Raffaello cake

Let’s give the floor to Natalia: "This cake looks so much like a Raffaello candy. And that’s not just a little almond sweet, but the whole piece of cake! I must say right away, that I create the new cake recipes from several different ones. In some of them I like the sponge biscuit calculation, in the others I love the custard taste, and so on. I experiment a lot, and the result  turns out delicious.

The calculation if for three 22 cm (8.6 inch) biscuit layers. You better cook them separately.

To cook the sponge biscuits, you will need:

• flour 370 g | 13.05 oz
• sunflower oil 120 g | 4.25oz
• sugar 360 g | 12.70 oz
• eggs 3 pieces | 3.00 items
• milk 120 g | 4.25 oz
• baking soda 5 g | 0.20 oz
• baking powder 8 g | 0.30 oz
• boiled water 250 g | 8.80 oz

Cooking:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients: sift the flour, add the baking soda and the baking powder, and mix everything well.
2. Combine any vegetable oil and the sugar in a mixer bowl.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix well each time.
4. Add half of the dry mixture.
5. Whisk. Pour in the milk, and then - the second half of the dry mixture. Mix everything well.
6. Next, pour in the boiling water. The dough turns out to be liquid, but that’s what it should be like!
7. Weigh the entire mass, and divide it into three equal portions. Bake the biscuit layers for about 25 to 35 minutes.
8. Check the readiness with a wooden skewer. All the ovens are different, so the baking time depends on your oven.
9. The biscuit turns out to be insanely juicy.
10. While the biscuit is still warm, wrap it in a plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for 4 to 5 hours (better overnight).

For the creamy coconut custard:

• butter 120 g | 4.25 0z
• coconut puree (or milk) 200g | 7.05 oz
• 3 yolks | 3.00 items
• sugar 40 g | 1.40 oz
• cornstarch 15 g | 0.55 oz
• coconut flakes 80-100 g (to taste) | 3.55 oz
• cream 33% 300 g | 10.60 oz

Mix the coconut puree, the yolks, the sugar and the cornstarch, and brew them over a low heat, stirring constantly. The mass should be smooth and thick. Add the butter and the coconut flakes; cover the custard with foil in contact, and cool it. Whisk the cream until soft peaks, and gently add it to the custard. Mix it well.

For the crispy layer:

• white chocolate 100g | 3.55 oz
• almond paste 100 g | 3.55 oz
• almonds 70g | 2.45 oz
• crispy waffles (or cornflakes) 80 g | 2.80 oz 
• 30 g butter | 1.05 oz

NOTE: the waffle remains crispy, and the cornflakes are almost completely soaked.

1. Finely chop the dried almonds with a knife or with a blender.
2. Heat the chocolate in a water bath or in the microwave; be careful not to burn the chocolate!
3. Add the butter and the almond paste; mix everything well. Cool it, and add the almonds with the waffle crumbs.

For the white chocolate coating custard:

• cream cheese 600 g | 21.15 oz
• white chocolate 300 g | 10.60 oz

Cooking:

1. Melt the chocolate and cool it to about 30C (86F).
2. Whip the cream cheese until smooth; add the chocolate and whip again.
3. In the pictures you can see the cake, covered with the butter-based creamy custard. This one is delicious as well.

Soak the biscuits with some cream or some sweet syrup (don’t soak the edges too much; otherwise it will be difficult to level the cake).

Place the first biscuit layer, and make the sides of the covering custard. Place a crispy layer, and cover it with a half of the coconut custard. Next, place another biscuit layer and so on…

That’s it! Bon Appétit!