Tree Bark Coffee Cake for the boy

Just a little something special for my brother who has just (apparently) turned old..haha!

 3 Layers of soft coffee sponge and "ipoh-whie coffee" cream, smothered with a layer of chocolate

 Not bad for the amatuer baker xP 

Now, where's Diane with the picture of the cake's layers?

I guess that'll have to come later..

yurp, that's edible gold leaf sheets on the sides..I got them from e-bay..I noticed that they stick to anything warm, like your fingers.. so it's much easier to use a pair of tweezers..I used Chopsticks..hehe

 The words were made out of white chocolate melts. And surprisingly easy to make..considering my bad hand-writing...

 recipe

for the sponge:

4 egg yolks

1 tablespoon sugar

a dash of vanilla

a dash of coffee

4 egg whites

100g sugar

100g flour, sifted twice

50 g butter, melted

Grease and line a 9x32 inch rectangular baking tin
 In a mixer, beat yolks and 1 tablespoon of sugar on high speed until its thick and pale

Add in the vanilla and coffee essence

While its beating, whip the whites till soft peaks form

Beat in the sugar gradually. Beat until its stiff

Now, do this quickly and confidently! :

Fold in the egg yolk mixture

Fold in the flour and then the butter

Pour the mixture into the pan and spread it out evenly

Bake in a 180 C oven for 12 minutes

remove from tin when its cool enough to handle

place on a cooling rack to cool

Make this 3 times..hehe it's fun, trust me=)

coffee cream:

500g cream cheese

5 tablespoons icing sugar (or more), sifted

4 packets ipoh white coffee mix (or any other instant coffee)weight does'nt matter here

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

60ml milk

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

5 tablespoons kahlua liquer

2 or 3 tsp coffee essence (depending on how strong you like it)

1200 ml thickened cream (that's a lot)

Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar in a food processor until it's soft

Mix both coffees, milk, gelatin and liquer in a bowl.

Microwave until the gelatin dissolves, mixing it a few times

Add this into the cream cheese and blitz until its smooth

Cool this to room temperature

Whip the cream till it form QUITE stiff peaks (it should not fall off the spoon)

Fold in the ROOM TEMPerature cream cheese mixture

Mix in the coffee essence

Add more coffee essence if you like..

I suggest using it immediately (before the gelatin sets and you get a lumpy thing)

Chocolate bark coating:

250g good dark chocolate (i used 70%)

250g butter

a dash of vanilla

Melt this in the microwave, mixing it in between intervals

make sure you dont burn it

It will look really liquidy

Leave it to cool, mix it every 5 minutes or so

in about 15 minutes, it'll become thicker, like nutella!

Assembly:

Line the 9x22 inch tin with baking paper,

place a layer of the sponge in it

top with sufficient coffee cream

cake

cream

cake

leave some cream behind for further spreading later

cover with cling, chill for 2 hours (till gelatin is set)

Place cake board over the cake tin

Invert the cake onto the board

Breathe

Coat with a thin, thin layer of cream

Chill again for 10 minutes till the outer layer has formed a protective layer over the cake

Make chocolate-butter mixture now

GET READY HAIRDRIER

When the chocolate is still a little warm and close to room temperature, start spreading

Mine started hardening while spreading, solution: hairdrier

blow it with hot air and continue spreading

This will also help to achieve a glossier look =)

whoohoo!