Filbert Gateau with Praline and Buttercream

This months Daring Bakers challenge was a filbert gateau with praline buttercream. When I first read the title of the challenge I was pleased as it sounded good. Unfortunately as I read the instructions I realized that I would not be able to complete the challenge as it was. The recipe called for grinding hazelnuts into a flour and grinding praline into a paste. I do not have a full food processor and my mini chopper is on its last legs and is not nearly capable of grinding nuts. I decided that I would at least try and come up with something and I was thinking that an almond themed cake would be nice.

Filbert Genoise

I had some almond meal on hand and I decided to use that instead of grinding the hazelnuts into a meal. I did not want a large cake all for myself so I cut the recipe in half. I used my 2 small 4 inch spring form pans and 2 ramekins to bake the cake and this allowed me to make 2 small 2 layer cakes. One thing that I have been enjoying about the DB challenges is that there is no shortage of beating in them. I really need to pick up a mixer. For this challenge I fell back to my trusty pair of forks.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup almond meal
1/3 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3 egg whites
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter (warm)

Directions:
1. Mix the almond meal, flour and cornstarch in a bowl.
2. Beat the egg yolks until light in colour, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the sugar slowly while beating.
4. Mix in the vanilla extract an lemon zest.
5. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
6. Beat in the sugar.
7. Beat in the egg yolk mixture.
8. Put the dry ingredients in a mesh strainer and sprinkle it into the egg mixture while folding until almost all of the dry ingredients have been folded in.
9. Pour the butter over the batter.
10. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
11. Pour the batter into a greased baking dish.
12. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.

Simple Syrup

Continuing with the almond theme I added a splash of amaretto to the simple syrup.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon amaretto (optional)

Directions:
1. Simmer the water and sugar for a few minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add the amaretto.

Swiss Buttercream

This is the third time that I have made buttercream and each time has been easier than the last. This time it came together really quickly. My biggest problem now is trying to not eat it all before it gets onto the cake. Since I would only be doing two layers instead of 3 and since I have no skill in decorating with buttercream I cut the recipe down to a quarter of its original size. I also added a splash of amaretto to the buttercream.

Ingredients:
1 egg white
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon amaretto (optional)

Directions:
1. Beat the egg white in a bowl over simmering water until soft peaks are just starting to form.
2. Beat in the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is warm.
3. Remove from the heat and continue to beat until it cools down.
4. Beat in the butter and continue beating until it thickens.
5. Beat in the vanilla extract and amaretto.

Chocolate Ganache

The last time that I made a chocolate ganache glaze it came out pretty good with a nice glossy finish but this time it did not work at all. The chocolate ganache was not shiny at all and it had a texture that just would not smooth out. At least it still tasted good.

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon light corn syrup
6 ounces dark chocolate (chopped into small pieces)
1/2 tablespoon amaretto
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer.
2. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute.
3. Mix until the chocolate is incorporated into the cream.
4. Mix int the amaretto and vanilla extract.

Almond Praline

The original recipe called for the praline to be ground into a paste and mixed in with the buttercream which sounded really good. Since I could not grind the praline into a paste I decided use the praline as a decoration on the cake. I went with chopped almonds rather than the hazelnuts. I think that it came out as more of an almond brittle rather than almond praline but it tasted great!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup almonds (chopped)

Directions:
1. Melt the sugar in a small sauce pan.
2. When the sugar is melted and browned mix in the almonds and bring to a boil.
3. Pour the mixture onto parchment paper and let it cool.

Filbert Gateau with Praline and Buttercream

Ingredients:
1 Filbert Genoise
1 recipe of simple syrup
1 recipe of buttercream
1 recipe chocolate ganache

Directions:
1. Place 1 layer of the cake on your working surface and brush on some of the simple syrup to moisten.
2. Generously spread some of the buttercream onto the cake.
3. Place the next layer of cake onto the buttercream layer and moisten with the simple syrup.
4. Clean up the sides of the cake if any buttercream spilled out.
5. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake and spread it evenly around the whole cake.
6. Decorate the cake as desired. I used some almond praline.

I ran into a few troubles along the way but I ended up with a tasty cake. I really enjoyed the almond flavour throughout the cake. I am really glad that I got to make the almond praline/brittle as it was really good. I am going to have to work on my cake decorating skills. It's time for me to go and look at all of the other Daring Bakers wonderful creations.