RECIPE

Ingredients for finger sponge:

150g cake flour

38g cornstarch

150g egg yolk

150g sugar (Sugar A)

262g egg white

75g sugar (Sugar B)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 210 deg C. Line a 60 by 40cm tray.

1. Sift cake flour and corn starch and set aside.

2. Whisk egg yolks and Sugar A in an electric mixer until pale and thick. Set aside.

3. In a clean mixing bowl, whisk egg whites and Sugar B until soft peaks form.

4. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Then fold in the flour mixture.

5. Pour the cake mixture onto the tray and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Set aside and leave to cool.

Ingredients for Malibu syrup:

140ml mineral water

20g sugar

40g Malibu liqueur

Method:

1. In a saucepan on moderate heat, boil sugar and mineral water until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. When cool, add the Malibu and stir well. Set aside.

Ingredients for caramelised cashew feuilletine:

25g sugar

35ml water

100g roasted cashew nuts

86g dark chocolate

105g crispy wafers or pailletes feuilletine, available at baking shops

72g melted butter

300g Valrhona almond hazelnut praline paste, available at baking shops

Method:

1. In a saucepan over moderate heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil, add in roasted cashew nuts, and cook till the sugar crystalises. Continue cooking until the crystalised sugar melts and caramelises. Stir continuously to ensure even cooking. When the sugar caramelises, take the saucepan off the heat. Pour onto a baking sheet and set aside to cool. Roughly chop the cashews when cool. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

2. Melt the chocolate in a clean saucepan, then pour over chopped nuts and add the wafers, melted butter and hazelnut praline paste. Mix well and set aside.

Assembly, part 1:

1. Using a cake ring 18cm in diameter, cut two circles of finger sponge cake. Brush them both with with Malibu syrup, then spread a thin layer of feuilletine mixture on each sponge layer. Set in freezer until needed.

Ingredients for coconut dacquoise:

40g ground almonds

200g icing sugar

160g desiccated coconut

240g egg whites

80g sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 210 deg C. Line a 60 by 40cm baking tray.

1. In a large mixing bowl, add ground almonds, icing sugar and desiccated coconut. Mix well.

2. In a clean mixing bowl, whisk egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form. Fold into the almond mixture until just combined.

3. Spread onto the tray and bake for about eight to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Cut coconut dacquoise with a 16cm cake ring. Using another cake ring of the same size for the second cake, cut another piece of the coconut dacquoise. Set aside.

Ingredients for poached pandan pineapple layer:

450ml water

85g sugar

20g pandan leaves

220g honey pineapple, cut into 1cm cubes

Method:

1. Put water, sugar and pandan leaves into a saucepan. Heat to 80 deg C. Add pineapple cubes and poach for two to three hours, until the pineapple is tender. Adjust heat to maintain temperature. Set aside.

Ingredients for gula melaka cremeux:

4g gelatin sheets

200g gula melaka, chopped

34ml water

2g fleur de sel

366g whipping cream

160g egg yolks, weighed without shell and whisked

76g cold butter, cubed

Method:

1. Soak gelatin sheets in iced water for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Place the chopped gula melaka and water into a pot and heat on moderate heat until the gula melaka dissolves. Strain to remove impurities. Set aside.

3. Place the strained gula melaka syrup back into the pot and add the cream and fleur de sel. Bring it to a boil on moderate heat. Reduce heat to low.

4. In a in clean bowl, beat the egg yolks. Temper the whisked egg yolks by pouring it into the gula melaka and cream mixture in a slow and steady stream while stirring the mixture. Cook until 85 deg C.

5. Remove from heat and add in the gelatin. Stir until gelatin dissolves.

6. Cool the mixture in an ice bath to about 40 deg C. Add butter cubes and blend until the mixture is smooth. 7. Pour a 5 to 7mm layer of the mixture into the ring previously lined with the coconut dacquoise. Repeat for the second cake ring of coconut dacquoise. Place in freezer to set.

Ingredients for exotique coulis:

6.5g gelatin sheets

150g mango puree

150g passionfruit puree

72g sugar

Method

1. Soak gelatin sheets in iced water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In a heavy pot, heat the purees to 90 deg C. Add sugar and continue to heat until sugar dissolves.

3. Remove from heat and dissolve the gelatin in the puree mixture. Then, cool it over an ice bath.

4. Take the semi-assembled cake out of the freezer. Pour a 3 to 4mm layer of the coulis over the gula melaka cremeux. Sprinkle an even layer of poached pineapple over the coulis. Repeat for second cake. Put back in the freezer to set.

Ingredients for coconut mousse:

15.6g gelatin sheets

195g milk

390g coconut milk

39g coconut powder

117g egg yolk, weighed without shell

156g sugar

520g whipping cream, whipped

Method:

1. Soak gelatin sheets in iced water for a 10 minutes until well hydrated. Drain and set aside.

2. In a heavy-based pot over moderate heat, bring the milk, coconut milk and coconut milk powder to a boil.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar. Temper in the egg mixture, pouring it into the pot in a slow and steady stream, while stirring continuously, and cook to 85 deg C.

4. Remove from heat and add in the softened gelatin. Dissolve. When the mixture has has cooled to room temperature, fold in the whipped cream. Set aside.

Assembly, Part 2:

1. The cake will be assembled bottom up. Place a 20cm round cake ring onto a silicone baking mat.

2. Spread some coconut mousse on the base and on the sides of the ring. Make sure there are no air pockets.

3. Take the cake ring of coconut dacquoise, gula melaka cremeux, exotic coulis and poached pineapple out of the freezer and unmould it over the coconut mousse base.

4. Spread a thin layer of coconut mousse on top of the layers you have just inserted, then place the finger sponge and feuilletine disc layer to finish. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for the second cake.

5. Freeze the cake for at least six hours.

6. To serve, take the cake out of the freezer and carefully unmould the cake. Glaze with white chocolate glaze and decorate as desired.

Makes two 20cm cakes.