Gateau Marjolaine

The combination of  flavours in this excellent gateau will delight those of you who adore praline.

 

For 8 -10 : Meringue cake base(or dacquoise): 150g egg whites(5medium) 190g caster sugar 140g ground almonds 75g ground hazelnuts 1/4tsp cream of tartar pinch of salt 1 baking tray 30×40cm greaseproof paper Butter cream: 5 egg yolks(100g) 125g caster sugar 1 pinch cream of tartar 30g water 215g butter 1/2 liquid vanilla 20g praline powder 65g plain chocolate Décor: chocolate drops icing sugar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparation    1¼ hrs
Cooking    30 mins.
You can buy cream of tartar in your local chemist’s;  it makes the cake lighter (but is optional if you can’t obtain any)

1. Meringue cake base:
   Prepare the ingredients:  mix the almonds and hazelnuts, brown lightly in a pan, stirring them to ensure that they don’t burn, and leave to cool.  Add ½ the sugar (95gr).
   
2. Pre-heat the oven to 135°.
   
3. With an electric whisk or mixer, beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar for 2-3 mins.  As soon as they become frothy, add the rest of the sugar, increase the speed and beat for a further 5-6 mins till the mixture is very thick.  Using a spatula or metal tablespoon, fold in the nut and sugar mixture in two parts, cutting and lifting in a figure of eight movement till evenly incorporated.
   To cook:  place a sheet of greaseproof paper on the baking tray and with a pencil, draw a rectangle 40X20cm on it.  Turn the meringue mixture onto the tray, making sure it doesn’t overlap the rectangle.  Smooth the surface with a spatula till it iseven.    Cook for 30 mins.  The outside should be hard and the inside just cooked.    Take the tray out of the oven.  Place a sheet of paper on the top, then a tray and turn over.  Carefully remove the paper underneath.  This will prevent the cake breaking when you cut it.  Leave to cool.
4. {mosimage}{mosimage}Butter cream:  
   in a pan, heat the sugar, water and cream of tartar to 103° (the syrup forms long threads).  Have a pan of cold water beside you to check.  Choose a receptacle higher than it is wide (to avoid splattering) and put in the yolks.  When the syrup is ready, pour it over the yolks in a fine trickle, beating all the time with an electric whisk.  Be careful to maintain a steady flow directly over the yolks as the syrup hardens as it cools.  Continue beating the mixture till cold; it will be pale, light and frothy.
    Take the diced butter and beat into the egg and syrup mixture till it is well-blended in.
5. Melt the chocolate, broken into pieces, in a bain-marie.  Cool to 35° by placing the pan in cold water.
   
6. Take a third of the filling and add the ½ tsp vanilla extract, mixing well.  Flavour the second third with the praline powder and the remaining third with the melted chocolate.  Set aside at a temperature of 18-20°, to avoid the filling becoming too hard to spread.
7. {mosimage}Cut the nut meringue base into 4 equal parts of 20X10cm, using a long knife so as not to break it.
8. Assembly:  on a tray lined with greaseproof paper, place one part of the cake and spread it with the vanilla cream. Place the second part on top, and spread with ½ of the chocolate cream.  Place the third part on top and spread with the praline cream.  Finish with the remaining part, pressing down gently with the flat of your hand to get rid of any air pockets between the layers.  Neaten the ends if necessary.
   
9. Decoration:  using a spatula coat the sides of the gateau with the remaining chocolate cream and decorate with chocolate drops, gently tilting the gateau with the greaseproof paper.
   Sprinkle the top with icing sugar (for a more decorative effect, use a doily as a stencil).  Place the gateau on a serving dish and put in a cool place.

 

 

 

This cake can be made the previous day.  Simply keep in the fridge.