Dessert Cake Namur Gateau Namurois Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over high heat, boil sugar and 1 cup/240 milliliters of water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add lemon juice and extract, and stir to combine. Simmer until thickened into a syrup, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Place the semolina, melted butter and sugar in a large bowl and stir until well combined; set aside.
• Place the yogurt and baking soda in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until the mixture has nearly doubled in size, about 10 minutes.
• Pour the yogurt mixture over the semolina mixture and mix well to combine. Transfer to the buttered baking dish and press into an even layer. Using a knife, score the surface of the namoura on the diagonal into 2-inch diamond-shaped pieces. Top each diamond in the center with an almond. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Place baking dish on a wire rack and drizzle the cooled syrup over the top of the hot namoura. Let cool to room temperature before recutting along the scored lines and serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, and line the side wall with parchment paper. In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine 12 tablespoons butter, 6 ounces chopped chocolate, almond extract and coffee. Melt over low heat, then transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
• With an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar until thick and glossy. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks with remaining 1/2 cup sugar until thick. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture. Add ground almonds and mix well. Whisk in a dollop of egg whites to lighten mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the rest of egg whites, keeping batter airy.
• Scrape batter into pan and bake until cake is dry on top and a bit gooey in center, 30 to 40 minutes. (After 30 minutes of baking, check center of cake with a tester or toothpick. If center seems very wet, continue baking.) Cool cake on a rack for 20 minutes, then remove side of pan. Allow to continue cooling. Top of cake may crack as it cools, but glaze will cover most cracking.
• In a small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons sugar, the corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chopped chocolate, swirl pan to mix, and allow to stand until melted, about 3 minutes.
• Whisk 1 tablespoon butter into icing, then pour evenly over cake. Use a spatula to ease icing out to edges of cake. Allow icing to cool, and set before slicing.

Steps:

• In bowl, beat butter, egg yolks and sugar until light and well blended.
• In separate bowl, sift together cornstarch, flour and baking powder. Gradually, add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, blending well between each addition.
• Use a pastry tube with a medium-sized start mold to make small circle (wreath type) cookies.
• Bake in medium hot - hot oven until cookies are lightly browned.

Steps:

• Weigh the flour accurately. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add 1/2 cup flour; mix until smooth. Scrape this butter mixture onto a piece of waxed paper. Form into a 5-inch square, wrap; transfer to the refrigerator until chilled.
• Place remaining flour in mixer bowl; add 1 cup water and salt. Mix carefully into a smooth dough, being careful not to overmix. Gather dough into a ball, and wrap in plastic. Chill a few minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle. Place the chilled butter square in the center of the rectangle. Fold over the dough, completely encasing the butter. Press the edges of the dough together, sealing as well as possible. Transfer to a sheet of waxed paper; chill until dough and butter reach same temperature.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 3/8-inch-thick rectangle. Fold into thirds, like a letter, and roll into another 3/8-inch-thick rectangle. Transfer dough to waxed paper, and chill 1 hour. (Try to use as little flour as possible for the rolling, and brush off any excess before folding dough.)
• Repeat rolling-and-folding process two more times; chill 1 hour. Roll and fold two more times. When you fold the dough for the sixth time, the dough should be extremely smooth and silky, with no lumps of butter visible. (If the dough becomes too elastic, set aside in a cool place 15 to 20 minutes before rolling.)
• Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate one half for the Gateau Saint-Honore, and freeze the other half for later use.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Combine the butter and 1 cup water in a small saucepan, and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, and immediately add the flour and salt. Beat continuously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan.
• Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, add the eggs, one at a time. Reserve 1 1/2 cups dough for assembling the cake.
• Place remaining mixture in a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #9824 tip. Pipe 1-inch balls, spaced 1 1/2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake balls until dark-golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Set 18 balls aside; freeze remaining balls in an airtight container for another use.
• Using a small paring knife, make a small hole in the bottom of each ball. Set aside.
• Combine the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Set pan over medium heat, and scald the milk mixture. Remove the pan from heat, cover, and let mixture steep 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, and continue whisking egg mixture until smooth.
• Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk this new mixture until it is completely smooth and completely free of lumps.
• Return new mixture to pan, and place over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly; cook 2 minutes more.
• Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Place half of the pastry cream in a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #6 round tip; reserve the remaining pastry cream for assembling the cake. Pipe pastry cream into each of the 18 reserved balls. Set the filled cream puffs aside until you are ready to dip them in the caramel.
• Prepare an ice-water bath, and line a baking pan with parchment; set both aside.
• Combine the sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Set over high heat, and bring to a boil. Swirl the pan occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Continue cooking until the syrup is golden-amber. Remove pan from heat, and plunge bottom of pan in the ice bath to stop cooking.
• Dip the top of each of the 18 filled cream puffs in the molten caramel. Place the balls, top-sides down, on the prepared baking sheet; the caramel will harden and flatten, and this surface will become the top of the cake.
• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a clean work surface. Using a small offset spatula, place a small amount of molten caramel on the parchment. Starting from the center, draw out the caramel in a few quick strokes, creating a fan. Repeat making more fans with the remaining caramel.
• Set fans aside to harden and dry. Remove from the parchment, and use for garnish.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Chill until ready to use.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
• Roll the dough out to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a plate or a bowl as a guide, cut out two 8-inch circles from the dough. Prick the circles all over with a fork or a pastry docker to prevent the dough from rising. Place the circles on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the outer edge of the circles with the beaten egg.
• Place the reserved pate a choux dough in a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #9824 tip. Pipe dough around the rim of each circle. With remaining dough, pipe a spiral in the center of each circle, starting in the middle.
• Bake until the pastry is crisp and deep-golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a rack to cool.
• Dip uncoated sides of cream puffs, one by one, in the caramel. Arrange 9 per circle, leaving space in between; the caramel will hold the cream puffs to the pastry.
• Combine the remaining pastry cream and one-fourth of the creme chantilly in a bowl. Place the mixed cream in a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #9824 tip. Fill the center of each circle with cream mixture.
• Place the remaining creme chantilly in a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #9824 tip. Pipe large rosettes between the caramel-covered cream puffs. Cover the center of each circle with the remaining cream. Garnish with caramel fans, and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two 11-by-17-inch (28-by-43-cm) rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• To make the cake base, spread the hazelnut powder on another rimmed baking sheet, place in the oven, and bake for about 5 minutes, or until it smells like roasting nuts. Remove from the oven and pour into a bowl to cool.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or by hand with determination), whip together the eggs and 1⅔ cups (180 g) of the powdered sugar until white and creamy. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the hazelnut powder and flour just until thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and rinse the whip attachment and the mixer bowl. Dry thoroughly.
• Refit the whip attachment to the mixer, and put the egg whites, the remaining 5 tablespoons (40 g) powdered sugar, and the salt in the bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten whites into the egg-hazelnut mixture just until no streaks are visible.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking sheets, and spread to level with a spatula, preferably an offset spatula. Place in the oven and bake for 11 minutes, or until lightly browned and set. Let cool in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then remove the parchment paper by lifting and peeling it slowly off the cakes. Let cool completely.
• To make the ganache, put the chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache sit for 20 minutes at room temperature to firm up a bit.
• To make the buttercreams, rinse the whip attachment and bowl again, then put the egg yolks in the bowl. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat and heat until the sugar melts. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. When the sugar mixture reaches 226°F (108°C), start whisking the egg yolks. When it reaches 239°F (115°C), remove from the heat while slowly pouring in the yolks and whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the mixture is at room temperature.
• Add the butter a few pieces at a time to the cooled egg mixture and whisk until well incorporated. Scoop out half of the mixture into another bowl. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and, using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the pod halves into one of the bowls and mix well. Add the Nutella to the second bowl and mix well. If you notice a shiny film forming as you are stirring the buttercreams, quickly add a few drops of cold water and continue stirring. The buttercreams are easiest to work with if used right away.
• If you're unable to get your hands on (that is, build) a metal mold in the dimensions described in the headnote, you can use 2 half-gallon (2-liter) milk cartons with the top and one long side cut out of each one. Adjust to any desired length by sliding the sides of the two cartons onto one another. Tape the bottom of the mold so that it maintains a perfect rectangle, and line the inside of the mold with parchment paper. With your "mold" built, you are ready to build your cake.
• Measure the width of the mold, then cut the cakes into slabs of the same width, minus 1/4 inch (6 mm). Cut the slabs into even lengths to fit the mold. Place a cake layer, shiny brown side up, in the mold and brush a little of the rum over it. Top the cake layer with a layer of the Nutella buttercream, making it slightly thicker than the cake layer. Top the buttercream with a second cake layer, shiny brown side up, and brush with more rum. Top the cake layer with a layer of ganache, making it slightly thicker than the cake layer. Place a third cake layer, shiny brown side up, on the ganache layer and brush with more rum. Add a layer of the vanilla buttercream, making it slightly thicker than the cake layer. Repeat the layers, finishing with a cake layer topped with a layer of ganache. Then add the nuts.
• Let the cake rest in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, cut the tape holding the mold together to release the cake. You may discover that the whole thing has sunk a bit, or that the cake has soaked the ganache excessively. No matter. You will have a delicious, silky brick of joy. To serve, cut into slices with a hot, wet knife.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour well a 9x9x2" cake pan.
• In a small mixing bowl sift flour and cornstarch together. Set aside.
• Add 4 egg yolks and sugar in mixing bowl. Beat for 5 minutes or longer. Mixture should be thick and light.
• Add ground almonds and vanilla, stir.
• Gradually add the flour and cornstarch, mixing well.
• Beat egg whites until stiff, add a 1/4 cup of them to mixture and mix well.
• Fold in the rest of the egg whites, gently.
• Pour into cake pan.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick come out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes, remove from cake pan and turn right side up.
• To Serve: Cut cake in half. Fill with jam or whipped cream or both.