Cushion
BY FRANCK MICHEL MOF PASTRY CONSULTANT AND WINNER OF THE PASTRY WORLD CUP 2006
Makes 20 small cushions
SPICY SABLÉ STREUSEL l 150g Butter l 2g Salt l 190g Demerara sugar l 35g Ground almonds l 35g Eggs l 15g Milk l 300g Flour l 3g Baking powder l 1g Mixed spice l 5g Ground cinnamon Cream the butter with the salt, sugar and ground almonds. Add the eggs and milk. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients. Work the mixture through a coarse sieve and chill before baking.
STEAM-COOKED BISCUIT l 150g Egg yolks l 60g Castor sugar (1) l 115g Flour l 80g Butter, melted l 200g Egg whites l 80g Castor sugar (2) Whip the egg whites with the sugar (2) In another bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar (1), add a spoonful of the whites, then the flour and hot butter. Fold in the remaining egg whites. Spread on a baking sheet and steam-bake at 190°C for 6-8 minutes.
RED SOUR CHERRIES IN SYRUP l 70g Water l 70g Sugar l 180g Red sour cherries (frozen) Bring the water and sugar to the boil. Pour over the frozen cherries and set aside in the refrigerator.
16 16
RED SOUR CHERRY AND GINGER FILLING l 140g Red sour cherries in syrup l 120g Red sour cherry juice l 140g Red sour cherry purée l 100g Glucose l 100g Sugar l 8g Pectin NH l 6g Fresh ginger Mix together the cherries, the purée, juice, fresh ginger and glucose and then heat to 50°C. Mix the sugar with the pectin NH, add to the mix and bring back to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Pour 2/3 of the filling onto a silicone tray to a depth of 4 mm for your inserts. Transfer the remaining mixture to a piping bag for decoration
ALMOND MOUSSE l 220g Milk l 155g Almond paste 50 % l 55g Egg yolks l 10g Gelatine l 60g Cold water l 25g Amaretto l 385g Whipped cream l 110g Meringue
ASSEMBLY Coat the smooth half of the cushion mould with two coats of melted white chocolate using a brush. Sprinkle this second coat with t he streusel crumbs, baked and coated with cocoa butter, then fill with the almond mousse before topping with a layer of the biscuit. Remove any excess mousse. Fill the second half of the cushion mould with the almond mousse, insert a square of the cherry and ginger filling, removing any excess mousse. Freeze both halves of the cushion. Remove from their moulds and reassemble. Use a little melted white chocolate to ensure the halves stick together. Spray coat the cushion with a mixture of white chocolate and white cocoa butter and decorate as desired.
All are non-stock items, to be ordered 12 days in advance