Poké Ball Chocolate Smash Cake 精靈球扑扑蛋糕

My son was watching another Pokémon series on Netflix so I decided to make him a Poké Ball cake for his birthday back in July (yeah I know it’s super late to blog about it). I remember hearing about this Japanese anime after going to Canada. It’s amazing that it’s still on and popular among children.
兒子在Netflix觀看另一輯Pokémon，於是EC便決定給他做一個精靈球生日蛋糕(這是七月發生的事了)。依稀記得寵物小精靈是在自己移民加國之後才興起的日本動畫，很難想像過了這麼多年仍然深受小孩子的喜愛呢！

Smash cake has been on my to-do-list but I always think that there is too much chocolate. As a mom, I truly don’t want my kids to devour that much sweets. I keep telling myself it’s okay… it’s okay… it’s only once in a while… The kids were overjoyed while smashing the cake. They even screamed in excitement when they found out there were actually MORE goodies inside. Their screaming almost hurt my ears but such experience was just epic. I was glad that I’ve stored another awesome moment in their memory bank.
扑扑蛋糕一直是在自己的待辦清單上，卻常常因為覺得要用上很多朱古力而卻步。作為一個母親，當然不想也不喜歡孩子吃這麼甜食，在製作過程中唯有催眠自己：生日只是一年一次，就讓他們放縱一下吧！說真的，看見他們爭著把朱古力外殼敲碎時的興奮和雀躍，與及發現内裡原來還有更多朱古力的那份狂喜，雖然尖叫聲吵耳得很，但自己內心是蠻滿足的，相信孩子們長大後也會記得這個愉快的經驗。

This cake is very similar to my Bear Chocolate Mousse Dome Cake but with an extra dome on top. I used Candy Melts for my Poké Balll shells as it comes in a variety of colors (I ran out of red though). Candy Melts is very thick when melted so a spatula is recommended while spreading the melted chocolate. If white compound chocolate is used, be sure to color it with oil based food color or else the chocolate will seize.
這個蛋糕基本上跟小熊朱古力慕絲半圓蛋糕相約，就是頂部多了一個朱古力蓋而已。這次使用了Wilton的Candy Melts做外殼，貪其多色可選。EC打算做紅色的，可是原來家中的紅色朱古力已用完了，唯有轉做黃色吧。要注意的是，融化後的Candy Melts非常粘稠並非呈流動狀態，因此最好使用膠刮塗抹。若用白色免調溫朱古力自己調色的話，記著要使用油溶性色素，否則朱古力會變成粒狀(seize)。

Poké Ball Chocolate Smash Cake 精靈球扑扑蛋糕

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Shells
Candy Melts, yellow and white 150 g each

For the Chiffon Cake (Tang Mian Method)
55 g cake and pastry flour
A pinch of salt
25 g grapeseed or vegetable oil
35 g milk
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
2 large egg whites
1/3 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice (I use Korean apple vinegar)
35 g granulated sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
Notes: the eggs I use each has a net weight of 50 – 55 g.

For the Dark Chocolate Mousse
6 g unsweetened cocoa powder
A pinch of salt
30 g hot water
6 g gelatin powder
30 g water (add to gelatin)
100 g couverture chocolate (I used Lindt Piccoli 58% couverture chocolate)
50 g whipping cream (add to chocolate)
10 g unsalted butter
180 g whipping cream

For Decoration
Fondant (black, white and red) as needed
Melted Chocolate (as glue) as needed

材料

朱古力外殼
免調溫朱古力(黃色和白色) 各150克(EC用Candy Melts)

燙麵法戚風蛋糕
低筋麵粉 55克
鹽少許
葡葡萄籽油或菜油 25克
牛奶 35克
雲尼拿醬或純雲尼拿香油 1/2茶匙
蛋黃(大號雞蛋) 2個
蛋白(大號雞蛋) 2個
白醋或檸檬汁(EC用韓國蘋果醋) 1/3茶匙
細砂糖(EC用有機蔗糖) 35克
註：EC使用的大號雞蛋每隻淨重50-55克

黑朱古力慕絲
無糖可可粉 6克
鹽少許
熱水 30克
魚膠粉 6克
水(加入魚膠粉) 30克
調溫朱古力(EC用Lindt Piccoli 58%調溫朱古力) 100克
淡忌廉(加入朱古力) 50克
無鹽牛油 10克
淡忌廉 180克

裝飾
翻糖(黑、白、紅色) 各適量
朱古力溶液(黏貼用) 適量

Directions 做法

For the Chocolate Shells 朱古力外殼
Melt yellow chocolate in a large bowl over a pot of simmering water or in the microwave over medium power in 30-second intervals. Stir until smooth then pour half of the melted chocolate into the hemisphere pan and coat the interior with a silicone brush or spatula. Wipe off any chocolate that has spilled over the top edge of the pan. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Rewarm the rest of the chocolate and repeat the coating process. To remove the shell, place the pan in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. The chocolate mold would contract and pull itself away from the pan. Flip the pan to release the shell. Repeat this process again with white chocolate (clean and wipe dry the mold thoroughly if the same mold is used).
大碗內放黃色朱古力隔熱水坐溶或以微波爐用中火每次三十秒叮溶，攪拌至順滑後把一半份量倒入半圓模中，用矽膠掃/膠刮把朱古力塗滿內壁，放入雪櫃冷藏5至10分鐘左右至朱古力凝固，重新加熱餘下的朱古力至溶化後再倒入模內平均塗滿成一層厚朱古力外殼，把模放入冰箱冷凍5至10分鐘至朱古力收縮離模，取出後反轉模具輕輕敲出朱古力殼，重覆以上步驟製作白色朱古力外殼(若只有一個半圓模具需徹底洗淨並抹乾才可繼續使用)。

For the Cake 蛋糕體
Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until it reaches 140 – 150ºF/60 – 65ºC. Immediately pour warm oil into the flour mixture and stir with a pair of chopsticks or a spatula to form a smooth paste (i.e. the tang mian or cooked dough). Stir in warm milk in two batches and then the vanilla until it becomes a soft dough. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Batter will be glossy, smooth and of a thick syrup consistency.
麵粉和鹽放鋼盆中拌勻備用，把油放小鍋中小火加熱至140 – 150ºF/60 – 65ºC(或使用微波爐加熱)，加入乾粉中用筷子或膠刮攪拌成順滑燙麵糊，分兩次拌入暖牛奶和雲尼拿攪拌成軟麵糰，之後逐顆蛋黃加入攪拌均勻(每次要完全拌匀才加另一顆)，此時蛋黃糊應光滑無顆粒並像琵琶膏的流動狀態。

In another impeccably clean mixing bowl, whip egg whites and vinegar with a hand mixer using medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar in batches and continue beating until glossy and firm peaks form. Change to low speed to minimize the air bubble size toward the end of the beating stage. When you lift up the whisk, the peak will hold its straight and pointy shape but the tip will fall back only very slightly.
把蛋白和醋放在另一乾淨的鋼盆中，使用電動打蛋器中高速打至蛋白組織變細密，分次加糖打至有光澤及企身(末段用慢速慢慢把氣泡打細)，蛋白霜拉起時尾巴短小而末端僅輕微下垂狀。

Add one third of the meringue to the yolk batter and fold with a whisk to lighten. Add mixture back to the meringue and fold gently and thoroughly first with a whisk then with a spatula until homogeneous.
將三分一蛋白霜混入蛋黃糊中用蛋拂充份拌勻，再倒回蛋白霜中，先用蛋拂再用膠刮輕手以切拌方法混合至顔色均一。

Pour batter into an unprepared 6” round cake pan with a removable bottom. Tap the pan against the kitchen countertop several times to get rid of any large air bubbles. Smooth top with an offset spatula. Rest pan on a baking sheet then bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes at 300℉/150℃. Increase temperature to 325℉/160℃ and bake for 5 minutes more to dry and brown the top. The cake is fully baked when it has reached its maximum height and decreased in height slightly. Every oven is different so adjust baking time accordingly while using the browning and height reduction as a hint. Drop cake pan on the kitchen countertop at a distance upon removal from the oven. This will release any gas trapped in the cake cells and minimize shrinkage. Invert pan on a wire rack to cool completely before unmolding. Refrigerate for at least half a day before slicing as the cake is delicate. Slice the chilled cake horizontally into 3 layers (only 2 layers are required). Keep refrigerated until use.
把麵糊倒進6”圓形活底模中(不用墊紙或抹油掃粉)，將模具往枱上敲幾下敲出大氣泡後抹平表面，將模具放在一個焗盆上減低底火，放入已預熱的焗爐中，以300℉/150℃焗25至30分鐘，改用325℉/160℃多焗5分鐘左右，直至上色和蛋糕已升至最高點並明顯下降(時間只供參考，整個過程要目測留意顏色和蛋糕高度是否已回落)，取出往枱上震一下震走熱氣，移到冷卻架上倒扣，完全放涼後可脫模，把蛋糕橫切成3片(蛋糕非常柔軟，因此最好冷藏半日待蛋糕結實些才切片)，這裡只需用兩片，包好冷藏備用。

***The pictures shown below are for chocolate flavor 以下圖片是燙麵法朱古力戚風蛋糕***

For the Dark Chocolate Mousse 黑朱古力慕絲
Chill mixing bowl and the whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting. Mix cocoa powder, salt and hot water in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Bloom gelatin by mixing it with water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Warm mixture in the microwave or over hot water until gelatin liquefies. Set aside.
鋼盆及打蛋器配件預先放冰箱10分鐘雪凍，小碗內放可可粉、鹽和熱水開勻；魚膠粉加水拌匀靜置5分鐘後隔水坐溶或叮溶，備用。

Make ganache by melting chocolate, whipping cream and butter In another bowl over a pot of simmering water (or melt in the microwave with medium power). Stir until mixture is smooth and glossy. Stir in cocoa powder mixture and liquefied gelatin until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
取一大碗放入朱古力、淡忌廉和牛油，隔熱水坐溶或放微波爐用中火叮溶後拌勻成順滑有光滑的朱古力醬，加入可可粉溶液和魚膠溶液，拌至順滑後放至室溫備用。

With a hand mixer, whisk whipping cream in the chilled mixing bowl with low speed until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the above chocolate-cocoa powder mixture in two batches until homogeneous.
淡忌廉倒入預先雪凍的鋼盆，以電動打蛋器低速打至軟身呈軟勾狀，分兩次拌進上述的朱古力糊中，輕手混合至顔色均一。

For the Assembly 組合蛋糕
Line the hemisphere pan with plastic wrap for easy removal. Place the white chocolate shell back into the pan. Trim two cake layers into smaller circles of 4” and 5” (or whatever sizes that would fit inside the hemisphere mold to be used).
半圓球模內先以保鮮紙墊底(脫模時較容易取出)，白色朱古力殼放回模中，把兩片蛋糕片裁成直徑4”和 5”各一的圓片(或依所用的半圓模尺寸自行決定大小)。

Fill the chocolate shell with chocolate mousse until 1/2 full then place on the smaller cake layer. Press lightly such that the mousse has completely filled up the edges around the cake. Pour in chocolate mousse until the pan is 2/3 full. Press in the larger cake layer until the edge is filled with mousse. Pour in the remaining chocolate mousse until the mold is almost full. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the mousse has set, preferably overnight. Remove plastic wrap then take out the cake and carefully glue it to the cake board with melted chocolate (I used gum paste to make a ring as a bottom disc the day before). Sprinkle the cake with crushed biscuits, chocolate shavings and decorate with more chocolate.
把朱古力慕絲填進朱古力殼中至半滿，放上較小的蛋糕片，輕壓至蛋糕邊緣填滿慕絲，倒入慕絲至三分二滿後放入第二片蛋糕片並輕壓至蛋糕邊緣填滿慕絲，倒入餘下慕絲至差不多全滿，蓋上保鮮紙後放入雪櫃冷藏至慕絲凝固(最好放過夜)，取出後移除保鮮紙並取出朱古力殼，以溶朱古力固定在蛋糕底托上(EC事前用gum paste做一個小環黏在蛋糕底板上固定朱古力殼(見下圖)，在慕絲表面灑上餅乾碎、朱古力碎等，再放上朱古力或糖果作裝飾。

Place a baking sheet in the oven and heat for a few minutes. Remove from the oven and place the yellow dome, wide side down, on top for a few seconds (the heat of the baking sheet will cause the rim of the dome to melt). Place the yellow dome over the cake to make a sphere. Use fondant to make a long black strip long enough to wrap around the sphere where the two hemispheres meet . Using melted chocolate as glue, wrap the black strip around the middle of the sphere. Use circle cookie cutters to make white and black fondant circles of various sizes and attach it on the strip to finish the decoration. Make letters to decorate the cake board and attach them on the cake board with melted chocolate. Store in the refrigerator until serving.
取一個烤盤放在焗爐內加熱數分鐘後小心取出，把黃色朱古力殼(開口朝下)放在上面十秒左右，讓烤盤的餘熱溶化朱古力殼的邊緣，小心把黃色朱古力殼蓋在蛋糕上做成成球體，用黑色翻糖造成長條，長度要足以圍繞球體一圈，以溶朱古力黏在兩個半球的接口位，用圓形曲奇切模切出白色和黑色翻糖圓片，以溶朱古力黐在長條中央，繼續以翻糖製作其他字母裝飾並用溶朱古力黐在底板上即成，食用前需保持冷藏。