While I was sick with bronchitis, all I could think about was what I would bake the moment I stopped coughing my throat out. I thought back to my old cupcake-making days from high school, where I remembered one of the very first desserts that I have ever thought of: a blue velvet cupcake with blackberry compote, orange curd, and butterfly pea tea-cream cheese mousse. I didn’t want to make another cupcake mostly because my cupcake mold was so old that I had to throw it out since I wanted to challenge myself and do something a little different. Thinking about different desserts that I could create, I recalled a “blue moon” cheesecake that my friend’s workplace sells, which I wanted to take my own original cupcake concept, and translate it into a cheesecake. It was pretty perfect!

For the dessert, it will be a blue velvet genoise base with blackberry gelee center, creamiscle cheesecake, and butterfly pea tea veil. something I have made before. The dessert will be reminiscent of a sun and moon in the sky, just from the contrasting colors, and that was why I opted to name it L’eclipse.

For the blue velvet cake:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butterfly pea tea
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine ingredients. Pour into two oiled springform 4 inch pans. Bake at 325 degrees F for 18 minutes. Cool completely.

For the blackberry gelee:
2/3 cups blackberry puree
1/4 teaspoon xantham gum

Heat up the ingredients and pour into silicone half dome molds. Freeze solid.

For the orange curd:
1 orange; juiced and zested
1 tablespoon cornstarch
a pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Combine all ingredients, sans butter and vanilla. Whisk over medium-high heat until the mix thickens. Finish with vanilla and butter. Strain and cool completely.

For the cheesecake mousse:
8 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin powder + 1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine gelatin, water, and sugar. Melt and bring to a simmer. Whip with the cream cheese until smooth and combined.

For the butterfly pea tea veil:
2/3 cups butterfly pea tea
2 1/2 tablespoons agar agar powder

Melt agar agar into butterfly pea tea. Pour onto a sheet tray and allow to set.

For assembly:
Level off the cakes. Line the springform tins with either acetate or parchment. Place the frozen blackberry mixtures onto the centers of the cakes. Fold the orange curd into the cheesecake mousse and pour over. Allow to freeze solid. Using a 5 inch ring, cut out circles of the veils. Garnish the tops of the cakes with fresh blackberries and the veils.