YOU may be familiar with Chef Daniel Tay's luscious desserts and sweet treats that have made Bakerzin a household name. Which makes it all the more surprising to find out the pastry maestro's first love is actually bread-baking. Which, we suppose, is only natural when you consider Tay grew up in his father's bakery.

Today, Tay is an exceptionally perceptive pastry chef who knows just what the local market prefers. The 40-year-old chef-entrepreneur agreed that Singaporeans don't really have a thing for extremely sweet confections and added that this verity is not necessarily a male or female bias.

 

Men, he explained, prefer simpler and more robust desserts, while women tend to gravitate towards daintier alternatives.

 

That, though, is not to say that the fairer sex will not be swept away by his Macallan Macadamia chocolate cake - a rich yet elegant delight featuring a careful pairing of the aforementioned Speyside single malt and some of the world's finest chocolate.

 

It is a heavenly but tricky undertaking: Get the balance wrong or use a lesser grade whisky and Tay assured that "it will taste like cockroach".

 

In all seriousness, the man did also affirm that the variety of single malt (not a blended whisky) should comprise some "nutty characteristics" and a little "sweetness".

 

He recommends a Lagavulin (from Islay) if you run out of a Macallan, adding that he personally is partial to the sweetness and elegance of a quality single malt Scotch, much like the 16-year-old Lagavulin he enjoys from time to time with good friends.

 

Tay added that the amount of whisky used in desserts is just as crucial, and that there should be just enough for that palpable kick. Too much and it will be too bitter and overwhelming.

 

Precision is the secret to good confectionary, and if you want to bake well, he shared, always weigh your ingredients. In spite of how tempted you may be to tip in an extra splash of single malt goodness. DON MENDOZA

 

Macallan chocolate cake with Macadamia nuts

 

Sacher Sponge

 

- 20g cocoa powder

 

- 45g plain (all purpose) flour

 

- 150ml almond paste

 

- 30g sugar

 

- 55g egg

 

- 70g egg yolks

 

- 45g dark chocolate

 

- 45g butter

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

 

2. Prepare Sacher sponge. Sift cocoa powder and flour into a mixing bowl and set aside.

 

3. Place almond paste and sugar into another mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until well-mixed, and then increase to high speed and beat until sugar is completely melted. Add egg and mix well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, and whisk at medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Set aside.

 

4. Place chocolate and butter in a pot and stir over low heat until melted. Do not let chocolate burn. Remove from heat and set aside.

 

5. Prepare basic meringue. Place egg whites in a mixing bowl and whisk until foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to whisk until light and fluffy, with medium peaks.

 

6. Fold chocolate mixture into almond mixture, and then fold in meringue until fully incorporated.

 

7. Pour batter into a lined 16-cm round baking tin. Level batter with a spatula and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until sponge is firm to the touch. Remove from oven. Un-mould sponge and set aside to cool. Then slice sponge into two discs, 1.5cm in height.

 

Macallan Chocolate Ganache

 

- 230g Valrhona chocolate 68 per cent

 

- 24g trimoline (available at selected bake - and specialty store)

 

- 400g whipping cream

 

- 40g Macallan single malt whisky

 

1. Bring whipping cream to a boil, and then pour in 2/3 of the whipping cream into the chocolate pieces. Stir gently.

 

2. Add trimoline and mix well. Pour in the other 1/3 of the whipping cream. Lastly, add in whisky.

 

Macallan Syrup

 

- 20g Macallan single malt whisky

 

- 25g sugar

 

- 50g water

 

- 150g salted Macadamia nuts, chopped

 

1. To make this, boil water and sugar, set aside till cool, and then add in Macallan whisky.

 

Chocolate glaze

 

- 200g whipping cream

 

- 320g sugar

 

- 180g water

 

- 250g glucose

 

- 20g gelatine powder, sifted

 

- 110g cocoa powder, sifted

 

1. Combine whipping cream, sugar and 90ml water in a pot and bring to boil.

 

2. Add glucose and stir to mix well. Remove from heat, then stir in gelatine and cocoa powder and remaining water

 

3. Beat on medium speed until smooth and shiny. Strain to remove any lumps.

 

To assemble:

 

1. Prepare a cake ring (height of cake ring), place sponge at the base and brush the Macallan sugar syrup over the sponge. Pour in ganache to fill up half the ring.

 

2. Sprinkle 50g of the macadamia nuts over the mixture, then place the second layer of sponge, brush with Macallan sugar syrup and pour in the remaining ganache to fill up the ring. Set aside to cool in the freezer.

 

3. Un-mould cakes from ring and place on a wire rack over the sink. Pour glaze over cakes until completely coated. Leave on rack to allow excess glaze to drip off. Place cake on desired cake board and return to the refrigerator to chill and set.

 

4. Decorate cakes as desired and served chilled.