A chocolate lava cake basically is a small chocolate cake with some coffee ganache inserted into it, so that after baking, the ganache is melted, and when you cut it open, the ganache flows out like lava.
Anyway, Chef H got us into teams of two or three students to work together during the practical in the afternoon, where we helped each other prepare the basic compoenets (e.g. pistachio dacquoise, lava cake, coffee ganache, granité, etc), then we each had to plate our own desserts, in the style of what would be presented in a restaurant, for example.
Here are my first-time efforts with plated desserts, which I was quite proud of:
Chocolate lava cake, served with some fruits, fruit coulis, tuiles, and chocolate decorations. Those of you who are Star Trek fans might recognise a subtle tribute to Star Trek in my lava cake presentation (because I am a Star Trek fan).
One classmate actually commented that my plated chocolate lava cake looked like a romantic dessert that one might serve on Valentine's Day, which is coming up soon.
Pistachio dacquoise, served with fresh berries and cherry granité, and decorated with chocolate sauce, mango-passionfruit puree and raspberry coulis.
Side view of the pistachio dacquoise as a plated dessert
When it was time for grading, Chef H looked at my presentation and gave me some tips on how to make the desserts look nicer, and he also encouraged me to be more bold with my designs (esp. with the height of the plated desserts).
Overall, I was pleased with my effort. I wanted to make something pretty and I did it. I couldn't ask for more today, especially after the disappointment with my millefeuille the other day.
This lesson was so much fun!!!
Next Monday we will have to make one of the most difficult cakes we will have to learn here -- the Blood Orange Mousse Cake, which has at least six different components to it and is quite difficult to finish in 2.5 hours. I hope I can manage. Fingers crossed!
