Ispahan-Inspired Cocoa Chiffon (อิสปาฮองโกโก้ชิฟฟ่อน)

1.Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Prepare a 20 cm chiffon tube pan.

2.Dissolve the cocoa powder in warm milk, stirring until smooth. Set aside.

3.Separate the eggs.
Whisk the egg yolks with granulated sugar (1) until dissolved.
Add the rice bran oil and milk, mixing well.
Sift in the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir until smooth.

4.Combine granulated sugar (2) with cream of tartar.
Whip the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the sugar in 2–3 additions.
Whip until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the yolk mixture into the meringue until light and well combined.

5.Remove 250 g of the batter.
Add rose extract and pink food coloring, folding gently to combine. Set aside.

6.Take a small portion of the remaining batter and mix it with the cocoa mixture to lighten it.
Fold this back into the remaining batter until evenly combined.

7.Alternate spoonfuls of cocoa batter and rose batter into the pan to create a marble effect.
Tap the pan lightly, then bake for about 50 minutes, or until fully baked.

8.Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan immediately to prevent collapse.
Let cool completely before removing from the pan.
Cut into 8 equal slices.
Place each slice with the curved side facing down as the base.
Slice into the center of each piece to about ¾ of the thickness, creating a pocket for filling without cutting through.

9.For the mascarpone cream, whip mascarpone with icing sugar, raspberry jam, and lychee extract until smooth.
Add a small amount of red food coloring.
Pour in the whipping cream and continue whipping until thick yet smooth and pipeable.
Transfer to a piping bag.

10.For the white chocolate rose whipped buttercream, melt the white chocolate and allow it to cool slightly.
Whip the butter with rose extract until light and fluffy.
Add the melted white chocolate and mix well.
Gradually add the whipping cream in two additions, whipping until smooth, firm, and pipeable.
Transfer to a piping bag.

11.Pipe the raspberry lychee mascarpone cream and white chocolate rose whipped buttercream alternately into the prepared cake slices.
Garnish with fresh raspberries, dark chocolate, and dried rose petals as desired.