Othello Layer Cake

The Danish Othello layer cake is traditionally made of vanilla custard and chocolate icing. Inspired by Shakespeare’s play Othello it represents the distinction between black and white.

Ingredients serve 14

400 g whipped cream

800 g chocolate sponge

500 g ganaché

1400 g vanilla custard

400 g marzipan

14 square red currant jelly

14 pecan nuts

50 g chocolate shavings

Method

Cut the 30 cm round chocolate sponge horizontal in three layers. Place the bottom layer sponge on a cake tray and spread 700 g custard evenly. Place another sponge layer on the custard layer and spread 700 g custard evenly 75 g. Spread ganaché evenly on top and spread a thin layer of whipped cream on the cake side. Roll marzipan out in an 8 cm long wide strip and place around the cake. Divide and cut the cake into 14 pieces. Decorate the top with whipped cream and place a square slice or red currant jelly. Place a pecan nut on each slice and some chocolate shavings in the middle.

Note: Try other fruit jelly instead of red currant such as plum, raspberry or strawberry.