For the dough
- 6 eggs
- 1 Ÿ cup of wheat flour
- 1 1/3 cup of sugar
- 50 grams of cocoa
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder or baking soda
- 1 pinch of salt
- Butter for greasing
For the cream
- 300 grams of butter
- 400 grams of powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons of milk
- 80 grams of 100% pure cocoa or chocolate
For the syrup (optional)
- 200 grams of sugar
- 200 ml of water
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon of almond liqueur
For this preparation, I reviewed several recipes. Most of them do not include syrup because the chocolate cream has a very intense flavor. However, in general, Cubans enjoy sweets with syrup, and the recipe presented by Ăngela GarcĂa and Hans Geel in their book Tartas del Mundo includes it. My suggestion is that when you go to assemble the Tatianoff, depending on the consistency of the panetela and the flavor of the cream, you decide whether or not to incorporate it. It's up to your taste. But if you are going to use it, this would be the first step.
Put all the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan. Place them over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Let it boil and then remove it. It is a light syrup.
Preheat the oven to 180ÂșC.
You will need two molds of the same size. In this case, I used removable molds with a diameter of 15 cm. Grease the molds with butter and dust them with flour. Set them aside for later.
To make the panetela, separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and start adding the sugar gradually while continuing to beat. A meringue should form. It's okay if it doesn't have perfect peaks, but it should be strong. Add the yolks and the vanilla extract, and keep beating until well combined.
Combine the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt) in a bowl and sift them to prevent lumps. Gradually incorporate them into the meringue with the egg yolks. For this step, use a stiff spatula that allows you to make folding motions with the flour. When you finish incorporating everything, the batter will be dense.
Pour the batter into the molds. Make sure it is divided into equal parts. Bake it for 25-30 minutes. Remember that each oven has its own characteristics, so it is important to pay attention to the doneness to ensure it is neither undercooked nor overdone. To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick in the center; it should come out dry. When they are ready, take the cakes out of the oven and let them cool.
To prepare the cream, beat the room temperature butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. You will get a thick cream; add the cocoa and continue beating until it is perfectly integrated.
To assemble the Tatianoff, first prepare the sponge cakes. Since we need to achieve several layers, it is best to carefully cut both sponge cakes in half. Use a bread knife, which allows for a more even cut and does not break the cake.
Once you have the four layers ready, soak them in the syrup. Try to distribute evenly, not soaking one more than the others, or the weight could upset the balance of the cake.
Place the first layer in the dish or plate where you will present your Tatianoff and add cream. Cover it evenly as this step determines the balance of the cake. Repeat the process until it is fully assembled. Spread cream on the sides of the Tatianoff and decorate it to your liking. In this case, we used a piping bag for the flowers, but you can also decorate with chocolate sprinkles, and it will look just as nice. I shaped the sides with the edge of a bread knife, rotating the cake.
A professional kitchen is not needed to make this dessert. It is a fun recipe, with an intense and delicious chocolate flavor that will bring you many memories of Cuba.
Enjoy your meal!