Valentine's Day Rose Cake

For the light biscuit: Sift the flour and cornflour (or cornstarch) over a sheet of greaseproof paper.

Pour the egg whites in the stand mixer recipient...

... and beat with a whisk until white and foamy.

Add the castor sugar in 3 or 4 batches...

... and beat until the egg whites are firm but not stiff.

The peaks should be curved when holding the whisk upside down. Set aside.

Tip the egg yolks over the meringue...

... and fold gently, using a rubber spatula.

Add the sifted ingredients before the egg yolks are completely incorporated.

Pour the preparation into a Flexipan Entremets baking mat 33.5 x 33.5cm. Place a rack over a Silichef® perforated baking sheet so the Flexipan mat fit perfectly on it.

Bake in a fan-assisted oven preheated at 180°C (gas 4)...

... for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the type of oven).

When the biscuit is golden and slightly puffed, remove from the oven and set aside to cool at room temperature.

Heat the 70 grams of red berry purée in a saucepan...

Add the yuzu juice and combine carefully.

Transfer the preparation into a small bowl...

... and add the rest of red berry purée (150 grams) at room temperature...

Stretch a sheet of cling film on one side of a mousse ring Ø 20cm to create a bottom.

Place the ring on a baking sheet, side with the cling film facing down.

Pour the preparation into the ring...

... and place in the freezer. You can prepare the insert several days in advance.

For the yuzu diplomat cream: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl...

Blanch the egg yolks and the sugar with a whisk.

Add the crème pâtissière powder or corn starch...

... and combine.

Pour half of the boiling milk over the blanched preparation while whisking.

Return the pan with half the milk to the stove. When it starts boiling, add the preparation into a thin stream and combine with a whisk.

Add the soft gelatine (rehydrated beforehand)...

... and the yuzu juice, then whisk vigorously.

When cooked, transfer the cream in a food tray...

When the diplomat cream has cooled down, beat the whipping cream until you get a whipped cream...

In a separate mixing bowl, place the yuzu cream...

... and whisk until smooth.

Place the whipped cream in the bowl...

... until smooth and homogeneous.

Transfer yuzu diplomat cream in a piping bag. The use of a nozzle is not necessary.

For the Kirsch syrup: In a saucepan, tip the castor sugar and water.

Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar has melted completely.

Transfer the syrup into a food tray so it cools down faster at room temperature.

... and flip onto a sheet of greaseproof paper.

Detach the four corners of the Flexipan mould...

... and release the biscuit carefully.

Using a stainless steel ring Ø 18cm, cut a disc of pastry.

Using a stainless steel ring Ø 20cm, cut a larger disc of pastry.

Fill the bottom of the mould with the yuzu cream, making sure the cream goes right inside the grooves.

Place the biscuit disc over the cream...

... as shown in the photo.

Add the Kirsch liqueur to the cold syrup and combine. Steep the biscuit with the syrup, using a pastry brush.

Spread a thin layer of yuzu diplomat cream over the biscuit.

Release the frozen insert from the ring carefully with a knife.

Place the insert in the mould, pressing gently with your fingers so it sticks to the cream.

This is what the result should look like.

Cover with a thin layer of yuzu diplomat cream and spread to an even thickness with a small cranked spatula.

Fill the gaps around the biscuit with the diplomat cream...

Steep the biscuit with a generous amount of syrup.

Wrap the mould with cling film and store in the freezer. Up to this stage, the cake can be prepared several days in advance and stored in the freezer.

For the modelling paste decorations: Get the colouring powder and modelling chocolate ready.

Soften the chocolate a little in the microwave, for 5 or 6 seconds.

Knead the chocolate and a small amount of pink colouring with your fingers...

Roll out the pink paste to a thickness of 2 mm. Prepare 3 or 4 pink paste balls and roll out. Set aside.

For the velvet icing: Cover your workbench with greaseproof paper and place a baking sheet on top.

Remove the cake from the freezer and release carefully from the mould. The cake should be completely frozen for this operation.

Apply the velvet pearl spray over the cake...

... making sure to coat the whole surface and sides...

... and between the grooves.

The result should be as shown in the photo.

Lift the cake carefully with two cranked spatulas...

The pink chocolate paste should now be a little harder. Cut a straight base with a ruler.

Cut semicircles with a base of 8cm and a height of 6 or 7cm.

Flatten the edges of each semicircle with the cranked spatula on both sides to create a petal shape.

Arrange a pink petal on the side of the side of the cake. It should harden in contact with the frozen cake and stick easily.

Give a few finishing touches to the petal.

Repeat the operation for all the petals...

... until they go around the whole cake.

Apply a little bit of pink colouring over the top of the petals. Make sure you apply a very thin layer, just enough to give an iridescent finish.

Arrange the cake on a serving plate.

Fill the centre of the rose cake with red berries: strawberries, raspberries, red currants and blueberries.

Arrange a few pieces of gold leaf over some of the clear drops.