Gulf News Food Show's Pistachio Mousse with Raspberries Bento Cake

3/8 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup roasted pistachios, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

100 gms Fresh raspberries

Chopped pistachios, as needed

For the pistachio mousse:

1 1/3 cups pistachio paste (store-bought)

1/3 cup cream

1 1/3 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup almond milk

Chocolate ganache:

300 ml Full cream

300 ml White chocolate

75 gms Butter

Method:

In a pan, warm the cream and mix the pistachio paste with the vanilla bean paste. Then, add the gelatine sheet and white chocolate. Keep mixing over a medium flame and combine well. Transfer to a bowl and chill it for 2 hours.

Now, melt the butter in a saucepan and set it aside.

Whisk the egg whites and add sugar slowly. Set it aside.

In a bowl, add almond flour and pistachio flour, mix in the whole eggs, then add the butter and combine well.

Then, add the whisked egg whites and fold them with a spatula until they are well combined.

Preheat the oven to 175°C and line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Now, spread the cake batter on a baking tray and sprinkle some chopped roasted pistachios. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

To make the chocolate ganache, mix cream, butter, and white chocolate in a pan and heat it over a medium flame. Once the three ingredients are well combined, blend them using a hand blender. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate it for 12 hours.

You can add food colouring to the ganache when using it. (optional)

Now, use a round cutter to cut out circular cake layers to assemble the bento cake. Then, stack the cake layers on top of each other, spreading a thin layer of frosting or filling between each layer. Also, place sliced raspberries between the layers. Once the layers are stacked, cover the cake with a thin layer of ganache to create a smooth surface.

Finally, decorate the cake with colourful and creative bento-style designs using fondant, icing, or edible decorations.

Tips

1. When melting the butter for the cake batter, be sure to let it cool slightly before adding it to the other ingredients.

2. When whisking the egg whites with sugar, do so until stiff peaks form for a light and airy texture in the cake.

3. Be careful when folding the whisked egg whites into the batter to maintain the airiness of the mixture.

4. Make sure to line the baking dish with parchment paper to easily lift the cake out after baking.

5. For the chocolate ganache, ensure that the cream, butter, and white chocolate are well combined before blending with a hand blender.

6. Refrigerate the ganache for the recommended 12 hours for a perfect consistency.

7. Optionally, consider adding food colouring to the ganache to achieve vibrant and unique designs.

Creating the Pistachio Raspberry Bento Cake is a delightful journey that marries the richness of pistachio mousse, the tartness of fresh raspberries, and the velvety luxury of chocolate ganache. Every slice tells a story of precision, passion, and artistry.

- Chef Luis Federico Oliveira is the Executive Pastry Chef of Ribambelle Group, Dubai.

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