Raspberry WOW

Chocolate, raspberries, cream & vodka - what's not to love. This Raspberry WOW is my raspberry flavoured version of a Tiramisu.

A couple of the elements required for the dessert can be made a couple of days ahead.

   

Lady fingers

200 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

170 g Caster sugar

6 Eggs (700 g/dozen)

1 tsp Cream of tartar

extra caster sugar

 

Chocolate Sponge

125 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

20-30 g Cocoa

135 g Caster sugar

1 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Salt

4 Eggs

 1 tsp Vanilla extract

50 g Oil (I use Rice bran oil)

1/2 tsp Cream of tartar

 

Razzle Dazzle Icing

150 g Raspberry puree

200 g Caster sugar

2 Egg whites

 

Marscapone Cream

3 Eggs separated

100 g Caster sugar

250 g Marscapone cream

300 g Thickened cream

 

Raspberry Liqueur

120 g Raspberry puree

120 g Raspberry vodka

75 g Sugar

 

Frozen or fresh raspberries (~750 g) for the raspberry puree & decorating the top of the dessert. 

Method

The Lady Fingers can be made a couple of days ahead.

If you keep your eggs in the fridge 1/2 fill the kitchen sink with hot tap water. Put the eggs in the hot tap water for 10 mins. If you keep your eggs at room temperature warm the eggs up by placing them in a dish of warm water (slightly hotter than 37 C).

Turn oven on to 175 C (fan forced).

Line 3 trays with baking paper. 

The yolks & whites will be whisked/beaten separately; you will need two mixing bowls. If you have two bowls for your stand mixer use those. If you have one beat the yolks first in the mixing bowl, transfer it to the bowl containing the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour & then wash the mixing bowl for whisking the whites.

Measure out 100 g of sugar into the mixing bowl for the yolks. Put the remaining sugar into the bowl/container (not plastic) for the whites. 

Separate 4 of the eggs. Put the yolks in with the 100 g of sugar & the whites in with the 70 g of sugar. Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites.

Put the remaining 2 whole eggs in with the yolks & sugar. 

Beat the egg yolks & sugar for ~9 mins until the ribbon stage has been reached. Below are photos of the yolk mix prior to beating & when it has reached the ribbon stage.      

yolkmix200011ribbon300011

While the yolks are beating stir the egg white, sugar & cream of tartar mix to help dissolve the sugar. I usually rest this mixing bowl on top of the hot tap water to help the sugar dissolve. 

If using the same mixing bowl to whisk the egg whites as the one used for the yolks, transfer the yolk mix to a mixing bowl containing the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour. Wash & dry the mixing bowl before putting in the egg whites & sugar mix.  

Whisk the egg whites & sugar for 2 - 3 mins until stiff peaks form. The length of time to whisk the whites will depend on your mixer & the speed you are using. 

Mix the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour with the yolk mix. In theory the bread mix should be folded into the yolk mix but I tend to thoroughly mix it with a spatula to ensure there are no lumps in it.   

Fold in the whisked whites to the yolk mixture using the following technique. To fold put a spatula/scrapper into the centre of the bowl & push it down through the mix until it reaches the bottom of the bowl. Bring the spatula toward you all the time scrapping the bottom of the bowl. When the spatula is at the edge of the bowl bring it up out of the mix & with a twist of your hand (90 - 180 degree clockwise turn if right handed) turn the spatula over. The mix that was on top of the spatula will now fall back into the middle of the mix. Rotate the bowl clockwise with your left hand while repeating the spatula movement. Ensure the mix has a uniform consistency before proceeding.  

I usually fold it in without "loosening" the yolk mixture. "Loosening" the yolk mixture should make it easier to fold in the remaining whisked whites. The yolk mix can be "loosened" by adding up to 1/4 of the whisked whites & folding this in. The remainder of the whisked egg whites are then added & folded in.

Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (I have used a size 13 & 15).

Pipe finger sized logs onto the baking paper. I arranged the fingers in a 7 x 3 configuration. Sprinkle the extra sugar on top of the fingers.

Put the trays in the oven & bake at 175 C for approximately 15 mins. The time will be dependent on your oven & the size of the fingers. If your oven has a hot spot turn the trays halfway through baking.

Bring the trays out of the oven, turn oven off & leave the door open. Allow the Lady fingers to cool for ~15 mins before putting them back into the warm oven to dry out (depending on your oven this step may not be needed).

Store Lady fingers in a sealed container until needed. 

Chocolate Sponge

This chocolate sponge was designed to soak up the Raspberry Liqueur - the cake by itself is dry.

If you keep your eggs in the fridge 1/2 fill the kitchen sink with hot tap water. Put the eggs in the hot tap water for 10 mins. If you keep your eggs at room temperature warm the eggs up by placing them in a dish of warm water (slightly hotter than 37 C).

Turn oven on to 175 C (fan forced).

Grease a 20 cm cake tin & line the bottom with baking paper. The cake will shrink a little as it cools. 

Mix together the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour, cocoa, baking powder, cream of tartar & salt.

Put the eggs, sugar, and vanilla into a mixing bowl (preferably for a stand mixer) & beat mixture for ~8 mins. The mixture should be thick & creamy. Mix in the oil using a spatula.

Gently mix in the dry ingredients. 

Transfer the cake batter to the cake tin. Avoid putting the mix on the sides of the tin.

Put the tin in the oven & bake at 170 C for approximately 30 mins. The time required will depend on your oven. The cake is ready when the cake starts to leave the sides of the tin. Another check is to gently press the centre of the cake, if there is no resistance the cake needs longer. 

Before the cake comes out of the oven put baking paper on to a cooling rack. Bring the cake out of the oven & allow to cool for ~5 mins before turning it out on to the baking paper. The bottom of the cake should be facing up. Leave to cool completely.  

Raspberry Liqueur

The raspberry puree can be made a day ahead, transferred to a clean jar & stored in the fridge.

Thaw the raspberries if using frozen ones.

Blend 500 g of the raspberries. Strain the raspberries through a fine sieve, collecting the juice. Use a little water (50 g - 250 g) to wash the pulp to extract as much raspberry juice as possible. How much water you add will determine the flavour of the liqueur (less water = stronger flavour).

Transfer 120 g of the puree to a clean jar. Reserve the remainder of the puree for the Razzle Dazzle icing. 

Add in the sugar. Put the lid on & shake to dissolve the sugar.

When the sugar has dissolved add in the alcohol.

Shake & store jar in the fridge.

Razzle Dazzle Icing

Pour the raspberry puree into a small saucepan. 

Add in the caster sugar & stir.

Gently heat the mix to dissolve the sugar before boiling it.

Gently boil this mix for ~4 mins, stirring it occasionally to stop it from catching on the bottom of the saucepan.

While this mix is boiling start whisking the egg whites (using a stand mixer). 

Turn off the heat under the saucepan & wait for the bubbles to subside.

Pour the raspberry syrup in a thin stream into the whisking egg whites. The heat from the syrup will cook the egg white. Scrape the saucepan to get as much of the raspberry syrup out & put it in with the egg white - it will be very sticky. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl & continue whisking until the mixture has cooled.

When cool the mixture will be stiff & slightly pink. Essentially this mix is a raspberry flavoured Italian meringue. 

Left over icing can be kept in the fridge. Place plastic clingwrap on top of the icing to stop a crust from forming.

Marscapone Cream

The marscapone cream is best made just before assembling the dessert. 

Separate the eggs. Put 80 g of sugar with the yolks & 20 g of sugar with the whites.

Cream the yolk mixture until pale & creamy.

Beat the whites until stiff peaks form.

Fold together the marscapone cream & thickened cream. Fold in the creamed yolk mix. Finally fold in the beaten egg whites. 

Assembling

Assemble the Raspberry WOW in a glass serving bowl. Depending on the size of the bowl you may have to trim the chocolate sponge to fit into it.

Cut some of the Lady Fingers in half. These will go around the bottom of the bowl with the curved end facing upwards.

Arrange the 1/2 Lady Fingers around the bottom of the bowl. Fill the bottom of the bowl with Lady Fingers (1 layer deep).

Sprinkle on ~1/3 of the Raspberry Liqueur.

Top the Lady Fingers with ~1/2 of the Marscapone Cream.

The chocolate sponge will be added next. I usually cut off the bottom & top of the cake to ensure the cake soaks up the liqueur. Gently put the sponge on top of the Marscapone Cream.

Sprinkle ~1/3 of the Raspberry Liqueur on to the chocolate sponge.

Layer some of the Razzle Dazzle icing on top of the cake. The amount you put on will depend on the size of the serving bowl. On top of the Razzle Dazzle icing will be another layer of the liqueur soaked Lady Fingers & more Marscapone Cream.

Put some of the Raspberry Liqueur into a small bowl. Briefly put some of the Lady Fingers into the liqueur, make sure you turn them over then transfer them to the top of the Razzle Dazzle icing.

Cover the soaked Lady Fingers with the Marscapone Cream.

Loosely cover the top & place Raspberry WOW in the fridge for at least an hour.

When ready to serve bring it out of the fridge & sprinkle raspberries on top.

Simply enjoy!