Chocolate-Honey Spartak Cake with White Chocolate Cream and Raspberries

Prepare a water bath. Pour water into a larger pot to a height of about 3-4 cm and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the water is just gently simmering. Place a smaller pot or metal bowl on top of the larger pot, ensuring that the bottom does not touch the water. Add butter, sugar, and honey to the bowl. Heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until all the ingredients melt and combine into a smooth, liquid mixture. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork to combine the yolks with the whites. To the hot honey mixture, while continuously stirring vigorously with a whisk, slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream. Quick mixing will prevent the eggs from curdling. Cook the mixture in a water bath for another 2-3 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Remove the bowl from the pot.

In a separate, large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and instant coffee. Sifting will aerate the ingredients and eliminate lumps. Mix the dry ingredients with a spoon. Add half of the dry ingredients to the hot egg and honey mixture and stir with a spatula until combined. Then add the rest and mix again. The batter will be very sticky and thick.

Transfer the sticky dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Shape it into a flat disk, wrap it tightly in the wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Chilling the dough is absolutely necessary for it to be rollable.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan) or 200°C (top-bottom). Take the chilled dough out of the fridge and divide it into 8 equal parts using a kitchen scale or by eye. Shape each part into a ball. Keep the remaining balls in the fridge to prevent them from warming up too much while you work.

Take one ball of dough, place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Slightly flatten it. Cover with a second sheet of paper and roll it out into a very thin crust about 1-2 mm thick. The dough should be almost transparent. Trace a circle with a diameter of 22-24 cm using a plate or the edge of a springform pan as a template. Cut off the excess dough with a knife, but leave it on the paper next to the circle - it will bake together with the crust and will be used for decoration.

Transfer the paper with the baked layer and scraps onto a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven for 5-7 minutes. The layers bake very quickly! The finished layer should be matte and slightly firmer at the edges. Be careful not to burn it. Right after removing it from the oven, it is soft, but it hardens within a few seconds. Move the paper with the baked layer onto a cooling rack.

Repeat the rolling and baking process for all 8 portions of dough. Set aside all the baked layers and scraps to cool completely. Once the scraps are cold and hard, transfer them to a sturdy ziplock bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin or place them in a food processor and blend into a fine crumb.

Break the white chocolate into small pieces. Melt it in a water bath or in the microwave (in short intervals of 20-30 seconds, stirring each time). The melted chocolate should be smooth and liquid. Set it aside to cool for about 15-20 minutes. It should be at room temperature but still liquid. If it is too warm, it will weigh down the cream.

In a large mixing bowl, place very well-chilled 36% cream. Whip it on high speed until it becomes thick and stiff, forming what is known as 'soft peaks'. Be careful not to 'overwhip' it (it will turn into butter).

In a second bowl, place the mascarpone cheese (also straight from the fridge) and the sifted powdered sugar. Mix on medium speed just until the ingredients combine into a smooth mixture, about 30 seconds. Then, while continuing to mix on low speed, slowly pour in the cooled white chocolate. Mix briefly, just until a uniform consistency is achieved.

Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone and chocolate mixture in three batches. Gently fold in each batch using a spatula, making motions from bottom to top to retain as much air in the cream as possible. Do not use the mixer anymore. The finished cream should be smooth, fluffy, and stable.

Prepare a platter or plate on which you will serve the cake. Place a small teaspoon of cream in the center so that the first layer doesn't move. Place the first layer of cake on top. Spread a thin layer of cream evenly on it (about 3-4 tablespoons). Cover with the second layer, press down lightly, and spread cream again. Repeat this process until you have used all 7 layers.

On the third and fifth layer (or as desired), after applying the cream, spread an additional very thin layer of raspberry jam. This will create a fruity 'break' in the cake.

Place the last, eighth layer. Use the remaining cream to spread on the top and sides of the cake, trying to smooth the surface. It doesn't have to be perfectly smooth, as the whole thing will be covered with crumbs.

Cover the entire cake, top and sides, with the crumbs you prepared earlier. Gently press the crumbs with your hand against the sides of the cake to make sure they stick well. The easiest way to do this is to place a larger amount of crumbs under your hand and 'pat' them into the cream.

Place the finished cake in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours. This step is absolutely crucial! During this time, the hard layers will absorb moisture from the cream, soften, and blend into a perfect whole.

Before serving, decorate the cake. Arrange fresh raspberries on top, creating a wreath or any pattern you like. You can also lightly dust the entire cake with additional cocoa to enhance the color contrast.