Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is a clear, glossy apricot mirror glaze with a coffee marble swirled through it. The base is nothing more than apricot jam boiled with water and glucose, set lightly with gelatine, so it pours in a thin, even sheet and sets to a soft shine rather than a hard jelly. The taste is bright and fruity, with a faint bitterness from the coffee streaks.
It is a useful finish for mousse cakes, entremets and glazed tortes, and it also works brushed over fruit flans and tart tops to keep the fruit fresh looking. A small portion of the glaze is set aside and darkened with instant coffee, then drizzled over the poured surface and dragged with a skewer to give the marbled pattern.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 693
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: 20-24 cm round cake, with enough glaze to pour freely
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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300 |
1.3 cups
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Water
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B
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300 |
10.6 ounces
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Apricot Jam
Apricot jam is a preserve made from apricots and sugar. Bakers use it as a glaze because it is mild in flavour, sets lightly and gives a clear golden shine; a smooth or sieved jam gives the cleanest finish.
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C
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50 |
1.8 ounces
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Glucose Syrup
Glucose syrup, also known as confectioner's glucose, is a syrup made from the hydrolysis of starch. Glucose is a sugar. Maize (corn) is commonly used as the source of the starch in the US, in which case the syrup is called "corn syrup", but glucose syrup is also made from potatoes and wheat, and less often from barley, rice and cassava.
Glucose syrup containing over 90% glucose is used in industrial fermentation, but syrups used in confectionery contain varying amounts of glucose, maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on the grade, and can typically contain 10% to 43% glucose. Glucose syrup is used in foods to sweeten, soften texture and add volume. By converting some of the glucose in corn syrup into fructose (using an enzymatic process), a sweeter product, high fructose corn syrup can be produced.
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D
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20 |
0.7 ounce
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Gelatin
Gelatin or gelatine (from Latin: gelatus meaning "stiff", "frozen") is a translucent, colourless, brittle (when dry), flavourless foodstuff, derived from collagen obtained from various animal by-products. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar way are called gelatinous. Gelatin is an irreversibly hydrolyzed form of collagen. It is found in most gummy candy as well as other products such as marshmallows, gelatin dessert, and some ice cream, dip and yogurt. Household gelatin comes in the form of sheets, granules, or powder. Instant types can be added to the food as they are; others need to be soaked in water beforehand.
powdered
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E
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20 |
0.7 fluid ounce
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Water
for blooming the gelatine
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cold |
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F
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2.5 |
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Instant Coffee
Instant coffee, also called soluble coffee, coffee crystals and coffee powder, is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans. Instant coffee is commercially prepared by either freeze-drying or spray drying, after which it can be rehydrated. Instant coffee in a concentrated liquid form is also manufactured.
for the marbling
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692
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Sprinkle D (gelatine powder) over E (cold water) in a small bowl, stir once and leave it to stand. |
Gelatine fully swollen and spongy, no dry powder left |
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2 |
Boil |
Put A, B and C (water, apricot jam and glucose syrup) in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring so the jam dissolves evenly. |
Boiling and smooth, jam completely melted |
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3 |
Strain |
Pass the hot mixture through a fine sieve into a jug to remove the fruit pieces and skins. |
Clear and smooth, no lumps |
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4 |
Dissolve |
Add the bloomed gelatine to the hot apricot mixture and stir until it has melted right through. |
No gelatine granules visible; do not boil again |
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5 |
Reserve |
Pour off about one tenth of the glaze into a small bowl and stir F (instant coffee) into it while it is still hot. |
Coffee fully dissolved, the small portion a deep amber brown |
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6 |
Cool |
Leave both the main glaze and the coffee portion to cool, stirring now and then, until they thicken slightly but still pour easily. |
Around 30-35°C, syrupy but not setting; skim off any foam |
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7 |
Glaze |
Stand the chilled cake on a rack over a tray and pour the apricot glaze over in one steady movement so it covers the top and sides. |
An even, glossy sheet with no bare patches |
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8 |
Marble |
Straight away drizzle fine lines of the coffee glaze over the surface and draw a skewer or the point of a knife through them. |
Feathered marble pattern while the surface is still wet |
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9 |
Set |
Move the cake to the refrigerator and leave it undisturbed. |
Surface set and firm to a light touch, still shiny |
Important Notes
The half batch on this page makes about 690 g of glaze, enough for one 20-24 cm mousse cake with run-off to spare; the run-off can be strained and kept. Store the glaze in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week and warm it gently in the microwave or over warm water before using again, never letting it boil. Glaze only cakes that are well chilled or frozen, otherwise the glaze runs off instead of setting. If your apricot jam is pale, a few drops of orange colour will lift it.
Tools & Arrangements
Small saucepan, whisk, fine sieve, heatproof jug, small bowl for the coffee portion, thermometer, wire rack set over a tray, skewer or small knife for marbling
