I have been meaning to create a new flavor for my cake collection, and have been indecisive on what to pair coconut flavor with. I've done coconut and lemon curd, and that worked out amazing, but I was in search for something new. During my walks/ surfing for inspiration, I often see that coconut flavors are mostly paired up with cherry, but one day my sister suggested to go with passionfruit.




My second problem was (and it always have been a big deal when I am creating a new flavor mixture) what frosting would go best with it. Seeing how I lately am quite taken by white chocolate ganache - I went with that.


My signature cakes are tall and have tall decos - so I also went with white chocolate shards. I will omit that part from the recipe but here's a link of how-to-make-chocolate-shards

I have to say I was really happy with the cake. It taste like my favorite coconut milkshake. The flavor combination is amazing, and the cake itself is so creamy and moist. Definitely one of my favorites!

Coconut and Passion Fruit Cake 

Ingredients

Coconut Cake 

150ml coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coconut extract (optional)

200g caster sugar

170g softened butter

2 large eggs

200g plain flour

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

1. Heat oven to 180C/350F. Warm the coconut milk on stove till boils and set aside to cool. Add vanilla extract and coconut extract to cooled coconut milk
2. Sift flour and baking powder
3. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time. 
4. In two addition, add in the dry ingredients and alternate it with the coconut milk mixture. Beat on medium speed till combined.
5. Line baking pan with parchment paper (either two 8 inch/ 9 inch pan or three 7 inch pan) and grease side with butter/ nonstick spray. Bake for 20-25 mins or when the skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cake layer cool

Passionfruit Curd 

180 ml (3/4 cup) fresh passion fruit pulp (about 6-7 fruit)
155g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
125g chiled butter, chopped 

Combine the butter, sugar, passionfruit and egg yolks in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Transfer to a sterilized jar and place in fridge for 1 hour to chill. 

White Chocolate Ganache 

250g white chocolate  

250g heavy cream

Place white chocolate in a bowl (if using chocolate bars break into small pieces). In a saucepan, bring to boil the heavy cream, then pour into the bowl with white chocolate. Mix till all white chocolate melted. Refrigerate to set. When set, take out and using an electric mixer, beat till fluffy. 

Assembling
For every layer, put a layer of ganache and two tablespoon passion fruit curd. Top layer drizzle for decoration. Chill before serving. Goes great with tea or better with milk!

Karpatka, is a traditional Polish cream dessert. It is composed of choux pastry slices and filled with a light and creamy layer of vanilla custard cream.







I have the habit of going through Pintrest for inspiration to create a new cake flavor. During one of my sleepless night I stumbled upon this dessert: called the Karpatka (Polish's version of vanilla slice). I remembered how Jakub keeps telling me about this famous dessert and how its his all-time favorite.

Mixed Berries Gallettes

Ingredients:

Favorite Pie Crust -  via Martha Stewart

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling dough

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• 113g cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 2 tablespoons ice water, plus 2 more, if needed

1. In a dry bowl, mix dry ingredients and add the cubed butter (cold from fridge). 
2. Using the rubbing in technique: Softly rub the butter and the flour together with your fingertips. Raise your hands above the surface so they are not warming the rest of the mixture – the idea is to keep the butter cool, not allowing it to soften.
3. Keep rubbing in until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, shake bowl to bring lumps to surface. Keep rubbing till done
4. Add ice water a little at a time, the idea is to form a dough that’s crumbly, but sticks when pressed with finger. Flatten into disc. Wrap dough in cling-wrap and refrigerate till firm (at least 1 hr)

Mixed Berries Pie Filling

3 cups mixed berries ( I used strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberry) 

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup granulated sugar

juice of half a lemon

In a bowl, add lemon juice to the mixed berries, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well till all berries is coated. Set aside

Preparing the Gallettes:

1. Heat oven to 190C/ 375F. Prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper 
2. Flour work surface, and take our pie dough. Divide dough into 8 and roll each into a 6 inch round (doesnt have to be perfect)
3. Place each rolled dough onto baking tray
4. Using a 1/4 cup, measure, divide berries evenly and mound it in center of dough. Fold egdes over center, leaving an opening in center. Gently push fold to seal. Refrigerate/ free till firm (about 30 mins)
5. To make egg wash, whisk together the egg and one tablespoon of water until combined. Before putting galettes in oven, brush edges with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
6. Bake about 30-35 minutes, until the crust are golden brown or till crust is golden and filling bubbling. Cool pie. Serve with freshly whipped cream
7. For quicker alternatives, use frozen shortcrust pastry sheets (approximately 2 sheets - each sheet cut into four)