Milk Chocolate Whip Cream

• Plan ahead – Prepare the milk chocolate whipped cream a day before you plan to decorate your cake to ensure it's ready to use.
   
• For this recipe,  use your favorite milk chocolate bar from the supermarket. Cut the milk chocolate bar into smaller pieces. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the chocolate and add 300 grams of heavy cream.
   
• Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and slowly melt the chocolate and cream together, stirring occasionally to ensure even melting. If you have a hand blender, use it to blend the mixture to ensure it's smooth.
   
• Pour the melted chocolate and cream mixture into an airtight container. cover the top with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight to allow the mixture to set properly.
   
• Once chilled, whip the mixture for about 10 to 30 seconds until it becomes fluffy. Be careful not to overwhip.
   
• Transfer the whipped chocolate cream back into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it to cover your cake. If needed re-whip lightly before decorating your cake.

Fluffy Peaches Frosting

• Plan ahead – Prepare the fluffy peaches frosting a day before you plan to fill your cake to ensure it's ready to use.
   
• Bakers Note: To achieve a frosting as thick as buttercream and super stable, keep the following in mind: Use Cream with 40% Fat: The higher fat content ensures a thick and stable consistency. Be cautious not to let the cream come to a boil. Boiling can break down the fat in the cream, affecting the texture and stability of your frosting and preventing it from whipping into a fluffy, thick buttercream consistency. Aim to keep the temperature around 60°C (140°F) to properly activate the gelatin in the gummy candy. This temperature is crucial for dissolving the gelatin completely and achieving the perfect texture. And make sure the temperature does not exceed 75°C (167°F) to ensure the cream does not separate and the gelatin retains its gelling ability. By following these guidelines, your mixture will whip into a fluffy and thick buttercream frosting.
   
• Bakers Note: I use 125 grams of Haribo Gummi Candy, Peaches, including some citric acid (the sour sugar found at the bottom of the bag), which I find achieves the perfect peachy flavor with a lovely melt-in-your-mouth texture. Although I personally prefer it at 125 grams, some have asked if more can be added for a stronger peach candy flavor. You may increase it to 150 grams if desired; however, please do not exceed this amount as the frosting may become overly sweet and too firm, causing you to lose that lovely melt-in-your-mouth texture.
   
• Cut the haribo Gummi Candy peaches into two small pieces with a clean scissor.
   
• In a small saucepan, add 125 gram (or up to 150 grams for a more intense peach flavor) Haribo Gummi Candy, peaches. Often, there is some citric acid (sour sugar) in the bottom of the Haribo candy bag; add that as well. If it is not there, you can always add 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid. For a lovely pink color, you can use 1/2 tablespoon of pink papaya powder, which is a natural option, or a drop of food color. Then add 500 grams of heavy cream.
   
• Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is melted and well combined. Keep the temperature below 75°C (167°F) to ensure that the gelatin in the candy retains its gelling ability and the cream does not separate. Watch carefully to make sure the cream does not begin to boil. Once everything is melted, remove from heat immediately.
   
• Pour the mixture into a clean container or bowl, cover the top immediately with plastic wrap, press the plastic directly on the surface of the cream, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 6 hours, preferably overnight.
   
• When you are ready. Transfer the chilled peach cream mixture (the mixture is very stiff at this stage) to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and immediately whip on high speed until you get a fluffy consistency.
   
• Transfer the whipped peach frosting back into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it to fill your cake. If needed re-whip before using.

Chocolate Macaron Crust Layer

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower third rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F using top/bottom heat.
   
• Use a small piece of cold butter, and gently rub the cold butter over the bottom and the sides of tone  20 cm ( 8-inches) round baking pan. This technique of using a small piece of cold butter ensures an even, ultra-thin coating. Place a circle of parchment in the bottom of the pan. Add a tablespoon of all-purpose flour and tap it around the inside of the pan until all the buttered surface is covered 100%, then turn the pan upside down over a sink and tap out the excess flour. 
   
• Prepare your finely grated chocolate; Use the grating attachment on your mixer for this step; Collect the 50 grams grated chocolate directly into a ziplock bag and place the grated chocolate/ziplock bag in the fridge until needed. I recommend you weigh the chocolate after you have grated the chocolate. If you don't have such an attachment on your mixer, use a Microplane or a hand grater. To grate chocolate by hand, make sure that it is cold, or it will melt. I recommend you collect the grated chocolate immediately into a zip-lock bag. Place the grated chocolate in the fridge to get cold.
   
• In a blender or food processor, grind 135 grams almonds and pulse so that you have a mixture of fine and semi-rough. Set aside for now.
   
• Bakers Note; When whipping egg whites for meringue, be sure the beaters and bowl are thoroughly clean; even the slightest hint of oil or fat can inhibit the foam.
   
• In a clean mixer bowl Put 3 large egg whites (approx 90 gram) and a pinch of cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, whip on speed 6 (medium-high) for 1-2 minutes, until the whites have changed from foamy to stiff and white. Start adding the 135 grams of powdered sugar to the whites very gradually about 1 tablespoon every 20 seconds, so the whole process takes 3-4 minutes. After all the powdered sugar is in, reduce to speed 1 (low) for 1 minute to even out the air bubbles.
   
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the coarsely ground almonds, then fold in the cold finely grated dark chocolate.
   
•  Scoop the almond chocolate meringue mixture into the prepared baking pan. Use your spatula to spread evenly.
   
• Bake immediately for about 40 to 45 minutes. It is most likely done when you can smell the toasted almonds in your kitchen. Let the macaron crust cool in the pan on a wire rack until cool, which should take about one hour. Then use a sharp knife to loosen it from the sides of the pan, remove the parchment paper underneath, and allow it to cool completely.
   
• Keep the macaron crust covered in plastic wrap until you are ready to assemble your cake.

Chocolate Sponge Cake
 

• Baker's Note: For the best results, aim for a high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder with a higher cocoa butter content, ideally around 20-22%. Brands like Valrhona offer such options. However, if you can't find it at your local supermarket, don't worry; you can still use the cocoa powder available there. Just be aware that using cocoa powder with lower cocoa butter content, typically around 10%, may increase the risk of your sponge cake turning out dry or overly crumbly. So, if you encounter such results, now you know why it might have happened.  Also using cocoa powder in a chocolate sponge cake can lead to a slightly denser sponge then my vanilla sponge cake recipe. This happens because cocoa powder, unlike flour, doesn't have gluten, which helps cakes rise and stay fluffy. Plus, cocoa absorbs more liquid, which contributes to slightly the denser texture.
   
• When preheating the oven for my cakes, always use the ‘top and bottom heat’ setting. Please avoid using the fan-forced option, unless otherwise specified.
   
• Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 170°C / 340°F.
   
• For the tallest, lightest chocolate sponge cake, do not grease your pans, as the cake batter has to be able to grip the sides of the pan in order to climb. Line two 20 cm (8 inches) 5 cm (2 inches) deep round cake pans with round parchment circles and set aside for now.
   
• Place a large sieve over a bowl. Add 110 grams of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 40 grams good quality unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder (if using), and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt then sift. For the best chocolate cake texture, sift the flour/cocoa mixture twice to aerate and lighten it. Set aside for now.
   
• Baker's Note: To make this chocolate sponge cake, I prefer a method where the whole eggs and sugar are whipped and heated together. This process allows the eggs to coagulate while aeration occurs, resulting in a much more stable chocolate sponge mixture compared to using a cold-method process. Make sure to only heat to 40°C (104°F); do not overheat, or you end up with a slightly lower and denser sponge cake
   
• Pick a saucepan that lets the stand mixer bowl sit comfortably on top without actually dipping into the water beneath. Pour in about 2 inches of water and heat it up until it’s just simmering. If the stand mixer bowl is too small and ends up touching the bottom of the saucepan, no worries—just warm up the mix in a separate mixing bowl and then transfer it into the stand mixer bowl to whip it up.
   
• Put 200 grams of white sugar, 300 grams of eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste into the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl on top of the pot with the simmering water and gently stir it—just enough to keep things moving. You’re aiming to heat it up, not whip air into it. It’s a good move to use a digital thermometer to check the temp. At 40°C (104°F), it should take somewhere between 1 to 3 minutes. If you don’t have a thermometer on hand, you can test it by dipping a finger into the mixture to make sure the sugar’s fully dissolved—it should feel nice and warm to the touch.
   
• Remove the bowl from the pan and place it onto the stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip on medium high speed for 8 minutes until the mix is thick, and have a mousy foam. Turn the speed down to low speed for 3 minutes to stabilize the foam.The final mixture should be pale in color and slightly thickened, with a consistency where, when the whisk is lifted, the mixture falls very slowly back onto the egg foam. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
   
• Start by sifting half of the cocoa flour mixture over the foam, then carefully fold it in with a balloon whisk. You want to be gentle to keep it fluffy but thorough so it’s nearly all mixed in. Do the same with the rest of the cocoa flour mix, folding until it’s totally incorporated. You’ll notice a bit of deflation totally normal and okay. When adding the cocoa flour mix, be gentle to maintain the airiness but thorough to ensure even mixing. If the flour isn't fully integrated with the foam, your cake could end up with a dense bottom and a light top. A good sign that you’ve mixed it just right is seeing a slight deflation and the mixture feeling tighter as you work through it with your whisk. Set aside for a minute while you warm the cream.
   
• In a small saucepan, warm 80-gram heavy cream or whole milk over medium heat until warm (about 60 seconds, 50°C/122°F), then quickly pour the warm cream around the edge of the bowl and gently fold in with a balloon whisk without deflating the batter too much.
   
• Divide the cake batter (you should have about 675 grams) equally divide the cake batter between the two round baking pans- about 335 grams in each.
   
• Bake both cakes until the top of the cake feels firm and springs back when pressed lightly in the center, about 18 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven and baking pan. Mine was done at 20 minutes. You’ll know the cake is ready when the top is firm and it springs back after lightly pressing on the top of it.
   
• Immediately run a knife between the sides of the pan and the cake, and invert the cakes onto a wire rack; remove the parchment paper and leave it to cool completely on a wire rack.
   
• Cover the cooled cake layers with plastic wrap or in a large ziplock bag to prevent them from drying out until you are ready to use them.

Mascarpone Frosting

• Place 100 grams of cold mascarpone, 50 grams of powdered sugar, 300 grams of heavy cream, 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of salt into the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip the mixture on medium speed until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
   
• Use the mascarpone frosting immediately to fill your cake, or transfer it to an airtight container and store it until you're ready to use.

Assemble the Cake
 

• Get everything ready. Make sure to drain the can of mandarins in a sieve, reserving some of the liquid if you wish to use it to moisten the chocolate cake layers as you assemble.
   
• Use a knife to carefully remove a very thin layer from the top of each chocolate sponge cake. This step will ensure that the fillings can directly contact and moisten the cake below.
   
• Place the first chocolate sponge cake cut side up on a cake plate that fits in your refrigerator. The cakes need to be refrigerated overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the structure to set properly. If you want to use the liquid from the drained mandarins, dab liberally with the mandarin liquid using a pastry brush, concentrating most of it around the edge, the fluffy peach and mascarpone frosting will help moisten the middle.
   
• Baker’s Note: Be sure to divide the fluffy peach frosting and mascarpone frosting evenly before you start. Use half for the bottom layer and reserve the other half for the second layer to guarantee you have enough for both. 
   
• Fit two piping bags with large nozzles. Fill one bag with the mascarpone frosting and the other with the whipped peach frosting. If you don’t have a nozzle or a piping bag, you can simply spread the frostings onto the cake using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
   
• Pipe a ring of peach frosting around the outer edge of the chocolate sponge cake. Next, pipe a spiral of pink frosting, starting from the outer ring and working towards the center. Now, fill in the spaces between the pink frosting with the mascarpone frosting. You can create alternating rings or fill in gaps to contrast with the pink.
   
• Place the chocolate macaron crust on top and press firmly to attach to the filling underneath.
   
• Repeat the piping process with the peach frosting and mascarpone frosting, then add mandarin on top and the remaining mascarpone or peach frosting. 
   
• Brush the cut side of the remaining chocolate bottom cake layer with  the liquid from the drained mandarins if using, then flip it so the crust side is up, and place it into on top of the filling. Press down firmly.

• Place an adjustable cake ring around the cake, Cover the top in plastic wrap. Then place something flat on top, like the base of a tart tin, and weight it down with a heavy book to ensure the layers hold together when cut and will get more moist. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
   
• Before serving, remove the adjustable cake ring and plastic wrap from the top.
   
• Take the whipped chocolate milk cream out of the fridge, re.whip lightly if needed! Scoop it on top of the cake, and use an offset spatula to spread it all over the cake in a very old-fashioned way. Decorate as you like.
   
• For maximum deliciousness, serve immediately or within 3 days.
   
• As always, the texture of sponge cake and chocolate macaron crust layer improves after you fill the cake with a cream-based filling; it rests in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, and the flavors have a chance to mingle and make the cake layers extra moist and soft.