Recipe: Praline Cake (Pralinette)

the appetizer:

Learn Professional Baking with this cookbook by Wayne Gisslen, featuring recipes for Praline Cake (Pralinette); Basic Crêpes; Crêpes Suzette; and Crêpes Soufflés Suzette.

Praline Cake (Pralinette)

Yield: 12 individual-serving cakes, about 4 oz (110 g) each

Ingredients
	U.S.	Metric
Marjolaine Sponge Cake disks 2-3/4 in. (7 cm) in diameter (recipe below)	24	24
Light Praline Cream (recipe below)	1 lb 8 oz	680 g
Milk chocolate couverture	1 lb 4 oz-1 lb 12 oz	600-800 g
Cocoa powder	as needed	as needed

Procedure

1. For each cake, place one sponge disk in the bottom of a ring mold 2-1/2 in. (7 cm) in diameter and 1-1/2 in. (4 cm) in height.

2. Using a pastry bag with a large plain tip, fill the mold with praline cream to within 1/2 in. (1 cm) of the top.

3. Place another sponge disk on top. Refrigerate to set.

4. Remove the ring mold.

5. Following the procedure described for Feuille d'Automne (p. 466 of the book), coat the bottoms of sheet pans with melted milk chocolate (see p. 647) and, with a scraper, cut long strips of the chocolate to cover the cakes. (Note: For more information and further illustration of this procedure, refer to the recipe for Feuille d'Automne.)

6. Handling the chocolate as little and as lightly as possible, wrap it around the pastry.

7. Fold the top edge of the chocolate over the top of the pastry. Decorate the top with additional narrow strips of chocolate.

8. Sprinkle very lightly with cocoa powder.

Marjolaine Sponge Cake

For large-quantity measurements, see page 736 of the book.

Ingredients
	U.S.	Metric	%
Confectioners' sugar	4 oz	120 g	133
Powdered almonds	4 oz	120 g	133
Egg yolks	3.33 oz	100 g	111
Egg whites	2 oz	60 g	67
Egg whites	5 oz	150 g	167
Sugar	3 oz	90 g	100
Pastry flour, sifted	3 oz	90 g	100
Total weight:	1 lb 8 oz	730 g	811%

Mixing

Sponge method variation

1. Combine the confectioners' sugar, almonds, and egg yolks. Beat well.

2. Add the first quantity of egg whites. Whip until thick and light.

3. Whip the second quantity of egg whites with the sugar to make a common meringue. Fold into the egg yolk mixture.

4. Fold in the flour.

Makeup and Baking

Line sheet pans with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a medium plain tip. Pipe disks of the desired size using the technique shown on page 347. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Light Praline Cream

For large-quantity measurements, see page 738.

Sugar at 100%

Ingredients
	U.S.	Metric	%
Butter, softened	8 oz	200 g	100
Praline paste	4 oz	100 g	50
Cognac	1.5 oz	40 g	20
Italian Meringue (recipe below)	14 oz	340 g	170
Total weight:	1 lb 11 oz	680 g	340%

Procedure

1. Whip together the butter and praline paste until smooth and light.

2. Whip in the cognac.

3. Mix in the Italian meringue.

Italian Meringue

Yield: about 2 qt (2 L)

Ingredients
	U.S.	Metric	%
Sugar	1 lb	500 g	200
Water	4 oz	125 mL	50
Egg whites	8 oz	250 g	100

Procedure

1. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils. Boil until a candy thermometer placed in the syrup registers 243 degrees F (117 degrees C).

2. While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites in a mixing machine until they form soft peaks.

3. With the machine running, very slowly beat in the hot syrup.

4. Continue beating until the meringue is cool and forms firm peaks.