Chocolate, orange and coriander battenberg

In a mixer with the paddle, cream together the butter, demerera sugar, salt, glucose, vanilla powder, small quantity of gluten free flour, orange zest and ground coriander spice. Mix until light and fluffy in texture.

Melt the chocolate to 45° C.  Add to the cake batter and mix in well.

Gradually add the whole egg until all is combined, followed by the flour and xanthan gum sieved together. Mix together gently.

Finely chop the coriander cress and mix through the batter until evenly distributed.

Pipe 95 g of batter into each hexagon segment mould and bake at 165° C for 9 to 10 minutes until core temperature reaches 93° C - 95° C.  Allow to cool for a few minutes and then turn upside down so the top becomes flat.  Wrap and chill ready for assembly.

Melt the chocolate and butter together to 45° C.

Add the salt, ground almonds and sugar and mix well.

Then add the whole eggs and mix thoroughly.

Finally mix through the soft candid orange peel.

Pipe 95 g of batter into each hexagon segment mould and bake at 165° C for 9 to 10 minutes until core temperature reaches 93 - 95° C.  Allow to cool for a few minutes and then turn upside down so the top becomes flat. Wrap and chill ready for assembly.

In the thermomix, blitz together the almonds and cocoa nibs to form a fine powder.

Make a syrup with the sugar, invert sugar, sorbitol powder and water.  Boil this to 107° C and pour over the powders. Set the thermomix to 90° C and blitz the mixture for 3 minutes on speed 5, scraping down regularly until the marzipan is smooth.  Ensure the marzipan temperature reaches 85° C at the end.

Melt the cocoa butter, add to the marzipan and blend in well.

Wrap the marzipan in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

Reserve until ready to use.

Boil the cream and infuse with the orange zest for 15 minutes.  Strain and re weigh to 175 g; add the invert sugar and ground coriander seed and heat to 60° C.

Melt the chocolate to 40° C and make a ganache with the above infused cream.  When the ganache reaches 40° C add the butter and blend well.

Reserve for assembly.

Heat the puree to 40° C and whisk in the sugar and pectin mixture. Bring to the boil whisking continuously.

Add the glucose and then gradually add the sugar.   Boil to 105° C or 73 Brix and then add the acid solution.

Fill the hexagon silicone insert moulds and allow to cool to room temperature and then set in the fridge.  

Reserve for assembly.

Make a syrup with the water and sugar and boil to 118° C.

Add the puffed quinoa and stir until the sugar crystalizes. Keep stiring over a medium heat until the sugar starts to caramelize and turn a golden colour.  Pour onto a silicone mat and allow to cool.  Separate all the grains as it cools. Reserve for later.

Melt the gianduja and chocolate together to 45° C. Temper on the marble down to 25° C, scrape back into the bowl and stir in the caramelized quinoa.  

Roll between plastic sheets to a thickness of 2 mm and a rectangle of 50 cm x 40 cm.  Set in the fridge.  Once set cut 24 rectangles – 18 cm x 4 cm and reserve for assembly.

Use tempered chocolate to make hexagonal shaped thin chocolate plaques for the ends of the cakes.

Steps to assemble each cake:

Take a ¼ of the marzipan and roll between plastic sheets to a thickness of 3 mm and a rectangle of 27 cm x 18 cm. Remove the top sheet of plastic and trim if needed.  Leave the marzipan attached to the bottom piece of plastic sheet.

Spread a thin layer of ganache on 6 of the gianduja plaques and stick 3 of each type of cake to the plaques.

Spread a thin layer of ganache over the marzipan and stick on the cake pieces alternative varieties, leaving a few mm between each piece.

Assemble 3 pieces of the cake in the assembly mould and ½ fill the centre with ganache. Push in the jelly insert and pipe over more ganache to cover.

Assemble the remaining 3 pieces of cake around the centre to form the hexagon shape. Trim marzipan as required to form a smooth finish.

Place the top and ends of the assembly mould together and squeeze to ensure a good shape.

Chill in the fridge for 45 minutes to allow the ganache to firm.

Remove cake from mould and decorate with textured rolling pin and chocolate plaques.