Do girls have more of a sweet tooth than guys? I still find that a recurring trend after the dinner meal is finished and I bring out the cake. 

Well this one night I was only with my two girlfriends, so did not have a male representative give his two cents about this dessert - which was what I wanted to make after eating a cup of matcha mousse + shot of Baileys at a buffet one day night.

Right so this dessert I've wanted to make. It's a three part process: 1) the sponge base 2) the flavoured creme anglaise 3) the italian meringue. Yes, there is no whipped cream in my mousses, which make it super light and enable you to inhale bites because they're so aerated.

Ingredients

Walnut Sponge

Matcha Creme

Baileys Creme

Italian Meringue

A	3	yolks
	20g	milk
	20g	oil
	50g	flour
B	3	whites
	40g	sugar
C	20g	crushed toasted walnuts

A	1	yolk
	200ml	milk
B	10g	matcha powder
	20ml	cold milk
C	9g	gelatin powder
	50g	cold water

A	1	yolk
	100ml	milk
B	150ml	Baileys
C	9g	gelatin powder
	50g	cold water

A	2	whites
	2tbsp	sugar
B	0.25cup	sugar
	2tbsp	water

Method

Walnut Sponge
I. Mix A
II. Beat whites in B on low-medium until foamy soft peaks
III. Gradually add sugar into whites, beat on high
IV. Fold B into A in three additions
V. Fold in C
VI. Bake 15cm x 15cm pan 180 F for 20 minutes (browned top)

Cremes
I. Mix A
II. Heat A on medium, stirring until thickened (still runny), like creme anglaise
III. (for Matcha) Whisk B.
IV. Mix B into A
V Sprinkle gelatin into cold water. Set aside

Italian Meringue
I. Heat B in saucepan with lid, on medium
II. When sugar has dissolved in B, start whipping whites in A
III. Whip whites on medium until soft foamy peaks
IV. Add sugar in A, beat on high until stiff peaks
V. When B reaches 113 C, pour small amounts into A, beating on high.
VI. Side of bowl will get hot. Keep beating when all B is added for another 2-3 minutes to stabilize.


Construction

Prep Base
I. Cut sponge 1cm smaller than your cake rings (you can do 2x layer of cake if you want)
II. Put cake ring on silpat lined tray, one layer of sponge in the center

Assemble Mousse
I. Melt gelatins in microwave (do not boil)
II. Mix gelatins into cremes.
III. Mix half of meringues into each creme
IV. Mix the matcha mousse over a bowl of ice+water to chill until thickened.

Assemble Cake
I. Pour thickened matcha mousse to fill half of cake ring
II. Repeat Assemble Mousse III-IV with Baileys creme (optional: put a layer of sponge on matcha before pouring on baileys mousse)
IX. Chill in fridge until set. 
X. Transfer cake with ring onto serving platter before using torch/hairdryer to warm sides of ring before lifting off.
It seems like a long process, but chunks of time are just eaten up by clean-up and wait time (baking, setting, trying to find those damned cake rings in the disorganized stash of baking equipment...)

I made a huge mistake of not cooling the matcha mousse before pouring it into the rings - and so the matcha didn't completely set when I took it out of the ring (the Baileys part was perfect though). But that meant when I cut into it, the matcha just didn't hold up *tears*

So I waited overnight before un-ringing the smaller rings:

And ran out of mangoes. But used black sesame powder instead. The leaves are not edible. I just took them from the garden.

Postcard worthy, if I had the patience to erase those people

My toes are cold as I'm writing this. I dislike wearing socks at home and dislike wearing boots in the winter, which really doesn't go well with how winter works here.

Dear readers, more recipes on the way!