Grape and berry cake

Grapes and Berries Cake

A grape and berry cake is not just a dessert but a real delight for the senses. This exquisite cake combines the fluffy texture of the pastry with a delicious berry mousse and a light yogurt cream, and the mirror-like frosting gives it a dreamy finish. It's perfect for a special occasion or simply to indulge after a long day.

Preparation Time
- Total Time: 5 hours (including cooling time)
- Preparation Time: 1 hour
- Baking Time: 25 minutes
- Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients


- 4 eggs
- 120 gr sugar
- 100 gr flour
- 20 gr cocoa
- pinch of salt

Forest Fruit Mousse
- 200 gr berries (fresh or frozen)
- 120 gr sugar
- 8 gr gelatin (4 sheets)
- 350 ml whipped cream

Yoghurt cream
- 200 ml liquid cream
- 300 gr yogurt
- 6 heaped tablespoons powdered sugar
- 10 gr gelatin granules
- ½ can pineapple
- Black and white grapes (for decoration)

For the icing
- 200 ml water
- 100 gr sugar
- Essence of vanilla or rum
- Juice from pineapple compote

Mirror Mirror glaze
- 175 gr water
- 150 gr liquid cream
- 225 gr sugar
- 75 gr cocoa
- 8 gr gelatin (4 sheets)

Preparation

Step 1: Preparing the pastry
1. Beat the eggs: In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is creamy and tripled in volume. It's essential to use fresh, room temperature eggs for an airy texture.
2. Add the dry ingredients: Si sift the flour and cocoa together, then gradually fold them into the egg mixture, stirring gently from the bottom up so as not to lose any air.
3. Bake the cake: Pour the mixture into a buttered baking tray lined with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 170°C and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is well browned and passes the toothpick test. Leave to cool completely before cutting in half.

Step 2: Making the Berry Mousse
1. Prepare the gelatine: Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 10 minutes.
2. Cook the berries: In a saucepan, add the berries and sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts. Here, it's important not to let the mixture boil to maintain the freshness of the berries.
3. Mash the fruit: Once the sugar has melted, take the saucepan off the heat and mash the fruit to a puree. Strain the puree to remove the seeds.
4. Incorporate the gelatine: Heat the fruit puree on the heat for 3-4 minutes without boiling. Add the drained gelatine and mix well. Leave to cool.
5. Whip the cream: Blend the whipped cream until stiff, then add it to the cooled fruit puree, stirring gently.

Step 3: Making the Yoghurt Cream
1. Drain the pineapple: Put the pineapple in a strainer to drain the juice well.
2. Hydrate the gelatin: In half a cup of compote, hydrate the gelatin for 10 minutes. Then, warm the gelatin over the heat, but do not let it boil.
3. Mix the yogurt: In a bowl, combine the yogurt with the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Add the warm (but not hot) gelatin and mix well.
4. Add whipped cream and fruit: Stir in whipped cream, pineapple and grape berries, stirring gently.

Step 4: Assemble the cake
1. Drizzle the cake: Place the first half of the cake on a platter and drizzle with the water, sugar and vanilla essence mixture.
2. Add the mousse: Pour the fruit mousse in the center of the cake, then place the yogurt cream all around. Finally, cover the top with the yogurt cream.
3. Chill: Cover the cake with aluminum foil and chill for 2 hours to set.

Step 5: Making the Mirror Mirror Frosting
1. Hydrate the gelatine: As before, soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 10 minutes.
2. Cook the glaze: In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, whipping cream and cocoa. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts, being careful not to boil.
3. Stir in gelatine: After removing the saucepan from the heat, add the drained gelatin. Strain the glaze to remove any lumps.
4. Cool the glaze: Allow the glaze to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 30 minutes, until thick but still liquid.

Step 6: Finalizing the Cake
1. Frost: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and pour the frosting evenly on top. Make sure the cake is placed in a larger pan to catch any drips of frosting.
2. Decorate: Once the icing has set, you can decorate the cake as you like with the remaining berries, grated chocolate or nuts.

Practical Tips
- Choose your berries: Use fresh berries for an intense flavor, and if you don't have any, frozen ones are a great choice. Make sure they contain no additives.
- Gelatin: If you prefer a vegetarian option, you can use agar agar agar instead of gelatin, taking care to follow the preparation directions.
- Serving: The cake can be served plain, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a contrast of temperatures and textures.
- Variations: You can experiment with other fruits, such as mango or raspberry, to customize the cake to your preference.

Nutritional Benefits
This cake is not only delicious but also packed with vitamins thanks to the berries, which are rich in antioxidants. The yogurt adds a healthy source of protein and probiotics, and the grapes provide a good dose of fiber.

Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you replace sugar? Sure! Sugar can be replaced with natural sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup.
- How do I store the cake? The cake should be refrigerated, covered, for 3-4 days. The icing will stay shiny and beautiful.
- Can I freeze the cake? Yes, the cake can be frozen, but it is advisable not to add the frosting until you thaw it.

Now that you have all the information you need, all you have to do is get cooking! This grape and berry cake is sure to impress anyone, and the joy of making it will make it even more satisfying. Enjoy!

 Ingredients: Ingredients for the cake base: 4 eggs, 120 g sugar, 100 g flour, 20 g cocoa, a pinch of salt. Ingredients for the berry mousse: 200 g berries, 120 g sugar, 8 g gelatin (4 sheets), 350 ml whipped cream. Ingredients for the yogurt cream: 200 ml liquid cream, 300 g yogurt, 6 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar, 10 g gelatin granules, 1/2 can of pineapple, white and black grapes. For soaking the cake: 200 ml water, 100 g sugar, vanilla or rum essence or juice from the pineapple compote. Ingredients for the mirror glaze: 175 g water, 150 g liquid cream, 225 g sugar, 75 g cocoa, 8 g gelatin (4 sheets).