Red currant and coconut mousse cake
For a birthday meal, here’s a cake recipe with red berries and coconut mousse.
1. The macaron biscuit: Mix and sift the almond powder mixed with icing sugar. Beat the egg whites, adding gradually the granulated sugar and vanilla sugar, then the food coloring. Continue to beat until a nice firm meringue, smooth and shiny. Then fold in the almond powder / icing sugar and stir until the mixture forms a smooth and glossy ribbon. Preheat the oven to 150°C (th. 5). Buttered 2 square moulds of 20 cm and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry bag, pipe each one and smooth the batter with a spatula. Let dry for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
2. For the red currant cream: Wash and loosen the red currants. Blend and then pass through a sieve to remove seeds. Pour the coulis into a saucepan and add the sugar and eggs. Place over low heat and, stirring constantly until thickens. Remove from heat and let cool before adding the butter in pieces. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate.
3. The coconut mousse: Soak for 10 minutes the gelatin leaves in cold water. Heat the coconut cream with the sugar and grated coconut. Add the gelatin and allow to melt and then cool. Beat the cream into a chantilly. Stir gently into the coconut cream and let cool to take in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
4. Assemble: Unmould carefully one of the macaron biscuits. Without removing the second one from its square mould, spread the red currant cream and smooth with a spatula. Cover with the first unmoulded macaron. Gently press to even the surface. Then, divide the coconut mousse, leaving a few millimeters above the height of the mould. Cool and refrigerate.
5. For the mirror glaze: Soften the gelatine leaves in cold water. Boil 20 cl of water, the Malibu and food colouring. Stir in the drained gelatine and let cool off the heat. Pour the glaze on the cake and place for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
6. Before serving, carefully remove the square mould with a knife dipped in hot water. Cut into portions and garnish with some fresh currants.
Photo credit: Sucré Salé
