Ingredients for the sponge cake
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g ION cocoa powder
- 5 medium eggs
- a bit of orange zest
Ingredients for the syrup
- 200 ml water
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 50 ml brandy (optionally)
Ingredients for the ganache
- 500 g ION PÂTISSERIE classic couverture
- 500 ml heavy cream 36%
- 50 g honey
Method for the ganache
In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream along with honey, until it comes to a boil.
Chop the couverture into pieces and place it into a bowl.
After the heavy cream comes to a boil, pour it into the bowl with chopped chocolate. Stir with a mariz, until it forms into a glossy ganache. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, so that it comes in contact with the ganache, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Method for the sponge cake
In a mixer’s bowl, add the eggs and sugar and stir at medium speed using the whisk attachment, until white and fluffy.
Sift the flour and the cocoa powder over a sheet of parchment paper. At this stage, you can also add the orange zest.
When the eggs are ready, add gradually the flour/cocoa mixture along with the orange zest, while stirring slightly with a mariz.
Right after, take two 20cm baking hoops, and place each one over a sheet of aluminum foil. Then, cover the outward-facing side with the aluminum foil of each baking hoop, so that they resemble little baking pans. Make sure that the aluminum foil does not turn on the inside of each pan. When ready, place them in a larger baking pan. Seal the base of each little pan well, pour the mixture into the 2 baking hoops and divide it into two equal parts.
Bake in a preheated oven on the middle oven rack, at 180 C fan for around 20 minutes.
Method for the syrup
Place all the ingredients in a coffee pot and heat, until it comes to a boil.
To assemble
When the sponge cakes are cool enough, cut them in half horizontally, in order to have 4 even-shaped sponge cakes.
Next, take one sponge cake and place it on a serving dish to your liking. Drizzle a bit of syrup over the sponge cake layer with a brush.
Immediately after, spread over it approximately ¼ of the ganache and place the second sponge cake layer on top of it.
Repeat the same process for the remaining sponge cake layers, until assembled.
Optionally, add a garnish of your choice (candied cherries, nuts, sprinkles, etc.) and store in the fridge.
