Taste of Paris: Marble Cake by Chef Julien Alvarez

The news is out: Le Bristol Paris will reopen on September 1st, 2020! If baking delectable sweets has become your at-home hobby during these long weeks on lockdown, now is the time to step things up a notch. 

Prepare your palate for the delights that await you in Paris with this divine marble cake from Le Bristol’s award-winning Head Pastry Chef, Julien Alvarez… a sweet prelude to the sumptuous new interiors — marble included — in the hotel’s stunning suites.

Here’s how it’s made…

 

Chocolate Ganache

600ml double cream

380g Coeur de Guanaja chocolate (Valrhona brand)

100g invert sugar

 

In a small saucepan, bring the cream and invert sugar to a boil.

In thirds, add the chocolate to the mixture and stir.

Chill at 16°C for 12 minutes

 

Light Rum Syrup

500ml Water

200g Sucre

3 tbsp. Dark Rum

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

 

Bring the water and sugar to a boil.

Add the rum and vanilla extract.

Set aside.

 

Marble Cake

270g butter

590g sugar

2 tsp. powered vanilla

4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. salt

4 eggs, beaten

430g flour

2 tsp. baking soda

400ml double cream

 

Place ingredients in a large mixing bowl in the order listed and beat with a whisk until smooth. Separate half of the batter in a different bowl, add 40g of cocoa powder and whisk to combine. Line a 40 x 60 nonstick cake pan with half of the vanilla batter. Add the chocolate batter in an even layer and cover with the remaining half of the vanilla batter. Insert a clean knife vertically to touch the bottom of the pan and move in a swirling gesture from one side of the pan to the other.

 

Bake at 170°C for 18 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

Cut cake into three 6 x 25 cm sections.

Stack each section with a thin layer of chocolate ganache in-between. Cover with ganache on sides and top.

Slice and serve with a miniature pitcher of light rum syrup to pour onto cake.

 

Bon appétit!