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Mandarin Yogurt Cake

Prep
20 min
Bake
35 min
Total
55 min
Makes
12 slices

Ingredients

Sponge

  • 3large eggsroom temperature
  • ½ cup plus 1 tbsp110 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 1 cup120 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • 1 tspbaking powderGerman baking powder is sold in 15 g packets, each meant for about 500 g (4 cups) of flour. In the US and UK use regular baking powder (1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp per 15 g packet).
  • 2 tspvanilla sugaroptional. 1 packet = 2 tsp (8 g). Sugar flavored with vanillin (artificial vanilla), sold in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.

Shortcrust pastry

  • 7 tbsp100 gunsalted buttersoftened. German butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter (European-style unsalted butter is closest); in the UK, unsalted butter.
  • ¼ cup50 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups150 gall-purpose flour
  • 1 pinchsalt

Mandarin filling

  • 1 ¼ cups300 gplain yogurtideally Greek yogurt
  • 3 ½ oz100 gmandarin oranges
  • 1 packetagar-based gelling powder1 packet = 10 g; ground. A plant-based gelling powder made with agar; it has to be boiled briefly to set. In the US and UK use agar agar powder, using the amount on its package because strengths vary.
  • 1 ½ tbsp20 ggranulated sugar

Vanilla cream

  • 1 ¼ cups300 mlheavy creamGerman cream for whipping has about 30 to 32 percent fat. In the US use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; in the UK, whipping cream (double cream also works but whips faster, so watch it).
  • 4 tspvanilla sugar2 packets = 4 tsp (16 g)
  • 2 packetswhipped cream stabilizerA packet of modified starch and sugar that keeps whipped cream firm; one packet is used for about 1 cup (250 ml) of cream. In the US use whipped cream stabilizer powder (sold online and in some baking aisles), or about 1 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder per cup of cream; in the UK, cream stabiliser powder (sold online), or a spoonful of mascarpone whipped in with the cream.
  • ½ tspvanilla bean paste

Decoration

  • white couverture chocolatechopped. Couverture is chocolate with a high cocoa butter content that melts smoothly for coating and glazing. In the US use good-quality baking chocolate bars or couverture wafers (not chocolate chips); in the UK, couverture chocolate or a good-quality cooking chocolate bar. Choose white chocolate for this recipe.
  • heavy creamwhipped
  • powdered sugarVery finely ground sugar for icings and dusting. In the US use powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar); in the UK, icing sugar.

Method

Shortcrust pastry

  1. Briefly knead the butter, sugar, salt and flour into a smooth dough. Press it flat, cover it with a plate and chill for 1 hour.

  2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) convection (fan). Knead the dough again briefly (!), roll it out with a little flour if needed, and cut out a round with the ring of a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan.

  3. Bake for about 10 minutes until the base is golden brown, then let it cool completely on the baking sheet.

Sponge

  1. Beat the eggs with the sugar, salt and vanilla sugar vigorously for about 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C) convection (fan). Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper.

  2. Mix the flour and baking powder, sift them over the egg mixture and gently fold them in with love. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes. After baking, leave the sponge in the pan and turn the pan upside down onto a wire rack.

  3. Once the sponge has cooled to room temperature, release it from the pan and cut it in half horizontally.

  4. Melt a little white couverture chocolate and spread it over the shortcrust base, then place one of the two sponge layers on top. Now it's best to put the springform ring back around the layers.

Mandarin filling

  1. For the filling, set aside a few mandarin segments and chop the rest as small as you like.

  2. Bring the agar-based gelling powder to a boil with ⅓ cup (80 ml) of the mandarin juice and let it boil for 2 minutes, stirring. Then take it off the heat, let it cool for a few minutes and stir in the mandarins.

  3. Once the mixture has cooled for a few more minutes, stir in the yogurt.

  4. As soon as the yogurt mixture starts to set, spread it over the base and shape it into a dome.

  5. Place the second sponge layer on the dome of cream and press it down lightly. Put the cake in the fridge and make the second filling.

Vanilla cream filling

  1. Whip the cream with the vanilla sugar until stiff. Just before it is stiff, sprinkle in the whipped cream stabilizer.

  2. As soon as the filling is stiff, spread it into the pan over the sponge, smooth the top and chill again. Ideally, chill the cake overnight now.

Finishing

  1. Make the clear cake glaze (a powder that sets fruit juice into a clear glaze over fruit; in the US use clear cake glaze powder, sold online, or fruit juice thickened with about 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup; in the UK, quick-set cake glaze sachets, or fruit juice thickened with about 1 tbsp cornflour per 250 ml) with some mandarin juice according to the package directions, and pour it over the cake as a thin, shiny top layer.

  2. Whip a little cream until stiff and pipe rosettes on top with a piping bag. Decorate with the reserved mandarin segments and, if you like, garnish with a little chopped couverture chocolate.

From German Pastry Chef. Full recipe with photos: germanpastrychef.com/recipes/mandarin-yogurt-cake/