Coconut Butter Cake
Passion Fruit-White Chocolate Namelaka, Caramel Pineapple, Coconut Crema
Pastry Chef Dee Chinn of Big Heart Hospitality | Boston
Adapted by StarChefs | June 2024
INGREDIENTS
Coconut Butter Cake:
8 ounces coconut milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
11 ounces all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
4 ounces butter
14 ounces granulated sugar
5 egg yolks
4 ounces neutral oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces toasted coconut flake
Passion Fruit Namelaka:
385 grams Valrhona Passion Fruit Inspiration white chocolate
7½ ounces whole milk
½ ounce corn syrup
3 sheets gelatin, bloomed
16 ounces heavy cream
Caramel Pineapple:
4 ounces butter
8 ounces brown sugar
2 ounces dark rum
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
Coconut Crema:
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 ounces coconut milk
2 ounces coconut cream
To Assemble and Serve:
Valrhona Opalys crunchy pearls
Desiccated coconut
METHOD
For the Coconut Butter Cake:
Heat oven to 325°F. In a mixing bowl, combine coconut milk and vinegar. Let sit 5 minutes at room temperature. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Set aside. In a separate bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolks and continue to mix until well incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl then incorporate one-third of the flour mixture, followed by oil, vanilla, and half of the coconut milk mixture. Mix until combined. Add one third dry mixture. Once combined, add remaining coconut milk mixture. Once combined, add remaining flour mixture. Fold in coconut flakes and whipped egg whites. Transfer mixture to a greased and parchment-lined 9-inch cake pan. Bake 30 minutes. Let cool.
For the Passion Fruit Namelaka:
Place chocolate in a nonreactive container and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring milk and corn syrup to a simmer. Stir in gelatin. Pour mixture over chocolate and, using a Vitamix Commercial immersion blender, blend until smooth. Slowly stream in heavy cream. Cover surface of the mixture with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, transfer to a piping bag with a rose tip and refrigerate.
For the Caramel Pineapple:
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar and cook until sugar has melted and mixture is bubbling. Add rum and cook until mixture comes together. Add pineapple and cook until tender. Reduce heat and keep warm.
For the Coconut Crema:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
Place 1 dollop Coconut Crema in the middle of a serving plate. One one side of the plate, place 1 slice Coconut Butter Cake. Top with Passion Fruit Namelaka in desired style. Garnish with crunchy pearls. On the other side of the plate, place 1 Caramel Pineapple. Garnish with desiccated coconut.
