Marble Cake topped with Profiteroles

One interesting thing I've learnt from consumer behaviour is that woman associates baking cake to having baby.  I got the interested in baking and decorating cake when I was 19 and that's probably due to my reproductive system ready to work.  Nevertheless, my mother used to give me red coloured hard boiled eggs for my birthday but I wanted to have a butter creamed cake so much when I saw it displayed in the bakery.  I had my first birthday party with a fresh fruit creamed sponge when I was 12 and ever since that I decided I would want to have a birthday cake each year.  That's easily done when I finally get to know how to bake.  I alway get jealous looking at my husband's 1st birthday photo because he had a letter one shaped cake with a party!  But that's the only birthday cake he'd ever had and I bet he couldn't remember anything at all for being a toddler.  Since we're together, we'll have birthday cake for everyone's birthday.  It doesn't matter if we don't have a party or present, we all have cake and blow the candles.  

I made the tiramisu and bomb alaska for my children's birthday and it's really fun baking and decorating the cakes even though it took me lots of hours.  When I asked my husband what sort of cake he'd like for his, he requested a marble cake as it's his childhood favourite.  I used my mother-in-law's recipe and add his favourite profiteroles with custard filling on top.  Now I understand why do I like to bake cake as it's an act of love.

Another interesting thing I've learnt from consumer behaviour is that woman associates husband to cockroach.  Anybody got an answer?

    

Tiramisu topped with macarons

Bomb Alaska with raspberry filling

Marble Cake topped with Profiteroles


Ingredients:

For the cake:
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
225g (8oz) butter
4 eggs
195g (7oz) sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

For the custard:
2 heap tablespoon custard powder
2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon of egg taken from the profiteroles
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the dark chocolate ganache:
200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
1 cup whipped cream

For the profiteroles:
(make 10)

85g butter
100ml milk
100ml water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
120g plain flour
3 eggs (1 tablespoon goes to the custard)
flaked almonds for garnishing













Method:

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 180c and line a 23cm round baking pan with grease proofed paper.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add in eggs one at a time.  Gradually add in sifted flour, baking powder, vanilla essence and milk.
3. Divide the mixture into two.  Add sifted cocoa powder to one of the mixture.
4. Spoon the vanilla mixture and cocoa mixture alternatively into the pan.  Then use a skewer to draw around the cake to mix the vanilla and cocoa mixture.
5. Bake it in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the skewer comes clean when insert into the cake.
6. Stand the cake in the rack for 5 minutes, then lift the cake out and let cool completely before icing.

1. For the custard: Mix the custard powder with a bit of milk in a small saucepan until it is dissolved. Gradually add in sugar and the rest of the milk and stir occasionally until the mixture is thicken.  Cover it with clear wrap and let it cool down.  You can fasten the process by putting the custard into the fridge after it cools down a bit.
2. Cut the cake into half horizontally.  Spread the cooled custard onto the cake and sandwich it with the top half.  Leave about 7 teaspoons of custard for the profiteroles.

1. For the profiteroles: Preheat oven to 210c.  Line a baking tray with baking paper an lightly sprinkle with water to help the choux to rise.  Put butter, milk, water, salt and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.  Remove from heat, add flour and beat well.  Cook, stir constantly for 1 minute or until the mixture comes away from the sides of the saucepan to form a ball.  Cool slightly.
2. Add in eggs one at a time and beat the mixture with an electric mixer until smooth and glossy.  Spoon in mixture into the baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until well puffed and golden.  Reduce the temperature to 175c and bake for further 20 minuted or until the pastry sounds hollow when tapped.  Set aside to cool.

1. For the chocolate ganache: melt the chocolate with the double boiler, dip the top of the profiteroles into the chocolate.  Sprinkle some flaked almonds on top.  After icing all the profiteroles, add the whipped cream to the remaining chocolate and mix well.  Put into the fridge until the ganache is spreadable.
2. Meanwhile, slit open the profiteroles, fill with 1 teaspoon of custard and some cream for 7 puffs.  (leave 3 puffs, fill them with ice-cream or cream for your extra reward)
3. Decorate the cake with the ganache and topped it with the profiteroles. 

profiteroles with ice-cream