Page 443 - YC Cooking School

cakes. The mixture has reached stiff peaks when the “peak” shape you create with the whisk
doesn’t flop over, but rather holds its shape.

Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture
To fold means to delicately incorporate one portion of the mixture into another by gently
rotating the spoon in your hand as you mix. Folding allows you to combine ingredients
while keeping the air in the mixture so you don’t lose its fluffy texture. It’s best to fold using

small amounts of mixture at a time, so divide the mixture in three and save the most
delicate mixing until last.

Use an offset spatula to evenly distribute the sponge batter onto the baking tray
Think of this step as brick laying. If the cement isn’t flat and straight, your house will look

skew at the end – not ideal!

Keep an eye on it
For a truly top-notch chocolate log, you’ll want to make sure the base stays soft and doesn’t
crisp up while cooking. Depending on your oven, it could take between 12 and 15 minutes to

get the perfect lightly golden base that is still soft. Keep a close eye on it - the last thing you
want to do is overcook the base and have to start from scratch when your guests are just
about to arrive.

Tips for the chocolate marquise

The golden rule of baking: a little precision goes a long way
Producing a perfectly decadent chocolate marquise means sticking to a few golden rules:

1. The yolk and sugar mixture should be white and fluffy and have reached the ribbon
stage.
2. The butter should be very soft but not melted.
3. The chocolate should be completely melted but not piping hot.
4. Don’t over-whip the cream. It should still have a slight wobble to it, so soft peaks are
what you’re after.

Set up a double boiler to melt the chocolate
Double boilers diffuse the heat gently and melt the chocolate evenly. Be careful that the
bottom of the heatproof bowl doesn’t touch the water in the pot though.

Use good quality dark chocolate
As a general rule, splash out and use the best chocolate you can afford to make the
marquise. A good option is to use a swanky Belgian or Swiss brand with a 65% cocoa
content.

Have fun with flavour variations
If you’re not a fan of chocolate, you can easily substitute the chocolate marquise with a
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