Sponge cake filled with custard cream and topped with chocolate glaze.
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 4 large eggs (L)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1 cup (160 g) cake flour
Custard Cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 6 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- a pinch of salt
- 3 cups milk
Chocolate Glaze
- 100 g dark or semisweet chocolate
- 80 ml heavy cream (30%)
Preparation
Sponge Cake Warm the eggs to room temperature or in a bowl of warm water. Line the bottom of a 24 cm diameter cake pan with parchment paper, secure the sides, and extend the paper outside. Butter the inside of the pan. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
In a bowl, beat eggs with sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes until well combined. Place the bowl over simmering water and beat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture warms up. Remove from heat and beat on high speed for 5-7 minutes until a thick and fluffy pale mixture forms.
Bring milk to a boil with half a vanilla bean (scraped seeds). Gradually add hot milk with vanilla to the egg mixture while continuously beating.
Sift 1/3 of the flour into the mixture and gently fold using a spatula, or mix on low speed briefly and then fold with a spatula. Repeat with remaining flour in batches, mixing gently each time.
Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes until done. Allow to cool completely. Cut horizontally into 2 layers.
Custard Cream In a bowl, mix egg yolks with scraped vanilla bean seeds. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add milk while stirring with a whisk until smooth. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5-8 minutes until thickened and boiling. Remove the thickened mixture from heat.
Gradually add 1-2 tablespoons of the hot mixture to the egg yolks, stirring constantly until smooth. Return to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Transfer to a clean glass bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and allow to cool completely.
Place the bottom sponge cake layer on a serving plate, spread cooled custard cream evenly, and cover with the second cake layer.
Chocolate Glaze Break chocolate into pieces and melt with heavy cream, for example in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Pour over the cake and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
