Coffee and praline torte

                          Dacquoise
                          105gr                                                       whites
                           50gr                                                        granulated sugar
                           70gr                                                        almonds
                           40gr                                                        powdered sugar
                           15gr                                                        corn flour
                           10gr                                                        flour

                           Coffee bavaroise
                           290gr                                                      milk
                           125gr                                                      heavy cream
                           125gr                                                      heavy cream whipped to soft peaks
                            70gr                                                       coffee beans coarsely chopped
                            85gr                                                       granulated sugar
                            5                                                            yolks
                            8gr                                                         gelatin leaves

                           Praline bavaroise
                           130gr                                                      milk
                           130gr                                                      heavy cream
                           3gr                                                         yolks
                           25gr                                                       sugar
                           4gr                                                         gelatin leaves
                           250gr                                                      gianduja
                           195gr                                                      heavy cream whipped to soft peaks
                           as preferred                                            caramelized and chopped hazelnuts 

                           Cocoa glaze
                           65gr                                                        water
                           40gr                                                        cocoa
                           130gr                                                      sugar
                           85gr                                                        heavy cream
                           6gr                                                          gelatin sheats
                           as preferred                                            vanilla                        

The directions for the glaze are given in the ''Orange and chocolate -coffee torte'' and the cocoa gelee can be made much time in advance and kept refridgerated. Start with the dacquoise by shifting the flours and powdered sugar together. Beat the whites with the sugar until stiff and fold in the dry ingredients stirring gently with a spatula. Spread two 20cm-diameter circles of batter on parchement paper or silpat and bake at a preheated oven to 180C for 10-15min until the cake is lightly golden and springs back when touched. Set aside and prepare the coffee filling by warming milk with the first portion of heavy cream and the coffee beans in a saucepan. As soon as it boils remove from heat, pour it through a strainer to completely remove any coffee remainings and add some milk if necessary to get the 415gr of the mixture you began with. 

Then return it to heat, put the gelatin in cold water to soften and in a separate bowl whisk the yolks with sugar until just foamy. Before the milk starts boiling, temper with it the yolks whisking constantly and combine the mixtures in the saucepan over medium heat. Keep stirring and watch the rising temperature with a candy thermometer so that it doesn't exceed 85C. At this point where the cream has thicken, remove from heat, dissolve in the gelatin and set aside to cool. Meanwhile you can whip both the cream portions asked for each filling to soft peaks and keep in fridge. Proceed with the praline filling following the same procedure (as for anglaise) with milk, cream, sugar and eggs with the exception that you add the gianduja after incorporating the gelatin.

When both of the creams are just lukewarm, stir in the whipped cream and start constracting the cake. Place on the bottom of a 20cm-diameter ring the one dacquoise layer and spread half of the praline cream over it. Just drop the chopped hazelnuts on top and cover with the other cake layer. Fill with coffee bavaroise (you may keep some out) and finish with the rest of the praline cream. In order to avoid mixing of the two fillings or to have the one layer as a central piece (in this case of color contranst it won't really make a difference) , you can first put the coffee cream in a smaller form and chill it until just set. When you are done with the layers, chill the whole cake or refridgerate overnight and get the glaze ready to use either warming or cooling it to a slightly warm temperature. Then poure it at its proper consistency over the torte and refridgerate before decorating or serving.



Swiss swirl ice cream cake

 

Made in several stages, this cake is another successful choise for this month's DB challenge. Not only it can be prepared without ice cream maker since parfait is used, but it retains a relatively soft texture and tends less to melt. Although I usually prefer fruit ice creams and sorbets, my flavor combination for this recipe was white, bittersweet chocolate and praline.

               Chocolate spongecake

               62gr                                       cake flour

               18gr                                       cocoa powder

               65gr                                       sugar

               60gr                                       water

               2Tbs                                       olive oil

               3                                            egg yolks

               4                                            egg whites

               as preferred                            vanilla

              White chocolate chantilly

              158gr                                       white chocolate

              190gr                                       heavy cream

              Chocolate parfait

              100gr                                       couverture, melted in bain marie

              3                                             egg yolks

              75gr                                        granulated sugar

              25gr                                        water

              15gr                                        honey

              250gr                                       heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

              Praline parfait

              67gr                                        hazelnuts

              33gr                                        granulated sugar

              30gr                                        couverture

              55gr                                        egg whites

              60gr                                        honey

              20gr                                        glucose

              380gr                                      heavy cream

For a start, prepare the white chocolate chantilly. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie and set aside untill slightly warm. Whip the cream to soft peaks, fold it in and refrigerate untill set. For  the spongecake, shift flour and cocoa powder together .Beat the egg yolks with 15gr of sugar until pale and gradually pour in the fluid ingredients. Add the flour mixture and whisk to combine. With the rest of the sugar whip the egg whites to meringue and fold it gently into the rest of the batter. Spread it on a 25x35cm surface covered with parchment paper and bake at a preheated oven to 180C for about 13min. Carefully seperate the cake from the paper and when its temperature has dropped, spread the white mousse on its surface. Use the paper on bottom to tightly roll the filled spongecake and hold it with paper clips to avoid loosening. Keep that way in fridge and freeze before cutting. 

    Continue with the chocolate parfait by boiling water and sugar. Simultaneously whip the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.When the syrup has reached 120C, stir in and dissolve the honey. Pour the hot syrup like a string into the yolks and keed whipping until the mixture has puffed and cooled. Then incorporate the melted chocolate with a spatula, fold in the wphipped cream and  keep the parfait in fridge untill the cake base is ready. 

   To prepare the base, cover the bottom of a 20x16cm pan with food membrane and place roll slices on top. Fill half of it with the chocolate parfait and freeze. Meanwhile, make the praline parfait. In a non-stick pan caramelize sugar untill brown and add the hazelnuts (preferably warm). When all the nuts are covered in caramel, remove from the heat, let cool on a piece of parchment paper and use a blender to completely mash the nuts into a homogenous pulp. Warm 30gr of the cream, melt the couverture with it and incorporate in the praline.  Whip the rest of the heavy cream to soft peaks and keep in the fridge. Boil honey with glucose and start whipping the egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer. When the syrup has reached 120C pour it in a string to the whites and keep whipping on high and then medium speed until the meringue has cooled and forms stiff peaks. To finish, fold meringue into the praline mixture and add the smooth chantilly. Pour this mousse on top of chocolate praline and freeze until hard. When set, unmold the cake, remove the plastic cover and use remaining parfait-mousse for garnish.