Corn Chiffon Cake

Fig Leaf Pastry Cream, Lemon Simple Syrup, Olive Oil Buttercream

Baker Delilah Pergola of High Street Hospitality | Philadelphia

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Adapted by StarChefs | january 2024

INGREDIENTS

Corn Chiffon Cake:
Yield: Eight 8-inch cake layers
1.3 kilograms egg whites
560 grams granulated sugar
40 grams cornstarch
16 grams cream of tartar
560 grams egg yolks
440 grams neutral oil
480 grams light brown sugar
40 grams lemon juice
40 grams vanilla extract
30 grams kosher salt
32 grams baking powder
300 grams corn flour
560 grams pastry flour

Lemon Simple Syrup:
Yield: 1 quart
2 lemon scraps
500 grams granulated sugar

Fig Leaf Pastry Cream:
4 fig leaves
700 grams whole milk
125 grams granulated sugar
40 grams cornstarch
4 grams kosher salt
120 grams whole egg
1 sheet gelatin, bloomed
20 grams vanilla extract

Olive Oil Buttercream:
680 grams egg whites
1.24 kilograms sugar
12 grams sea salt
6 grams cream of tartar
2.2 kilograms unsalted butter, softened
450 grams extra virgin olive oil
40 grams vanilla extract

METHOD

For the Corn Chiffon Cake:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and cream of tartar. Mix on medium speed until glossy, stiff peaks form. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, oil, brown sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until sugar has mostly dissolved. Whisk in salt, baking powder, and flours. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture, working in batches if needed. Be careful not to over mix.

For the Lemon Simple Syrup:
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring lemons, sugar, and 500 grams water to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 40 minutes. Add water if needed to thin out. Remove from heat and let mixture cool. Strain, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate.

For the Fig Leaf Pastry Cream:
Roll fig leaves in hands until lightly bruised. Transfer to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with milk. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 1 hour. Once infused, strain mixture and return to the saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs until sugar has fully dissolved. Temper the yolk mixture with the warmed milk. Once tempered, pour yolk mixture into the saucepan with the milk. Reduce heat and whisk constantly until a pudding-like consistency is achieved. Large bubbles should rise to the surface. In a large container, combine gelatin and vanilla. Strain milk mixture and pour in the container with the gelatin. Whisk to combine. Cover the container with plastic wrap to avoid a skin from forming. Refrigerate overnight.

For the Olive Oil Buttercream:
Fill a large pot over medium-low heat with 6 inches of water. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, and cream of tartar. Add egg yolks and whisk to combine. Set over the pot of water and whisk egg whites until the mixture reaches 160°F. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Reduce speed and add butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Mix in the vanilla and olive oil. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch tip and refrigerate.

To Assemble and Serve:
On a work surface, use a serrated knife to level each Corn Chiffon Cake. Once leveled, slice each layer in half horizontally. Transfer 1 half Corn Chiffon Cake to a cake platter. Brush with a generous amount of Lemon Simple Syrup. The cake should look wet, but not soggy. Pipe Olive Oil Buttercream around the rim of the Corn Chiffon Cake. Fill the piped rim with about ¼ of the Fig Leaf Pastry Cream, making sure the Fig Leaf Pastry Cream does not rise above the Olive Oil Buttercream. Top with remaining half Corn Chiffon Cake. Repeat the process with Olive Oil Buttercream, Fig Leaf Pastry Cream, and remaining Corn Chiffon Cake layers. Once all layers are assembled, top with generous amount Olive Oil Buttercream. Using an offset spatula, even Olive Oil Buttercream out until it neatly hands over the edges and is about ⅛-inch-thick. Spread the overhanging Olive Oil Buttercream down the sides of the cake to evenly coat. Use more Olive Oil Buttercream as needed. Once entire cake is covered, refrigerate 30 minutes. Repeat the process with the Olive Oil Buttercream. Decorate the cake to your desired liking.

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