'Hidden Hearts' Azuki Bean Matcha Logcake with Whipped Azuki White Chocolate Ganache

 I have a request for Azuki bean Matcha log cake with Azuki cream from my ex-neighbour who missed this cake of mine! I made a small, totally kid friendly log for Susanne's family without Matcha added.

I adapted the recipe from one that my ex-neighbour loved, but changed the cream from fresh cream to whipped white chocolate ganache to make the whole cake withstand Singapore's hot weather a little better. I reduced the amount of sugar in the sponge cake to accomodate the sweeter cream. I also upped the amount of Azuki beans to make it really full of red bean goodness :). She requested for less Matcha cake as kids are eating so I thought why not make it special with striped patterns and "hidden hearts" inside the log!

Bake an Azuki bean layer cake. Use heart shape cookie cutter to cut out enough hearts to line the length of your log cake when stacked together.

Striped layer cakes
Ingredients:
Base egg yolk batter
3 egg yolks
15g caster sugar
43g canola/vegetable oil

Azuki egg yolk batter
23g Azuki bean paste
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
20g cake flour
Pinch of salt
Red liquid food colouring

Matcha egg yolk batter
12g water
2g (1 tsp) Matcha powder (go for high grade if possible)
11g cake flour
Pinch of salt

Vanilla egg yolk batter
12g water
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
13g cake flour
Pinch of salt

Meringue
5 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50g caster sugar

 Makes one 9x12" and one 7x7" cake. Alternatively, you can make a single 10x12" cake or not use up all the batter to fit your pan size.


Steps:
1. Line the pans with baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Prepare 3 piping bags with piping tip adapters (without tips attached). Alternatively,  you may just prepare a ziplock bag with a hole cut. You can still create the stripes but it will be less neat.

2. Prepare the base egg yolk batter. Whisk sugar and egg yolks until pale and thick. Gradually add oil and whisk intil thick and well combined. Divide the batter into 2:1:1 for Azuki: Matcha: Vanilla. You actually need more matcha than vanilla if you used different sized pans like me but it's a pain to divide the batter into weird ratios.

3. Continue preparing the respective egg yolk batters following the steps in the above section.

Fold the meringue into the egg yolk batter in the same way and portion according to the weight ratio above.

4. Transfer the batter into the piping bags and pipe the batter in alternating stripes onto the pans.

I was rushing a bit so the lines are not so even.

Drop the pan onto the table a few times to release trapped air. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

5. Immediately remove from pan, gently peel off baking sheet and cool in a rolled up position.


Azuki bean white chocolate ganache
Ingredients:
120g white chocolate, chopped
370g whipping cream
1/16 tsp salt
190g Azuki bean paste (Tsubuan. Use more or less according to your preference. My portion is considered very generous, so it's pretty sweet but full of Azuki bean flavour.)

Steps:
1. Place white chocolate in a large bowl. Bring cream to boil (just when bubbles start to appear) and pour over white chocolate. Stir with spatula until white chocolate has melted. Add salt and stir until it has dissolved.

2. Place in an ice bath and stir until cooled. Place in fridge overnight until chilled.

3. When ready to assemble, whip ganache to stiff peaks by placing bowl in ice bath. Be careful not to over whip.

4. Portion out 150g of Azuki paste and mix well with 50g of whipped ganache. Set aside this Azuki paste thinned with whipped ganache. This will be part of the filling.

Portion out 160g of whipped ganache and 40g of Azuki paste and mix well. Set aside. This will be the outer frosting.

Note that you may change the proportions to suit your taste.


Assembly
1. Unroll cooled cakes and brush surface with simple syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar:water). Apply a layer of Azuki paste thinned with some cream. Apply a layer of whipped ganache. Place the row of hearts upside down in the middle of the cake. Roll up the cake and refrigerate or freeze (1-2 hours) until cream is set. Make sure you shape the roll with the help of baking sheet to squeeze the cream into the crevices of the heart shape in the roll before chilling. Refrigerate any remaining cream.

2. Use a serrated knife to cut of the ends, cleaning it after each cut. Reserve the ends for decoration if you wish.

3. Place the cake on cakeboard with a bit of cream below to secure it to the board. Cover the cake with Azuki white chocolate ganache.

Add on branches if you wish, like I did for the Matcha Azuki roll. Use a fork to draw log patterns.

And you are done :). This log cake is pretty enough to do without decorations, especially if you have one or two branches extending out from the log.


I am submitting this to "My Treasured Recipes #4 - Ho Ho Ho It's Christmas (Dec 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.

Update: Both log cakes were well received :). Do go for the version without Matcha if kids are consuming as they would prefer a non-tea flavoured cake.

Blessed Christmas!

With love,
Phay Shing