The best chocolate cake in the world | Gastronomy | Entertainment

This is the recognition that will be given to the chef who wins the Paco Torreblanca International Award for Haute Patisserie, created by one of the most prestigious chefs in the world, which we had the honour of receiving in our city in May of last year.

The Paco Torreblanca International High Patisserie Award was created with the aim of recognising and making visible the work of those pastry chefs who, day after day, dedicate their lives to developing their passion for patisserie; a profession that demands the best of each person, demand and commitment and that, in turn, contributes so much to those around us.

The event will take place on September 27, 2024 during the VI Alicante Gastronomic Fair Alma Mediterránea. For this, participants from various countries around the world have been selected, who must prove their experience as professional pastry chefs, and will apply as participants in the contest.

The jury that will evaluate the 10 finalists is made up of professionals such as Jordi Roca, Oriol Balaguer, Iginio Massari, Frederic Bau, Carlos Mampel, Jacob Torreblanca, Rafael Garcia Santos.

The fact of being present at this competition, which is established as one of the most important in the world, is already a privilege for any professional and our country will have its representative, who will be the winner of the Culinary Cup of Ecuador – Cacao Challenge, which will take place this coming September 11 within the framework of CHOKAO, the National Fair of Cacao and Chocolate in Ecuador.

We wish our participants success in this first Cacao Challenge, which from this year on will be the platform that selects those who participate in this and other international pastry tournaments.

In homage to our cocoa, we present the recipe that chef Paco Torreblanca shared with us during his last visit to our country.

Recipe of Real Gianduja

Ingredients for the chocolate cream

• 300 g milk
• 125 g crema
• 65 g sugar
• 105 g yema
• 350 g chocolate negro 64%

Process

1. Boil the milk and cream in a pot.
2. In another bowl, mix half of the sugar with the yolks.
3. Pour part of the hot milk into the sugar and egg yolk mixture. Do this very carefully and slowly.
4. Then, gradually add the rest of the milk.
5. Cook at 85º C, strain and add the chopped chocolate.
6. Mix carefully to avoid bubbles.
7. Prepare balls of this cream and let them rest in the freezer.

Ingredients for Gianduja mousse

• 620 g gianduja (hazelnut paste)
• 475 g heavy cream
• 6 sheets of gelatin
• 950 g semi-whipped cream

Process

1. Boil the cream and add the previously hydrated and drained gelatin sheets.
2. Pour the hot cream over the gianduja and mix with a hand or electric mixer.
3. When the mixture is at 30ºC, add the semi-whipped cream and mix slowly.

Ingredients for caramelized almonds

• 800 g almonds
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 60 g water
• 25 g butter

Process:

1. We toast the almonds.
2. With the sugar and water we will make a syrup to caramelize the already toasted almonds.
3. Once caramelized, add the butter to loosen the almonds.

Ingredients for olive oil cake

• 220 g Egg (4 units)
• 190 g Sugar
• 147 g Milk
• 175 g Olive oil 0.4 acidity
• 90 g Harina
• 20 g baking powder
• 80 g Ground almonds with skin
• Zest of half a lemon
• Ground cinnamon

Process

1. Beat the egg with the sugar and lemon zest in the mixer.
2. Add the oil little by little, as if it were mayonnaise. Then add the milk.
3. Next, sift the flour, baking powder, almonds and cinnamon with a strainer and set aside.
4. Mix the sifted ingredients with the previous base very carefully so that the mixture does not fall.
5. Bake at 210º C for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. The time and temperature depend on the thickness of what we are going to make.

Ingredients for the milk glaze

• 150 g mineral water
• 300 g sugar
• 300 g glucose
• 200 g condensed milk
• 16 g gelatin sheets
• 300 g milk chocolate

Process:

1. Boil the water together with the sugar and glucose.
2. Add the gelatin previously hydrated in cold water and drained.
3. Pour the previous preparation into the chocolate, and then add the condensed milk.

Assembly for the Real Gianduja

1. Fill a round silicone mould halfway with the gianduja mousse.
2. Place the chocolate cream inside once it has been frozen (so that it can be handled), sprinkling caramelized almonds.
3. Add a little more gianduja mousse and close with a disc of olive oil sponge cake that fits the size of the mold and press lightly.
4. Freeze and decorate with either frosting or velvet effect. (O)