RECIPE

Ingredients for pandan semolina cake:

A few stalks of pandan leaves to obtain 5g of pandan juice

172g softened unsalted butter

137g sugar

2.5g salt

160g eggs, weighed without shell

100g cake flour

3.5g baking powder

65g semolina

25g ground almonds

20g melted butter, lukewarm

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150 deg C. Grease and line a 20-cm round cake tin. Set aside.

2. Wash and dry the pandan leaves, and tear roughly into smaller pieces. Place into a food processor and processes. Place in a strainer and press to obtain the juice. Set aside.

3. In an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.

4. In a separate bowl, add the pandan juice to the eggs and mix well.

5. Turn the electric mixer to low, and add the egg mixture to the creamed butter in a steady stream, until well combined.

6. Sift the cake flour and baking powder. Fold the flour mixture, semolina, and ground almonds into the butter and egg mixture.

7. Next, fold in the melted butter, and mix well.

8. Pour the cake mixture into the tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on wire racks.

Ingredients for durian mousse:

8g gelatin strips

40g coconut milk

35g sugar

250g durian puree

300g cream, whipped

Method:

1. Soak gelatin strips in cold water for five to 10 minutes till well hydrated. Drain and set aside.

2. In a saucepan on medium heat, bring the coconut milk and sugar to a boil. Continue to boil until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.

3. Add gelatin strips and stir well. Add durian puree.

4. When cool, fold in whipped cream. Set aside.

To assemble the cake:

1. Slice a 1-cm thick layer of the pandan semolina cake, or thicker if desired, and place it onto a cake base. Put a cake ring around it.

2. Cut half of the remaining cake into 1.5cm cubes, and fold these cubes into the durian mousse. Cut larger cubes if desired.

3. Spread this mixture on top of the pandan semolina cake layer. Level the mousse with a spatula and put the cake in the freezer to set for two to three hours, or until the mousse is set.

4. Remove the cake ring and slice to serve.

Makes one cake.