It's possible to trade profitably on the Forex, the nearly $2 trillion worldwide currency exchange market. But the odds are against you, even more so if you don't prepare and plan your trades. According to a 2014 Bloomberg report, several analyses of retail Forex trading, including one by the National Futures Association (NFA), the industry's regulatory body, concluded that more than two out of three Forex traders lose money. This suggests that self-education and caution are recommended. Here are some approaches that may improve your odds of taking a profit. Prepare Before You Begin Trading Because the Forex market is highly leveraged -- as much as 50 to 1 -- it can have the same appeal as buying a lottery ticket: some small chance of making a killing. This, however, isn't trading; it's gambling, with the odds long against you. A better way of entering the Forex market is to carefully prepare. Beginning with a practice account is helpful and risk-free. While you're trading in your practice account, read the most frequently recommended Forex trading books, among them Currency Forecasting: A Guide to Fundamental and Technical Models of Exchange Rate Determination, by Michael R. Rosenberg is short, not too sweet and highly admired introduction to the Forex market. Forex Strategies: Best Forex Strategies for High Profits and Reduced Risk, by Matthew Maybury is an excellent introduction to Forex trading. The Little Book of Currency Trading: How to Make Big Profits in the World of Forex, by Kathy Lien is another concise introduction that has stood the test of time. All three are available on Amazon. Rosenberg's book, unfortunately, is pricey, but it's widely available in public libraries. "Trading in the Zone: Master the Market with Confidence, Discipline and a Winning Attitude," by Mark Douglas is another good book that's available on Amazon, and, again, somewhat pricey, although the Kindle edition is not. Use the information gained from your reading to plan your trades before plunging in. The more you change your plan, the more you end up in trouble and the less likely that elusive forex profit will end up in your pocket. Diversify and Limit Your Risks Two strategies that belong in every trader's arsenal are: Diversification: Traders who execute many small traders, particularly in different markets where the correlation between markets is low, have a better chance of making a profit. Putting all your money in one big trade is always a bad idea. Familiarize yourself with ways guaranteeing a profit on an already profitable order, such as a trailing stop, and of limiting losses using stop and limit orders. These strategies and more are covered in the recommended books. Novice traders often make the mistake of concentrating on how to win; it's even more important to understand how to limit your losses. Be Patient Forex traders, particularly beginners, are prone to getting nervous if a trade does not go their way immediately, or if the trade goes into a little profit they get itchy to pull the plug and walk away with a small profit that could have been a significant profit with little downside risk using appropriate risk reduction strategies. In "On Any Given Sunday," Al Pacino reminds us that "football is a game of inches." That's a winning attitude in the Forex market as well. Remember that you are going to win some trades and lose others. Take satisfaction in the accumulation of a few more wins than losses. Over time, that could make you rich!

ESPRESSO CARAMEL ENTREMET (MULTI LAYER MOUSSE CAKE)

ESPRESSO CARAMEL ENTREMET (MULTI LAYER MOUSSE CAKE)
I’ve been wanting to make these gorgeous layered mousse cakes since my first visit in Paris many years ago. Their precise symmetrical layering and shiny glaze are nothing less than works of art. There are so many directions you can take these cakes to. From balanced flavor variations, colors and glazing all the way to many options of texture contrast, the possibilities are endless.
Then, a few weeks ago, I walked into my I’m-seriously-addicted-and-it’s-almost-my-birthday-just-sayin’ cooking store in Amsterdam, Duikelman to stock up on vanilla bean paste (seriously, what’s up with the price increase, Madagascar?) Anyway, I ended up with getting a lovely gift from Wouter, who is my favorite person there (although they are seriously all extremely kind, patient and knowledgeable).
I got this Silikomart eclipse mold to try out, it’s made from a white base and a clear ring that comes on top. It’s 100% food safe silicone, non stick, and can be used in the oven or for freezing (temperature resistance -60C to +230C (-76F to +446F )
For my first entremet I had to go with one of my personal favorite taste combo’s – coffee, dark chocolate, caramel.
I paired it with a hazelnut sablé breton which sits somwhere between a cookie and a cake, resembles a shortbread and has a crumbly texture.
These layers are combined with rich chocolate ganache and sunk into thick and creamy caramel mousse. After the cake is assembled and frozen, the espresso caramel glaze seals the deal with a fancy shiny coating
With these gorgeous cakes, patience, precision and symmetry is key. The layers have to align so when you cut through, they are perfectly straight and in place.
I must admit that I searched quite a bit for recipes that will fit this exact mold but had a hard time finding any. This post will guide you step by step into creating a gorgeous mousse entremet in a Silikomart mold.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?
You’ll need the following equipment:
Silikomart Professional Eclipse Silicone Mold which you can get in this link, but if you’re around Amsterdam I’d head over to Duikelmans, because it’s always good to have an excuse to go there.
Cooking Thermometer – Make sure the one you get is also good for candy and preferably get one like in the link, with a clip so you can adjust it to the side of your pot while stirring
Two 14 cm (5.5 inch) rings like these
You’ll also need a stand or hand mixer

*Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

HOW TO MAKE IT
Start with making the hazenul sable berton. Preheat over to 170°C (340 °F) and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease ring (I doubled this recipe to make extra sable berton for another entremet soon on the blog)
In your stand mixer with beater attachment, beat together butter, sugar, salt and instant coffee
Mix until smooth. Add yolks, one at a time, until well combined
Add flour, finely ground hazelnuts and baking powder
mix until just incorporated
Transfer into ring and press down with your thumbs to receive a smooth surface, about 1/2 cm thick (0.2 inches)
Place in the middle rack of your oven for 10-15 minutes, until they are evenly golden.
Allow the sable breton to cool completely, and using a long serrated knife, cut in the middle to form two layers.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Cut the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl
Warm the cream in the microwave for 1-1.5 minutes, until it’s warm to the touch, then pour it over the chocolate and let it sit like that for 5 minutes
Meanwhile, combine the honey and butter and heat in the microwave for about 40 seconds
Mix them well together until completely combined and liquid. Set aside.
Mix the chocolate in circular motion with the back of a wooden spoon, keep the edge of the spoon on the bottom of the bowl in the middle, and mix from the middle outwards until it all comes together. Then, add the melted butter and honey and combine.
.
Let it cool to room temperature until it’s quite thick, then transfer to a piping bag with a round tip. Place the sable halves which are cut, edge side facing down, into two rings. Then, pipe the ganache on them in circular motion
Using a small spatula, straighten the ganache on the sable and make sure it covers it completely, also in the edges and is nicely leveled
Place in the refrigerator for atleast 2 hours
CARAMEL MOUSSE
In a small bowl, mix gelatine and water together and leave for 10-15 minutes until set
Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, mix together sugar, glucose (or corn syrup), water and salt
Keep on medium high heat
Until caramel is formed and a deep amber color is received, be careful not to burn it
Meanwhile in another sauce pan or microwave, slightly the heat cream. Make sure the cream is heated before the caramel is done, to avoid over cooking. When the caramel is done, carefully pour the warm cream into the sauce pan and mix well until fully combined
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks
Add a third of the caramel to the beaten yolks and beat quickly together to match temperatures, whisk until fully combined
Pour the mixture back into the caramel and stir well to combine. Continue stirring until it reached 82-84 degrees Celsius to receive a beautiful Crème anglaise. Heat the gelatine in the microwave for 20 seconds until melted and mix into the caramel cream
Run the cream through a fine mesh strainer and put aside to cool to 45 degrees
When cooled, whisk the cream into a stable, yet soft consistency (like yogurt). Then fold it in two additions into the Crème Anglaise, gently until completely combined
ASSEMBLE
Prepare the bottom part of your Silikomart mold (white part) on a pan or solid base that can fit into your freezer
Pour 1/3 of your mousse into the Silikomart mold and tap it on the table to straighten the top
Carefully insert one of your Sable Bertons right in the middle, chocolate side facing down.
Insert the upper part of your Silikomart mold and make sure it’s secure in it’s place
Add the rest of the mousse on top of that (I use a piping bag at this point), but reserve some to fill in the sides and top. Place the second sable berton, chocolate side down on the top and pipe the remaining mousse around the edges. Use a small spatula to secure the cream on top. Freeze over night. (I used some of the cream in this picture to make a mini version, but usually it should reach the top of the mold)
CARAMEL GLAZE
In a small bowl mix gelatine and water and allow to gelatine to absorb the water fully, 5-10 minutes (like in the previous step). In a separate bowl mix the milk with the cornflour to fully combine, set aside. Add the sugar to a wide pan on medium high heat
Let the sugar melt and turn into an amber (caramel) color. Meanwhile, heat up the cream and espresso – do not bring to a boil, just warm to the touch. When the caramel is ready, carefully pour in the espresso cream mixture and stir to combine
Pour a 1/3 of the caramel sauce into the milk and cornflour mixture to match temperatures, stir well and then pour it entirely back into the caramel pan, mix to combine. Add the gelatin and stir, letting it melt into the caramel completely.
Remove the glaze to a separate clean bowl and cool at room temperature until it reaches 27-28 degrees
Remove the mousse cake from the mold and place on a cookie rack with a cookie pan underneath to catch excess glaze
Pour the glaze on top, carefully yet quickly. Start from the edges and the rest in the middle, make sure it’s completely covered (see video on the top part of this post). Use a big spatula to move it around the cookie rack so the glaze dripping from the bottom is straightened and has a clean look. Do this before transferring to your serving plate. Place the glazed cake in the refrigerator for 10 hours before serving.
You can now decorate it any way you like, I used chocolate coffee beans and some gold leaf. Cut through it using a hot knife.
ESPRESSO CARAMEL ENTREMET (LAYER MOUSSE CAKE)
INGREDIENTS
  • For the Hazelnut Sable Breton
  • 38grams (1.3 oz) unsalted butter, room temp
  • 38grams (1.3 oz) dark brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp instant coffee
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 50grams (1.8 oz) flour
  • 50grams (1.8 oz) finely ground hazelnuts
  • 4grams (0.14 oz) baking powder
For the Chocolate Ganache
  • 75 grams (2.6 oz) grams dark chocolate (70%)
  • 12 grams (0.4 oz) unsalted butter
  • 6 grams (0.2 oz) honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 72 grams (2.5 oz) heavy cream
  • For the Caramel Mousse
  • 7 grams (0.25 oz) gelatine
  • 37ml water
  • 150g sugar
  • 52grams (5.3 oz) glucose or corn syrup
  • 67ml water
  • ¼tsp salt
  • 190grams (6.7oz) + 375grams (13.2 oz) heavy cream
  • 2 egg yolks
For the Espresso Caramel Glaze
  • 6grams (0.2 oz) gelatine
  • 30ml water
  • 20ml milk
  • 15grams (0.5 oz) cornflour
  • 250grams (8.8 oz) granulated sugar
  • 80ml espresso
  • 200ml heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Hazelnut Sable Breton
  1. Preheat over to 170°C (340 °F) and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease
  2. a 14cm (5.5inch) ring with butter and place it on the parchment paper
  3. In your stand mixer with beater attachment, beat together butter, sugar, salt and instant coffee. Mix until smooth.
  4. Add yolk and mix until combined. Then add flour, ground hazelnut and baking powder. mix until just incorporated
  5. Transfer the dough into the ring and lightly press down with your thumbs to receive a smooth surface, about ½ cm (0.2inch) thick
  6. Place in the middle rack of your oven for 10-15 minutes, until it's evenly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely. When it reaches room temperature, use a long serated knife to cut in the middle to form two round layers. Set aside.
For the Chocolate Ganache
  1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl
  2. Warm the cream in the microwave for 1-1.5 minutes, until it’s warm to the touch and there are small bubbles on the edge of the bowl, then pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes
  3. Meanwhile, combine the honey and butter and heat in the microwave for about 40 seconds, until melted. Mix to combine and set aside.
  4. Using a wooden spoon, mix the chocolate in circular motion, keep the spoon touching the bottom of the bowl in the middle, and mix from the middle outwards until it all comes together. Then, add the melted butter and honey and mix to combine
  5. Let the ganache cool to room temperature until it’s quite thick, then transfer to a piping bag with a round tip. Place the cut sable layers, crust side facing down, into two rings. Then, pipe the ganache on them in circular motion and straighten with a small spatula, making sure it covers the sable completely and is nicely leveled. Refrigerate for 2 hours minimum.
For the Caramel Mousse
  1. In a small bowl, mix gelatine and water (37ml) together and leave for 10-15 minutes until set
  2. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, mix together sugar, glucose (or corn syrup), water (67ml) and salt. Cook on medium high heat until caramel is formed and a deep amber color is received
  3. Meanwhile in another sauce pan or microwave, slightly the heat the 190grams (6.7oz) heavy cream, so when the caramel is done you can pour the cream in there immediately. Carefully pour it in and mix well until fully combined
  4. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Then add a third of the caramel to the beaten yolks and beat quickly together to match temperatures, whisk until fully combined
  5. Pour the mixture back into the caramel and stir well to combine. Continue stirring until it reached 82-84 °C (180-182 °F) degrees Celsius to receive a beautiful Crème anglaise. Heat the gelatine in the microwave for 20 seconds until melted and mix into the caramel cream
  6. Run the cream through a fine mesh strainer and put aside to cool to 45°C (113 °F) degrees
  7. When cooled, whisk the remaining heavy cream (375gram / 13.2 oz) into a stable, yet soft consistency (like yogurt). Then fold it in two additions into the Crème Anglaise, gently until completely combined
  8. Assemble
  9. Prepare the bottom part of your Silikomart mold (white part) on a pan or solid base that can fit into your freezer
  10. Pour a third of the mousse into the Silikomart mold and tap it on the table to straighten the top
  11. Carefully insert one of your Sable Bertons right in the middle, chocolate side facing down
  12. Insert the upper part of your Silikomart mold and make sure it’s secure in it’s place
  13. Add the rest of the mousse on top of that (I use a piping bag at this point), but reserve some to fill in the sides and top. Place the second sable berton, chocolate side down on the top and pipe the remaining mousse around the edges. Use a small spatula to secure the cream on top. Freeze overnight.
For the Espresso Caramel Glaze
  1. In a small bowl mix gelatine and water and allow to gelatine to absorb the water fully, 5-10 minutes
  2. In a separate bowl mix the milk with the cornflour to fully combine, set aside.
  3. Add the sugar to a wide pan on medium high heat
  4. Let the sugar melt and turn into an amber (caramel) color. Meanwhile, heat up the cream and espresso – do not bring to a boil. When the caramel is ready, carefully pour in the espresso cream mixture and stir to combine
  5. Pour a ⅓ of the caramel sauce into the milk and cornflour mixture, stir well and then pour it entirely back into the caramel pan, mix to combine.
  6. Add the gelatin and stir, letting it melt into the caramel
  7. Remove the glaze to a separate clean bowl and cool at room temperature until it reaches 27-28°C (80-82°F)
  8. Remove the mousse cake from the mold and place on a cookie rack with a cookie pan underneath to catch excess glaze
  9. Pour the glaze on top, carefully yet quickly. Start from the edges and the rest in the middle, make sure it’s completely covered (see video on top of this post).
  10. Use a big spatula to move it around the cookie rack so the glaze dripping from the bottom is straightened and has a clean look before transferring to your serving plate.
  11. Place the glazed cake in the refrigerator for 10 hours before serving.
  12. You can now decorate it any way you like, I used chocolate coffee beans and some gold leaf.


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