When I think of a simple dessert, I immediately think of a loaf cake. What’s more, you can make it the day before to avoid rushing around on the day. Rather practical. Of course, if you know me at all, you know I struggle to make just a plain chocolate loaf cake (with the exception of Philippe Conticini’s ultra-fondant cakounet of course :P).
So I looked for a slightly more elaborate recipe. I’m therefore sharing a vanilla, peanut and Dulcey loaf cake inspired by chef Christophe Michalak.
I really wanted to use my peanut praline and my Dulcey chocolate, both of which had been lying around in my kitchen for ages, so I set about making a vanilla, peanut and Dulcey loaf cake, drawing heavily on Christophe Michalak’s dessert (found in his cake book).
The chef’s cake batter includes a little Ricard and ground aniseed (I didn’t add any); I preferred to add a vanilla pod. That being said, I’m quite curious to see what it could bring to the cake; I think I’ll try it next time. I also used peanut praline in place of almond hazelnut praline (so as to really use up my praline stock) but likewise, next time I’ll try the chef’s version with an almond hazelnut praline.
Note that you don’t simply put praline on this vanilla, peanut and Dulcey loaf cake; you make a sort of praline confit with a little cream and gelatine. I just made a small blunder with the gelatine, as I used 3 g of gelatine instead of 3 g of gelatine mass. The difference is fairly slight but it changes quite a lot. Gelatine mass is the weight of gelatine plus water. So my praline was a bit too set.
As for the Dulcey chocolate, don’t ask me whether it can be replaced. Because everything can be replaced, obviously, but here, that little Dulcey taste pairs perfectly with the peanut; it would be a shame to miss out. You can find it online fairly easily, or at G Detou for Parisians, and at Zôdio too. And for those who don’t yet know this chocolate (Valrhona), it’s a blond chocolate with an absolutely delicious biscuity taste.
It’s indulgent, it’s as comforting as can be… in short, it’s a recipe I invite you to try for your next afternoon teas 🙂
Ingredients & preparation
4 components · Full recipe
Cake vanilla peanut
Ingredients
- 42 g (1.5 oz) plain flour
- 85 g (3 oz) icing sugar
- 14 g (0.5 oz) ground almonds
- 28 g (1 oz) roasted peanuts, blended
- 1 g (0 oz) baking powder
- 1 g (0 oz) fine salt
- 90 g (3.2 oz) egg whites
- 60 g (2.1 oz) brown butter (beurre noisette)
- 35 g (1.2 oz) honey
- 1 vanilla bean
- 7 g (0.2 oz) Ricard (optional)
- 0.2 g (0 oz) ground aniseed (optional)
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
2
Sift together the dry ingredients (almond flour, icing sugar, flour, baking powder and salt) then mix them in a bowl.
3
In a bowl, add the honey, anise and Ricard (the last two are optional).
4
In a saucepan, melt the butter until it turns a hazelnut color (do not stop stirring). The butter is ready when a delicious hazelnut scent develops and when it stops sizzling.
5
Add the cooled brown butter over the honey using a sieve to remove impurities. Mix with a spatula.
6
Then pour the butter over the dry ingredients. Mix well.
7
Add the egg whites and the seeds from one vanilla bean and mix one final time.
8
Pour the batter into the mold and bake for about 25 minutes. When making brown butter, always use more butter than the recipe calls for in the saucepan. For this recipe which needs 165g (5.8 oz) of brown butter, use around 200g (7.1 oz) in the saucepan as some evaporates during cooking.
Confit praliné
Ingredients
- 46 g (1.6 oz) heavy cream
- 92 g (3.2 oz) almond-hazelnut praline (recipe here)
- 46 g (1.6 oz) peanuts
- 0.5 g (0 oz) powdered gelatine
- 3 g (0.1 oz) water (to rehydrate the gelatine)
Method
1
Rehydrate the gelatin in water then melt it for a few seconds in the microwave (low power).
2
Add the melted gelatin to the liquid cream and mix.
3
Then pour the cream over the praline and mix with a spatula.
4
Finally add the coarsely chopped peanuts and mix one last time.
5
Cover the cake with the praline confit and spread it evenly with a spatula.
6
Place the cake in the freezer for one hour.
Dulcey glaze
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) Valrhona Dulcey blond chocolate
- 30 g (1.1 oz) grapeseed oil
Method
1
Melt the Dulcey chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Do not exceed 45°C / 113°F.
2
Add the oil then mix with a spatula.
3
Set aside. The surplus chocolate can be kept and used in another recipe. You can also make Dulcey chocolate ‘drops’ — chocolate chips that are very useful to have on hand.
Décoration
Ingredients
- Aucun
Method
1
Remove the cake from the freezer and place it on a rack, with the rack placed on a plate or dish to catch the excess glaze.
2
Pour the glaze delicately to cover the cake entirely. Tap the rack lightly. The glaze will set quickly because the cake is very cold.
3
Allow the cake to return to room temperature and enjoy.
4
This cake can be kept for 2-3 days at room temperature, wrapped in cling film.
Gallery
