Lemon Blackberry Stratified Experiment

I said it before and I’ll say it again. I’m doing a wedding cake tasting for some very sophisticated people and I want everything to be perfect. I have a solid list of cakes, fillings and buttercreams, but the combinations are where things are really going to happen.

The wedding colors are yellow and black, so I thought lemon and blackberry would make a nice flava and style combo. The details of said combo are where things get more involved. Will I use straight up lemon curd with blackberry jam?  Or what about lemon mousse for a lighter, creamier effect? Blackberry mousse might be nice, too. And speaking of mousse, a little white chocolate could give it some richness and reinforcement. I had no choice but to set up the chemistry lab and try them all.

My vehicle was the 9-inch cake layer I had lying around. I torted it twice to make three layers, divided it into 9 pieces, and filled and frosted each piece individually. I wouldn’t recommend this technique if you’re aiming for presentation, but as long as the buttercream was well-represented, it worked for this purpose. Then I lined ‘em up and we knocked ‘em down.

The Elements

Lemon Curd

Blackberry Preserves

Lemon Mousse

Lemon White Chocolate Mousse

Blackberry Mousse

Blackberry White Chocolate Mousse

The Combos (by ranking)

After

Before

1. Lemon Mousse + Blackberry Preserves

2. Lemon Curd + Blackberry Preserves

3. Lemon White Chocolate + Lemon Curd

4. Lemon Curd + Blackberry Mousse

5. Lemon Curd + Blackberry White Chocolate

6. Lemon White Chocolate + Blackberry Preserves

The results came as quite a surprise, mainly because the white chocolate whipped cream, which I had hoped would emerge as the dark horse, was overwhelming. I guess I could decrease the amount and play around with ratios, but I’m not devastated to scrap the idea because that white chocolate stuff can be controversial.

The lemon mousse and blackberry won unanimously among the judges. It was a lovely combo of light and creamy lemon and unadulterated blackberry. The more potent combo of the uncut lemon curd and blackberry was quite exhilarating, but I preferred the more delicate lemon mousse. If the couple wants full lemon effect, the lemon curd with lemon white chocolate fit the bill, but I will make a plain lemon mousse instead of white chocolate. All in all, it was a fun and tasty experiment that I would recommend to math and science teaches across the globe.

The Recipes:

These are the base recipes. Mix and match to your heart’s content.

Lemon Curd (adapted from Bon Appetit March 1998)

**Delicious on homemade biscuits.**

• 3/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

Whisk 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, eggs and yolks in medium stainless steel bowl. Bring lemon juice and butter to boil in heavy small saucepan. Gradually whisk hot lemon mixture into egg mixture. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Stir until beginning to thicken and thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160—F, about 4 minutes. Strain curd into a small bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of curd; refrigerate until cold.

Fresh Blackberry Preserves (adapted from “Wedding Cakes You Can Make” by Dede Wilson)

• 4 cups blackberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T water (optional)
• 1 t lemon juice

Pick over the blackberries and remove any stems or leaves. Place in a large saucepan with the sugar and water (if they’re juicy, don’t use water). Stir to combine. Place over medium-low heat and cook until the mixture comes to a simmer. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes. The mixture will resemble jam and it will become spreadable as it cools. Place mixture in a food processor and puree. Strain out the seeds and add the lemon juice. Allow to cool to room temperature. When cooled, refrigerate overnight.

White Chocolate Cream (adapted from Bon Appetit July 2008)

**Also wonderful in coffee.**

• 6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (I used Valrhona), chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour hot cream over chocolate; let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until cold and thickened, at least 6 hours or overnight.  Using electric mixer, beat white chocolate cream until soft peaks form.

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream

As Dylan McKay’s answering machine said– “You know the drill.”

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