Salty's Seafood Restaurant Recipes

SALTY'S WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Salty's pastry chef Jane Gibson says you can substitute sweetened coconut or white sprinkles for the white chocolate shavings. She recommends Home Cake Decorating Supply Company (206-522-4300) as a good local resource for baking and decorating supplies.

• 3 CUPS CAKE FLOUR, plus extra for dusting cake pans
• 1 TABLESPOON BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT
• 1 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 CUPS GRANULATED SUGAR
• 1 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1 CUP WHOLE MILK
• 8 LARGE EGG WHITES, room temperature
  (for safety reasons, don’t leave eggs out at room temperature; instead, briefly run them under warm water before separating)
• 1 PINCH CREAM OF TARTAR
• 3 TABLESPOONS RED CURRANT JELLY, whisked until it reaches spreading consistency
• WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (SEE RECIPE BELOW)
• 1 POUND GOOD-QUALITY WHITE CHOCOLATE,
  room temperature, shaved into curls using a vegetable peeler (blocks or large chunks are easier to peel)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with waxed or parchment paper and grease the paper. Dust the bottom and sides of the pans with flour, tapping out any excess, and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer at low speed until coarsely blended, then increase the speed to medium and beat until light and creamy. Add the vanilla, then add the flour mixture alternating with the milk. Beat until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar at medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks.
5. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter until well blended, using a cutting motion through the middle of the batter and turning the bowl as you work. Gently fold the remaining whites into the batter until just combined. Do not over mix or the cake will be tough and heavy.
6. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake in the center of the oven 25~30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool the layers in the pans on wire racks for 20 minutes, then turn them out onto the racks to cool completely. Once cooled, remove the waxed paper. With a serrated knife, cut off the top brown part on each cake layer, making sure the layers are flat and even. Remove any crumbs that stick to the cake.
8. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Using a clean pastry brush, glaze it with a thin layer of red currant jelly, covering the top only (not the sides). Working quickly, because the mousse softens the longer it remains at room temperature, cover the jelly with one-third of the mousse (avoiding the sides), then repeat with the next layer, omitting the jelly.
9. Ice the cake with the remaining mousse, covering both top and sides. Press the white chocolate shavings into the mousse until the entire cake is evenly covered.
10. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour before serving to allow the mousse to set. Alternatively, freeze the frosted cake (minus the white chocolate shavings) and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator before adding the shavings.

 

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

• 12 OUNCES WHITE CHOCOLATE, coarsely chopped
• 4 CUPS WHIPPING CREAM, chilled

1. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or a stainless-steel or glass bowl placed over a saucepan filled with simmering (not boiling) water. Remove the pan from the heat when the chocolate is almost melted, then stir until it melts completely. Be careful not to get any water in the chocolate, or it could seize (clump and harden). Cool to room temperature.
2. With an electric mixer set at medium-high to high speed, whip the cream in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Working quickly, gently fold the melted chocolate into the cream and use immediately to frost the cake.

COOK'S NOTES: White chocolate comes in several forms. For the best flavor and texture, buy a product that lists cocoa butter among the ingredients and avoid those labeled "artificial chocolate" or "chocolate-flavored." Above all, do not use white chocolate chips. If necessary, substitute sweetened coconut or white sprinkles for the white chocolate shavings. To measure the flour in this recipe, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it off with a straight edge (such as the back of a knife). For even more precise measurements, weigh the flour on a kitchen scale. Three cups should weigh 12 ounces.