Beetroot Mousse Cake

So finally, the cake, that closes the beet serial, is ready! Let's see what components it has. To be exact, I have made 6 small cakes instead of one and 5 of them are still in the fridge waiting for the guests. The basic idea of the beetroot mousse has been on my mind already for a long time, but I had no opportunity to make it. The first layer of the cake is a ginger flavoured coconut milk panna cotta. I think ginger and coconut is a great match, especially together with sesame seeds. Though I was not sure, if it is going to be a good idea to choose a panna cotta as the bottom of a cake. However, I thought this tiny bit of risk should make the whole preparation more exciting. Well, luckily the bottom worked out very good, the only problem with it that is kind of slippery, yet it could hold the weight of the other layers. So on top of that there is a very light poppy seed biscuit and on it the beetroot mousse flavoured with vanilla and blood orange juice. Actually, I wanted to finish the cake with a layer of blood orange gelée, but then I decided to make a chocolate ganache. Under the ganache there is a layer of roasted walnuts, and as far as the candied beet is concerned, well it is gorgeous and totally addictiv!

Ingredients:
160 ml cream
160 ml coconut milk
30 g sugar
2 cm fresh ginger
2 gelatine leaves
 
Heat heavy cream and coconut milk together with the slices ginger and cook it for 5 minutes, then sieve. Stir in the previously soaked gelatine. Cool it for at least 5 hours.

50 g sugar
1-2 tablespoons water
1 egg white

For the Italian merningue put the sugar and water in a saucepan and stir over low heat until dissolved. Boil for 5-7 minutes until it reaches 120°C. Meanwhile whisk the egg white to soft peaks and slowly add the hot syrup while whisking all the time. Keep on whisking until the bowl is not hot anymore. Set aside.




100 g beetroot puree
100 g blood orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 gelatine leaves
200 ml cream

Soak gelatine in cold water and mix the beetroot puree with the orange juice and the vanilla extract. Melt gelatine in some orange juice and stir it to the beet puree. Stir in the Italian meringue. Beat cream and stir it to the mixture. Cool it for 2-3 hours.

2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
lemon juice
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons ground poppy seeds
1 pinch of baking powder

Beat egg white until firm with the sugar, then stir in the egg yolks, lemon zest, flour, baking powder and the ground poppy. Bake for 5-7 minutes on 180°C-on in a cake form of the size of 25*20 cm.