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Vanilla Mousse Cake with Apples and Cashew

The following cake is perfect for Rosh Ha’shana and for holiday season. It’s a vanilla mousse cake with caramelized apples and cashew streusel that is super delicious and perfect for any special occasion. It’s beautiful and will make everyone at the table say “WOW” , and I assure you they will love it!

If you like apples and looking for a festive cake that is a bit different than your traditional apple cake – this vanilla mousse cake is definitely your answer. With the caramelized apples surprise it’s simply perfect, and the cashew streusel adds crunchiness and makes it absolutely stunning.

Vanilla Mousse Cake with Apples and Cashew

Photo: Natalie Levin



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Vanilla Mousse Cake with Apples and Cashew

Servings 20 cm round cake pan
Author Natalie

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 40 grams sugar
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • Pinch of salt
  • 45 grams all-purpose flour

For caramelized apples:

  • 2-3 Granny smith apples peeled
  • 50 grams sugar
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • Pinch of salt
  • Juice of 1/4 lemon

For cashew crumble:

  • 25 grams cashew nuts
  • 50 grams all-purpose flour
  • 50 grams cold butter cut into cubes
  • 1 tbsp. light brown sugar

For vanilla and white chocolate mousse:

  • 6 grams gelatin powder
  • 30 ml. water
  • 180 ml. milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 200 grams chopped white chocolate
  • 375 ml. heavy cream

For transparent glaze:

  • 10 grams gelatin powder
  • 50 ml. water
  • 200 grams sugar
  • 200 ml. water

Decoration:

  • Roasted cashews
  • Apple chips

Instructions

Base:

  1. Preheat oven to 175c degrees. Mark 2 circles over 2 baking papers circles: one 20 cm round circle (for the base) and another 16 cm round circle (for an inner layer of the cake).
  2. In a mixer bowl whip eggs, sugar, honey and salt for 6-8 minutes until the mixture is very airy and fluffy.
  3. Sift in flour and fold in gently with a spatula until blended.
  4. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe 16 and 20 cm circles on the baking paper.
  5. Bake the bases for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Cool completely before assembling the cake.

Caramelized apples:

  1. Peel the apples and cut into 2*2 cm cubes.
  2. Put sugar and honey in a pan and form a caramel.
  3. When caramel is amber in color, add the diced apples, salt and lemon juice.
  4. Cook the apples in the caramel over low-medium heat until they soften, but still solid.
  5. Remove from heat, strain and cool until completely cold.

Cashew crumble:

  1. Preheat oven to 175c degrees.
  2. In a food processor with a steel blade put cashews, flour, butter and sugar and blend until mixture is crumbly.
  3. Transfer the crumbs onto a pan lined with baking paper and bake for about 10 minutes until golden. Cool to room temperature.

Vanilla and white chocolate mousse:

  1. In a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for about 10 minutes until the gelatin absorbs the liquid.
  2. In a small pot, heat milk, vanilla and salt to simmering point.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks until smooth.
  4. Pour about 1/3 of hot milk over the yolks while intense whisking.
  5. Add the remaining milk into the bowl and beat well.
  6. Return the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and get to 82-84c degrees.
  7. Dissolve the gelatin and add into the mixture while stirring. Strain.
  8. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over double-boiler. Add in the milk mixture and mix well until uniform (the mixture is quite sparse and it's fine).
  9. Cool for a few minutes in the refrigerator.
  10. Whip cream soft peaks form and gently fold cream into white chocolate mixture until a uniform and smooth mousse is formed.

Assemble the cake:

  1. Place the largest base (20 cm) at the bottom of the pan.
  2. Fill about 1/2 amount of vanilla mousse and flatten slightly.
  3. Place the smaller base (16 cm) on top of the mousse.
  4. Put caramelized apple cubes (without fluid) on the base.
  5. Pour the remaining mousse over the apples and gently flatten the top.
  6. Freeze the cake for at least 4-5 hours (preferably overnight), until it is completely frozen and set.

Transparent glaze:

  1. In a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature until the gelatin absorbs all the liquid.
  2. In a small saucepan put water and sugar and bring to a boil.
  3. Dissolve the gelatin and add into the sugar syrup. Mix well.
  4. Cool the glaze to about 35-40c degrees.
  5. Extract the cake for the pan and place it on a rack.
  6. Pour the glaze over the cake, allowing it to cover the top and the sides evenly. Freeze for 5 minutes to set.

Decoration:

  1. Put cashew crumble on the bottom sides of the cake.
  2. Sprinkle a little crumble over the top of the cake and decorate with apple chips and roasted cashews.

Recipe Notes

  • Keep the cake in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days. You can use pears instead of apples.
Vanilla Mousse Cake with Apples and Cashew

Photo: Natalie Levin

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