Friend A : Eh why dont we get a small cake for her ?

Me : oh why dont I make it since Ill be back early. Make something simple and quick la.

Friend A : Ok, I want chocolate banana

Me: Its not your birthday la! but let me think what to make on the way back home.

Well basically that was the email conversation we had at about 4pm ish. I had to make something quick. Mm.. quick and yummy. So on my way back, I decided (in the car) that Ill make a chocolate cake, sandwiched with a Grand Marnier mousse cause its one of my favourite liquour (Cointreau as well) and I havent used it yet since buying it in the duty free shop in Seoul. Got some eggs from the grocer and I almost always have oranges at home, I knew making something with oranges wouldnt be a hassle.

at 5.30pm ish, made the chocolate cake, put into the oven. Walked the dogs, bum around, mom came back to cook, now Id have to be really careful to not have any tau chu sauce in my orange juice as my mum was cooking fish with tau chu sauce. Come 7pm, made the grand marnier mousse, assembled the cake. Made some candied julienne orange peel and downed the orange segments with some sugar and Grand Marnier. Took a shower, checked the mousse if it has set. Made a quick ganache poured over the cake, set to chill for a while more. Watched some tv,arranged the oranges on top, popped a candle, then its time to head out for yum char.

Arrived yum char place, we asked the waited to light the candle and bring the cake to the birthday girl (oh belated actually). Birthday girl had a stoned look on her face more than surprised cause she wanted to tell the waiter that they got the wrong table and that there is no ones birthday here. Lol, well of course its a belated one. Better late than never

The photos not that great, the ganache is not that smooth, the decorations, well its as orangey as it can get But the flavours were great, the mousse was so light and silky. The only downside was the rice crispy base which lacked crispiness. All in all, for a quick cake it was pretty good. Im going to skip the recipe for the chocolate rice krispies cause I didnt think it was good, maybe a feuilletine layer would do better. Another one of those experimental recipes. Feel free to. take the risk and try it. LOL.

Chocolate Boozy Orange Cake

(makes 6 square)

Chocolate cake
any light chocolate cake of your choice

Orange Grand Marnier Mousse
2 1/2 tsp gelatin powder
1 tbsp cold water
50g sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
zest of 1/2 an orange
2 tbsp Grand Marnier Liquour
150ml cream

Sugar Syrup
1 part sugar
1.5 parts water
2-3 orange peel

Boozy Orange segments
1 orange
20g sugar (or to taste)
1 tbsp Grand Marnier Liquour

Candied Orange peel
1/2 an orange
50g sugar
125ml water
pinch of salt
100g icing sugar

Chocolate Ganache
100g chocolate
120ml cream
10g butter

Method:

1. Make Sugar Syrup. Bring sugar and water to a boil. Add in orange peel. Let it infuse while you make other stuffs.

2. Make chocolate cake. You can use any chocolate cake recipe, except for flourless. Torte to 2 slices, about 2cm each layer.If using rice krispies or feuilletine ! layer, c ake should be just about 1.5cm thick

3. While the chocolate cake is baking, make the Boozy orange segments and candied orange peel. Cut skins off orange and cut the segments out. Well I cant really explain how this is done properly, but all you do is slide your knife against the inside of the white membrane of both sides, then the orange segment comes out nice n clean. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle some caster sugar and some Grand Marnier. Toss and let it sit till ready to use.

4. Make candied orange peel. Using a peeler, peel the skin of the orange, then julienne the orange peel into long strips. In a pot, bring sugar, salt and water to a boil, then let it reduce to 2/3. Turn off heat, toss in the julienned orange peel and coat them with the sugar syrup. On a clean sheet pan, dust some icing sugar, remove the orange peel sans syrup, then toss them in the icing sugar. Let it dry till ready to use.

5. Make Grand Marnier Mousse. Whip cream to medium peaks, cool in the fridge till ready to use. In a small bowl, stir gelatin powder in with cold water, let it bloom. In a small saucepan, bring orange juice and sugar to a light boil, just to dissolve the sugar. Reheat gelatin in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or till melted. Stir into the orange juice, and add in Grand Marnier Liquor. Stir the mixture over an ice bath to cool down the temperature of the orange juice. Then lightly fold in whipped cream and mix till smooth.

6. To assemble, lay a slice of chocolate cake at the bottom in a 6 cake ring (lets assume that theres no rice krispee here in the cake), using a brush, soak some syrup on the cake. Pour 1/2 of grand marnier mousse. Then add another layer of chocolate cake, syrup, mousse. Then cover and let it set in the fridge for 1 hour. If there are rice krispies or feuilletine at the bottom, add that first into the bottom of the cake ring, then only the chocolate cake.

7. Make Chocolate Ganache. I n a bowl, pour in cream and chocolate buttons (or diced). Put in the microwave and cook for 30 seconds. Remove, stir. If it has melted, stir in butter. Otherwise, reheat in the microwave for another 30 seconds then add in the butter. Stir and let it cool abit.

8. when the cake has set, remove the cake ring and pour ganache over the cake. Put it in the fridge to set further.

9. Final assembly, strain the boozy orange segments (the oranges would have soaked the syrup leaving a little behind), arrange on top of the cake. Scatter some of the candied julienne orange peel and chocolate decorations on top.

10. Cut and eat

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