Pandan Coconut Melon Tart Cake

Soften 5 g sheet gelatin in cold water, then squeeze out the water.

Blend green-fleshed melon, strain it and weigh out 150 g juice.

Warm the juice to about 30°C and stir in the gelatin.

If any gelatin remains, stand the jug in warm water and stir until fully dissolved.

Seal the bottom of an approximately 15 cm cake ring with food wrap and set it on a flat plate.

Pour the melon gelatin mixture into the ring.

Freeze for about 4 hours, until firm enough to lift.

Prepare the tart base and cake sheets while the jelly freezes.

Mix 60 g softened butter with 20 g icing sugar until combined.

Sift in 25 g almond flour, 85 g cake flour and 2 g salt.

Add 1 egg yolk.

Mix just until the dough comes together evenly.

Flatten the dough slightly and wrap it tightly.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll the chilled dough evenly between two sheets of parchment.

Line an approximately 20 cm removable-base tart pan.

Press into the base and sides, then trim the excess.

Prick the base evenly with a fork.

Mix 40 g softened butter with 30 g icing sugar.

Mix in 35 g beaten whole egg.

Add 50 g almond flour and mix until smooth.

Pipe the almond cream into the unbaked tart shell and spread evenly.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Bake the shell with its almond filling for about 30 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Let the tart cool completely on a rack.

Unmold carefully and transfer to a flat serving plate.

Freeze the 5 egg whites for the first batch for 15 minutes.

Whisk 50 g corn oil with 45 g coconut milk and 10 g water until combined.

Sift in 55 g cake flour and 10 g pandan powder, then mix until no dry flour remains.

Add 5 egg yolks and whisk until smooth.

Take the 5 chilled egg whites out of the freezer.

Whip until foamy, then gradually add 45 g caster sugar.

Continue whipping until glossy with small, slightly curved peaks.

Mix one third of the whipped egg whites into the pandan batter.

Stir gently to loosen the batter.

Pour it back into the remaining whipped egg whites.

Fold gently from the bottom with a spatula until evenly colored.

Line an approximately 28 × 28 cm square tray with parchment and preheat the oven to 150°C.

Spread the batter evenly in the tray and tap gently to release large bubbles.

Bake with top and bottom heat for about 30 minutes, until springy and cooked through.

Remove the cake, gently tap the tray and let it cool on a rack.

Repeat steps 8–10 with the remaining set of cake ingredients to make the second batch.

Bake the second batch at 150°C for about 30 minutes and let it cool.

Use a 15 cm ring to cut two circles diagonally from each sheet, giving four cake disks.

Cover the cooled disks and refrigerate until assembly.

Wash the melon before cutting, then remove the seeds and rind.

Scoop some of the flesh into balls for decorating.

Dice the remaining flesh and blot excess surface moisture.

Drain the ready-to-eat crystal boba and keep the melon refrigerated.

Mix 20 g mascarpone with 12 g caster sugar.

Add 200 g cold whipping cream and whip until firm enough for filling.

Gently mix in 40 g melon jam and keep the cream chilled.

Spread a thin layer of cream in the center of the tart base to secure the first cake disk.

Center the first cake disk on the tart base.

Spread filling cream over it and pipe a cream ring around the edge.

Add diced melon and crystal boba inside the cream ring.

Level the filling gently so the next cake disk sits flat.

Place the second cake disk over the melon filling and spread a thin layer of cream.

Unmold the jelly, remove the wrap and center it on the cream.

Add the third disk, then cream, diced melon and crystal boba as for the first filling layer.

Top with the fourth disk and straighten the cake stack.

Mix 50 g whipping cream with 4 g pandan powder until lump-free.

Whip 300 g cold whipping cream with 20 g sugar until softly thickened.

Add the pandan mixture and continue whipping until firm enough to frost.

Coat and smooth the top and sides, reserving the remaining cream for piping.

Pipe pandan cream borders around the bottom and top edges.

If using, fill a small bag with ready-made pale green cake drip glaze.

Test a small drop at the edge, then pipe short drips around the sides.

Arrange the blotted melon balls inside the top cream border.

Add edible flower decorations and sugar dots if desired.

Finish with a few small edible leaf decorations if using.

Refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until the cream is firm and the jelly is fully thawed.

Cut the cake into 8 portions with a clean sharp knife.

Wipe the knife between cuts and serve cool.