powdered sugar, the salt, and the egg whites in the bowl and reattach the whip attachment to the mixer. Beat until firm peaks start to develop. Just until no streaks remain, gently fold the beaten whites into the egg-hazelnut mixture. Step 5

Spread the batter evenly, using an offset spatula if possible, to level it between the prepared baking sheets. Put the dish in the oven, and bake for 11 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly browned and firm. Allow the cakes to cool for about 10 minutes on wire racks before lifting and carefully peeling off the parchment paper. Allow to fully cool.

For the ganache.

Step 6

Place the chocolate in a bowl to start the ganache. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan, then pour it over the chocolate. 3 minutes of sitting time followed by steady whisking. To slightly harden up, let the ganache lie at room temperature for 20 minutes.

For the buttercreams:

Step 7

Put the egg yolks in the bowl and repeat the whip attachment and bowl rinse to produce the buttercream. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan's side. Whisk the egg yolks once the sugar mixture reaches 226°F (108°C). Remove from the heat and slowly pour in the yolks while whisking continuously until it reaches 239°F (115°C). Up until the mixture reaches room temperature, continue whisking.

Step 8

When the egg mixture has cooled, add the butter, a little at a time, and whisk to combine. Transfer half of the mixture to another bowl. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, then scrape the seeds from the pod halves into one of the dishes and thoroughly combine using the point of a sharp knife. Mix thoroughly after adding the Nutella to the second bowl. While stirring the buttercream, if a glossy film starts to develop, add a few drops of cold water right away and mix until it disappears. If utilized immediately, the buttercreams are the simplest to deal with.

To Assemble

Step 9

You can use 2 half-gallon (2-liter) milk cartons with the top and one long side cut out of each one if you can't find (or construct) a metal mold with the dimensions specified in the headnote. By sliding the edges of the two cartons into one another, you may alter the length to any desired length. To keep the mold's bottom a precise rectangle, tape it. Then line the interior of the mold with parchment paper. You are now prepared to assemble your cake after creating your "mold."

Step 10

The cakes should be sliced into slabs that are the same width as the mold, minus 1/4 inch (6 mm). To fit the mold, trim the slabs to a uniform length. Put a cake layer in the mold with the shiny brown side facing out and brush some rum over it. Add a layer of Nutella buttercream on top of the cake layer, making it slightly thicker than the cake layer. Add a second cake layer on top of the buttercream, shining brown side up, and drizzle with extra rum. A layer of ganache somewhat thicker than the cake layer should be placed on top of the cake layer. Put a third cake layer on top of the ganache layer, glossy brown side up, and drizzle with extra rum. The vanilla buttercream should be added in a layer that is somewhat thicker than the cake layer. Continue building the layers, ending with a cake layer covered with ganache. Add the nuts next.

Step 11

Overnight rest the cake in the refrigerator. Cut the tape keeping the mold together the following day to release the cake. You can find that the entire thing has somewhat sunk or that the ganache has been too soaked by the cake. No big deal. You'll receive a delectable, velvety brick of happiness. Use a hot, moist knife to slice the food to be served.