Daring Bakers Challenge: Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream...

...my first Daring Bakers challenge. i was excited to learn what the challenge for this month would be, after checking out the past few month's challenges - Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream, taken from Great Cakes by Carol Walter. i read the recipes (yes, multiple recipes for this one cake) several times, and browsed around looking for tips and suggestions. then i decided to give it a try...

i opted to follow the recipe pretty closely, using filberts (aka hazelnuts), dark rum, and apricot for the glaze. after searching around for the elusive filberts, i found some at my local Fresh Market - a bit pricey at 7.00 for 1/2 lb., but since we like hazelnuts, i decided it was worth the expense. also picked up some Giradelli chocolate bars for the ganache glaze (and resisted eating them before i started to bake).

first step was skinning the hazelnuts. thanks to tips i read, i learned an easy way to accomplish this - using 1.5 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda, and blanching the nuts for 2-3 minutes. after this, the skins just rubbed right off. i let the nuts dry overnight, then toasted them the next day. worked great... i was off to a good start - they processed easily.










next step was to make the filbert genoise. the closest i had to a 10" pan was a 9" one, so i used that, and just discarded the excess batter. a whole bunch of eggs (almost a dozen!) were included - i had lots of practice seperating whites from yolks. i also learned about clarified butter, which i'd never used before. everything came together well, and smelled amazing. i think it may have taken more than the recommended 40 folds to incorporate the nut mixture, but all looked good. i used cake release to grease the pan, something i learned about in my cake decorating class, and once baked, it slid out of the pan nicely.










i was a bit concerned about how i'd be able to get three equal size layers out of such a thin cake, but decided to leave that for the next day. definately a mistake. i had thought i'd use my cake slicer (another trick from cake decorating), but the cake was completely cooled by then, and i ended up having to use a knife. my middle layer didn't fare very well... in fact, there was a large portion of the middle missing!










next up was to make the praline buttercream, which was a multiple recipe process. i made the praline brittle, and let it cool, then broke it into pieces, and processed in my food processor. this took far longer than the recipe indicated - a good 5 minutes or so. i also added just a little bit of vegetable oil to the nut mixture in order to create more of a paste than a powder (another tip i learned from fellow daring bakers).










i then made the swiss buttercream. i'd never made buttercream before from scratch, and admit this was the part of the recipe that seemed most intimidating. i did take a shortcut of not whisking the sugar into the egg whites over simmering water. i ended up having to beat my buttercream for quite a while - a good 5 minutes, but it finally came together, much to my relief. i added in the praline paste, mixed some more, and put in the refridgerator. i also put some of the buttercream into a pastry bag for decorating the cake at the end.










next up was making the sugar syrup. no problems there. while this was warming up, i also made up the whipped cream, which was also really easy (just beating heavy cream for several minutes on high - it's how i always make whipped cream). i then started the assembly. first up was covering the bottom layer with the sugar syrup. then a layer of buttercream, then a layer of whipped cream. next cake layer (aka the layer missing the middle), cover with syrup, layer on buttercream, then whipped cream. finally, the top layer. there ended up being thick layers of buttercream and whipped cream - i think the cake had almost equal parts of all three. i might go a little lighter on the buttercream and whipped cream next time, though it was reallyreally good.

next up was the apricot glaze. no problems there, other than the glaze seemed to soak into the cake quite a bit, so perhaps it wasn't thick enough. the directions were a little unclear about consistency - i got the idea the glaze sould be thin, but i think next time thicker would work better. i then put the entire cake into the fridge to cool while i made up the ganache.










the ganache - oh, the ganache! so delicious... what's not good about cream, good chocolate, vanilla, and rum. after making it up, and letting it thicken/cool a bit, i drizzled it over the top of the cake. it went on really well, but didn't flow down the sides in some places, unfortunately. i had decided to skip the part of the directions that said to trim around the cake - i was worried my cake would come apart if i did this. i was able to spread the ganache around the sides in most places, so it turned out to be almost completely covered by the end. i decorated it with tip 104, rather than the suggested 114, as this is the one i had around, and topped with the remaining chopped filberts.










this was a big hit in our house. harry commented that it tasted like a $7.00/slice cake. it certainly wouldn't win any cake decorating contests, but it sure did taste good. i'm not sure how often i'd make this, as it took quite a while, but i did learn some new baking tips and tricks, which is exactly why i'm participating in the daring bakers challenges. the recipe (it's a long one!) can be found on lots of other daring baker's blogs, along with their filbert gateaus with praline buttercream.










i'm looking forward to next month's challenge already!

recipe...

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream
From Great Cakes by Carol Walter

1 Filbert Genoise
1 recipe sugar syrup, flavored with dark rum
1 recipe Praline Buttercream
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
1 recipe Apricot Glaze
1 recipe Ganache Glaze, prepared just before using
3 tablespoons filberts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Filbert Genoise

Because of the amount of nuts in the recipe, this preparation is different from a classic genoise.

1 ½ cups hazelnuts, toasted/skinned
2/3 cup cake flour, unsifted
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
7 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar, divided ¼ & ¾ cups
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. grated lemon rind
5 lg. egg whites
¼ cup warm, clarified butter (100 – 110 degrees)

Position rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10” X 2” inch round cake pan.

Using a food processor, process nuts, cake flour, and cornstarch for about 30 seconds. Then, pulse the mixture about 10 times to get a fine, powdery mixture. You’ll know the nuts are ready when they begin to gather together around the sides of the bowl. While you want to make sure there aren’t any large pieces, don’t over-process. Set aside.

Put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, and beat until thick and light in color, about 3-4 minutes on med-high speed. Slowly, add ¾ cup of sugar. It is best to do so by adding a tablespoon at a time, taking about 3 minutes for this step. When finished, the mixture should be ribbony. Blend in the vanilla and grated lemon rind. Remove and set aside.

Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, until soft peaks. Increase to med-high speed and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, over 15-20 seconds or so. Continue to beat for another ½ minute. Add the yolk mixture to the whites and whisk for 1 minute.

Pour the warm butter in a liquid measure cup (or a spouted container). * It must be a deep bottom bowl and work must be fast.* Put the nut meal in a mesh strainer (or use your hand – working quickly) and sprinkle it in about 2 tablespoons at a time – folding it carefully for about 40 folds. Be sure to exclude any large chunks/pieces of nuts. Again, work quickly and carefully as to not deflate the mixture. When all but about 2 Tbsp. of nut meal remain, quickly and steadily pour the warm butter over the batter. Then, with the remaining nut meal, fold the batter to incorporate, about 13 or so folds.

With a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula or back of a spoon. **If collected butter remains at the bottom of the bowl, do not add it to the batter! It will impede the cake rising while baking.

Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the cake is done when it is springy to the touch and it separates itself from the side of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack sprayed with nonstick coating, removing the pan. Cool the cake completely.

Sugar Syrup
Makes 1 cup, good for one 10-inch cake – split into 3 layers

1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. dark rum or orange flavored liqueur

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the liqueur. Cool slightly before using on the cake.

Praline Buttercream
1 recipe Swiss Buttercream
1/3 cup praline paste
1 ½ - 2 Tbsp. Jamaican rum (optional)

Blend ½ cup buttercream into the paste, then add to the remaining buttercream. Whip briefly on med-low speed to combine. Blend in rum.

Swiss Buttercream
4 lg. egg whites
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
1 ½ -2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or liqueur of your choice
1 tsp. vanilla

Place the egg whites in a lg/ bowl of a elevtric mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until the whites are foamy and they begin to thicken (just before the soft peak stage). Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Then, whisk in the sugar by adding 1-2 tablespoon of sugar at a time over a minutes time. Continue beating 2-3 minutes or until the whites are warm (about 120 degrees) and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should look thick and like whipped marshmallows.
Remove from pan and with either the paddle or whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and sugar on med-high until its a thick, cool meringue – about 5-7 minutes. *Do not overbeat*. Set aside.

Place the butter in a separate clean mixing bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed for 40-60 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. *Do not overbeat or the butter will become toooooo soft.*

On med-low speed, blend the meringue into the butter, about 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, over 1 minute. Add the liqueur and vanilla and mix for 30-45 seconds longer, until thick and creamy.

Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before using.

Praline Paste
1 cup (4 ½ oz.) Hazelnuts, toasted/skinless
2/3 cup Sugar
Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly butter.

Put the sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat on low flame for about 10-20 min until the sugar melts around the edges. Do not stir the sugar. Swirl the pan if necessary to prevent the melted sugar from burning. Brush the sides of the pan with water to remove sugar crystals. If the sugar in the center does not melt, stir briefly. When the sugar is completely melted and caramel in color, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon and separate the clusters. Return to low heat and stir to coat the nuts on all sides. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble. **Remember – extremely hot mixture.** Then onto the parchment lined sheet and spread as evenly as possible. As it cools, it will harden into brittle. Break the candied nuts into pieces and place them in the food processor. Pulse into a medium-fine crunch or process until the brittle turns into a powder. To make paste, process for several minutes. Store in an airtight container and store in a cook dry place. Do not refrigerate.

Apricot Glaze
Good for one 10-inch cake

2/3 cup thick apricot preserves
1 Tbsp. water

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and preserves to a slow boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add water as needed.

Remove from heat and, using a strainer, press the mixture through the mesh and discard any remnants. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake while the cake is still warm. If the glaze is too thick, thin to a preferred consistency with drops of water.

Ganache Glaze
Makes about 1 cup, enough to cover the top and sides of a 9 or 10 inch layer or tube cake

6 oz. (good) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, like Lindt
6 oz. (¾ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, Cointreay, or dark Jamaican rum (optional)
¾ tsp. vanilla
½ - 1 tsp. hot water, if needed

Blend vanilla and liqueur/rum together and set aside.

Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the basket of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reached a gentle boil. Once to the gently boil, immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ - 1 tsp hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold!

Assembling Cake

Cut a cardboard disk slightly smaller than the cake. Divide the cake into 3 layers and place the first layer top-side down on the disk. Using a pastry brush, moisten the layer with 3-4 Tbsp. of warm sugar syrup. Measure out 1 cup of praline buttercream and set aside.

Spread the bottom layer with a ¼-inch thickness of the remaining buttercream. Cover with ½ of the whipped cream, leaving ¼-inch border around the edge of the cake. Place the middle layer over the first, brush with sugar syrup, spreading with buttercream. Cover with the remaining whipped cream.

Moisten the cut side of the third layer with additional sugar syrup and place cut side down on the cake. Gently, press the sides of the cake to align the layers. Refrigerate to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Lift the cake by sliding your palm under the cardboard. Holding a serrated or very sharp night with an 8-ich blade held parallel to the sides of the cake, trim the sides so that they are perfectly straight. Cut a slight bevel at the top to help the glaze drip over the edge. Brush the top and sides of the cake with warm apricot glaze, sealing the cut areas completely. Chill while you prepare the ganache.

Place a rack over a large shallow pan to catch the ganache drippings. Remove the gateau from the refrigerator and put it the rack. With a metal spatula in hand, and holding the saucepan about 10 inches above the cake, pour the ganache onto the cake’s center. Move the spatula over the top of the ganache about 4 times to get a smooth and mirror-like appearance. The ganache should cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. When the ganache has been poured and is coating the cake, lift one side of the rack and bang it once on the counter to help spread the ganache evenly and break any air bubbles. (Work fast before setting starts.) Patch any bare spots on the sides with a smaller spatula, but do not touch the top after the “bang”. Let the cake stand at least 15 minutes to set after glazing.

To garnish the cake, fit a 12 – 14-inch pastry bag with a #114 large leaf tip. Fill the bag with the reserved praline cream. Stating ½ inch from the outer edge of the cake, position the pastry tube at a 90 degree angle with the top almost touching the top of the cake. Apply pressure to the pastry bag, moving it slightly toward the center of the cake. As the buttercream flows on the cake, reverse the movement backward toward the edge of the cake and finish by pulling the bag again to the center. Stop applying pressure and press the bag downward, then quickly pull the tip up to break the flow of frosting. Repeat, making 12 leaves evenly spaced around the surface of the cake.

Make a second row of leaves on the top of the first row, moving the pastry bag about ¾ inch closer to the center. The leaves should overlap. Make a 3rd row, moving closer and closer to the center. Add a 4th row if you have the room. But, leave a 2-inch space in the center for a chopped filbert garnish. Refrigerate uncovered for 3-4 hours to allow the cake to set. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving.

Leftover cake can be covered with foil and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.