Viennese Almond White Chocolate Cake

Pictured above: A cake of many textures! Chef Joan's light, fluffy Viennese Almond Jaconde Cake is layered with smooth white chocolate ganache and Viennese Almond Flavored Fond Royal Mousse, then finished with whipped cream and crunchy shards of Almond Bienetta. 

Viennese Almond Jaconde Cake:

9 oz                               Egg Whites 

9 oz                               Granulated sugar

5 oz                               Almond flour

4.5 oz                            Cake flour, sifted

4                                    Whole eggs

0.5 oz                            Viennese Almond Flavor Paste   

White Chocolate Ganache:

8.8 oz                            Heavy cream

26.5 oz                          White Chocolate Couverture

Viennese Almond Simple Syrup:

3.5 oz                            Granulated sugar

7 oz                               Water

15g                                Viennese Almond Flavor Paste

Viennese Almond Flavored Fond Royal Mousse:

25g                                Viennese Almond Flavor Paste

0.40 oz                           Cold water

3.5 oz                             Neutral Fond Royal Mix

17.5 oz                           Medium peak whipped cream

Almond Bienetta Décor:

40g                               Bienetta Florentine Mix

20g                               Almond Flour

20g                               Sliced Almonds

Whipped Cream (For Garnish):

Pure Vanilla Extract

Stabifix

Heavy cream

Special Equipment:

Acetate cake band cut into strips, or Pre-cut cake band strips

8" Cake ring mold

2 cake pans (to be split into 4 cake layers), OR

4 cake pans (to create 4 thin cake layers, no splitting necessary).

Brush or spray bottle 

Instructions:

Viennese Almond Jaconde Cake:

1.) Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.) Whip the eggs whites on high until frothy, then reduce speed to low and gradually add 4 ounces of granulated sugar (saving the other 5 ounces for later). Once all 4 ounces of granulated sugar is added, switch back to high speed until egg whites have medium stiff peaks, making sure not to overwhip whites to dry stage.

3.) Transfer to another bowl and set aside. Use the same bowl and whisk for next step.

3.) Prepare cake pans by placing parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. Do not spray cake pan with oil of any kind. *See recipe notes 

4.) In the same bowl from before, place almond flour, sifted cake flour and the other 5 ounces of granulated sugar. 

5.) Mix on low speed until well blended. Increase speed to medium, then add eggs one at a time, increasing speed to high after each addition. Add the Viennese Almond Flavor Paste and whip on high until mixture is light and fluffy.

6.) Fold in whipped egg whites, being careful to not deflate them. Divide cake batter evenly between the 2 cake pans or 4 cake pans, whichever you prefer.

7.) Bake at 350°F until golden for about 15-20 minutes, or until center of cake springs back when pressed. If baking 2 thick cake layers, they will be cut and split to create a total of 4 cake layers. If baking 4 thin layers, no splitting is necessary.

White Chocolate Ganache:

1.) Place white couverture chocolate callets in a large bowl. Bring heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the white couverture chocolate.

2.) Place bowl over a hot water bath that is barely simmering, creating a double boiler.

3.) Whisk the white chocolate and cream gently until it has melted and combined completely. Strain the ganache through a fine sieve to ensure that there are no lumps of white chocolate to achieve a smooth texture.

4.) For a fluffier ganache, whip the white chocolate mixture. Set aside.

Viennese Almond Simple Syrup:

1.) Put sugar and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Allow to cool, then add Viennese Almond Flavor Paste.

2.) Combine simple syrup and Viennese Almond Flavor Paste until fully blended. Use to brush or spray the cake layers before assembling the cake (assembly instructions below).

Viennese Almond Flavored Fond Royal Mousse:

1.) Mix the 25 grams of Viennese Almond Flavor Paste and the 0.40 oz of cold water until well combined.

2.) Add 3.5 oz of the Neutral Fond Royal Mix and whisk together.

3.) Fold mixture into 17.5 oz of medium peak whipped cream. Set aside until ready to assemble cake.

Assembly Instructions:

1.) Cut the acetate cake bands, or use a pre-cut acetate cake band and place inside of an 8" round cake ring mold.

2.) Brush or spray the top of the bottom cake layer with Viennese Almond Simple Syrup and place cake inside of the cake ring mold.

3.) Pipe or spread the top of the first cake layer with 150g of the White Chocolate Ganache, about ¼" high.

4.) Brush or spray the second layer of cake on both sides with Viennese Almond Simple Syrup, and place cake inside the cake ring mold.

5.) This time, pipe or spread the top of the second cake layer with half of the Viennese Almond Flavored Fond Royal Mousse.

6.) Brush or spray the third cake layer with the Viennese Almond Simple Syrup again, and place third layer of cake into the cake ring mold.

7.) Pipe or spread the top of the third cake layer with 150 grams of the White Chocolate Ganache, about ¼" high.

8.) Brush or spray the fourth and final layer of cake with the Viennese Almond Simple Syrup, and place inside the cake ring mold.

9.) Pipe or spread the top of the final cake layer with the remaining Viennese Almond Flavored Fond Royal Mousse.

10.) Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours to allow the fond royal mousse to set. If in a hurry, you can freeze the cake for at least one hour instead.

11.) While cake in setting in the refrigerator or freezer, make the Almond Bienetta decoration.

12.) Once cake is completely set, remove from the refrigerator or freezer, and take off the cake ring mold as well as the acetate cake band.

13.) You can choose to present the cake as a naked cake design, or you can create a white chocolate cake collar as shown.

14.) Decorate the top of the cake with the Almond Bienetta Décor.

15.) Make whipped cream or use a store-bought version. If making your own, whip the heavy cream with the Stabifix and pure vanilla until stiff peaks form. Pipe rosettes of whipped cream on top of the cake. Place Bienetta décor at creative angles as shown.

Almond Bienetta Décor: 

1.) Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.) Mix together Bienetta, almond flour and sliced almonds.

3.) Prepare a half sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

4.) Spray the inner part of an 8" cake ring mold and place it on the lined half sheet pan.

5.) Spread almond bienetta mixture evenly inside of the prepared cake ring mold.

6.) Bake at 350°F for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven.

7.) Remove 8" cake ring mold and cut almond Bienetta into 8 equal pieces. Allow to cool completely.

Recipe Notes:

*The cake will rise higher if there is no oil on the sides of the cake pan. Bake this cake like a chiffon cake.

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