Cherry on Top – Dark Chocolate and Tonka Naked Cake (Momofuku Style)
The Dark Chocolate and Tonka Naked Cake is a modern dessert with exposed layers that create a spectacular visual effect. This cake combines an intense, moist chocolate sponge with two velvety mousse textures and a vibrant cherry marmalade. Each layer is defined by a perfect balance between chocolate and fruit, with a subtle addition of tonka.
Servings :1 18cm cake
Ingredients
Moist Chocolate Sponge
- 210 g all-purpose flour
- 25 g cornstarch
- 2 g baking soda
- 4 g baking powder
- 2 g salt
- 100 g cocoa
- 2 g instant coffee
- 5 g vanilla extract
- 5 g apple cider vinegar
- 320 g buttermilk (room temperature)
- 115 g butter (room temperature)
- 130 g sunflower oil
- 230 g granulated white sugar
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 150 g whole eggs
Cocoa Syrup
- 50 g water
- 20 g brown sugar
- 5 g cocoa
Cherry/Sour Cherry Marmalade
- 70 g cherry puree
- 180 g frozen cherries
- 4 g NH Pectin
- 40 g granulated white sugar
- 2 g gelatin + 12g cold water
Cherry/Sour Cherry Mousse
- 2 g gelatin + 12g cold water
- 65 g cherry puree
- 20 g granulated white sugar
- 10 g inverted sugar/honey
- 85 g heavy cream (lightly whipped)
Dark Chocolate Mousse with Tonka
- 1 g gelatin + 6g cold water
- 50 g milk (3.5% fat)
- ¼ tonka bean (grated)
- 50 g dark chocolate (54%)
- 10 g dark chocolate (72%)
- 100 g heavy cream (lightly whipped)
Dark Chocolate Ganache – Glaze
- 120 g heavy cream
- 15 g inverted sugar/honey
- ¼ tonka bean
- 150 g dark chocolate (54%)
- 20 g butter (room temperature)
Instructions
Moist Chocolate Sponge
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and coffee in a bowl.
- Mix the buttermilk with the vinegar and vanilla.
- In another bowl, cream the butter and oil with both types of sugar until frothy and light in color.
- Gradually add the eggs, mixing well after each one.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients, alternating with the wet ones, mixing on low speed.
- Spread in a 30x40cm tray.
- Bake at 175°C for 25-30 minutes.
- Cool completely, then cut 3 discs of 18cm diameter (the third might be made from 2-3 pieces).
- Save the scraps for decoration.
Cocoa Syrup
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Cool before use.
Cherry Marmalade
- Hydrate the gelatin in water.
- Combine the cherry puree and frozen cherries in a saucepan.
- Mix the sugar with the NH Pectin.
- Rain the sugar mixture over the puree and cherries, stirring constantly.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.
- Set aside and add the gelatin.
- Transfer to a bowl and cool, covered with plastic wrap in direct contact.
Cherry Mousse
- Hydrate the gelatin in cold water.
- Heat the cherry puree with the sugar, inverted sugar, and hydrated gelatin just until the gelatin melts.
- Set aside and transfer to a bowl.
- Cool to 26-28°C, then fold in the lightly whipped cream.
- Use immediately.
Dark Chocolate Mousse with Tonka
- Hydrate the gelatin in cold water.
- Heat the milk, tonka bean, and hydrated gelatin in a saucepan.
- Pour over the two types of chocolate in a tall jar.
- Emulsify with a hand blender.
- Transfer to a bowl and cool to 28-30°C.
- Fold in the lightly whipped cream and use immediately.
Dark Chocolate Ganache – Glaze
- Heat the heavy cream with the inverted sugar and tonka.
- Pour over the chocolate in a tall jar.
- Emulsify with a hand blender, adding the butter.
- Set aside 100g for decoration; pour the rest over the top layer of the cake.
Assembly
- Line an 18cm ring with acetate film (at least 12cm high).
- Place one sponge layer in the ring and brush with syrup.
- Add half the marmalade, then the dark chocolate and tonka mousse.
- Place the second sponge and brush with syrup.
- Add the second half of the marmalade and the fruit mousse on top.
- Place the last sponge and brush with syrup; refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
- Pour the glaze on top and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
- Remove from the ring and decorate with the saved ganache and Maraschino cherries.
Equipment
- The Dark Chocolate and Tonka Naked Cake is a modern dessert with exposed layers that create a spectacular visual effect. This cake combines an intense, moist chocolate sponge with two velvety mousse textures and a vibrant cherry marmalade. Each layer is defined by a perfect balance between chocolate and fruit, with a subtle addition of tonka.