Showing posts with label Mokkataart (Dutch Mocca Cake). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mokkataart (Dutch Mocca Cake). Show all posts

Mokkataart

Oh, how we love to party! Any good old reason to crank up the coffee machine, bring out the coffee mugs, the creamer and sugar and a couple of pretty plates to serve pastries on, will do. Good weather, bad weather, the soccer team won, the soccer team lost, start of the summer holiday, the end of the summer holiday, and any valid reason inbetween. Sometimes because we're sad, other times because we're happy. We just love to get together, drink coffee, eat cake and have a gezellige time.

And today we're celebrating over a thousand likes on the site! I've been thrilled to read everybody's messages. Some are a little sad, because the recipes remind the readers of their childhood, their grandparents, and the times they miss. Others happy, as long lost favorites have been re-found. Several of you emailed me privately to ask for a specific dish, and even others were excited to know some family favorites could be made easily at home! Please record these recipes somewhere, in a notebook, handwritten preferably, with your personal notes on the side. Too many of you write to me that family recipes have been lost - how wonderful would it be to leave this culinary legacy to your kids?

But today, we celebrate! With a creamy, sweet mocca cake no less. Easily one of the most favorite choices of the cake-loving Dutch, a mocca cake combines the pleasant flavors of sweet sugar, slightly bitter caffeine and the lightness of the sponge cake. This is an incredibly rich cake, and will take a little bit of effort to make, but it will be sooooo worth it!

Mokkataart
7 eggs, room temperature
8 yolks, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the buttercream*
2 sticks butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons coffee syrup**
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Chocolate sprinkles or nougatine
Chocolate coffee beans (optional)

Whip the eggs and the yolks with the sugar and the vanilla for a good ten minutes at high speed, or until the mixture is light yellow, has tripled in size and falls in a thick ribbon off the whip. Sift the cake flour and fold it through the mixture, making sure you don't lose much of the air you've beaten into it. Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans, and carefully divide the mixture between the two pans. Place on the middle shelf in an oven that's preheated to 350F. Bake for twenty five minutes or until done. If a toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready.

Let the cake cool for ten minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan, and let it cool further on a cookie rack. In the meantime, cream the 2 sticks of butter with the powdered sugar, the coffee syrup and the vanilla for a good five minutes at high speed, you want that butter fluffy! Slowly pour in the heavy cream while you continue to whip: the buttercream will increase in volume and become a little lighter. If the mixture curdles, slowly melt a quarter of the mixture and return it to the bowl: give it a good whipping and the buttercream will come together. Taste. Add more powdered sugar or coffee, depending on how sweet or strong you want the cream.

When the cakes have fully cooled, cut off the top so you have two equally high pieces. Spread a thick layer of mocca cream on the top of one half, and place the other half on top. Spread cream on the side of the cake, and roll it through the nougatine or the chocolate sprinkles. Pipe the rest on top and decorate with chocolate coffee beans, malt balls or chocolate curls. Refrigerate.

Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee, or something else, and enjoy this in the company of good friends!



* If you prefer a lighter version,substitute the butter with a cup and a half of whipping cream. Adding the sugar and coffee will give you a lighter mocca option.

** Reduce a strong cup of coffee with two heaping tablespoons of sugar until you have two tablespoons of syrup left. You can also add instant coffee granules to this, if you wish for a stronger coffee taste.