1.5g gelatin sheet (3/4 of one gold strength sheet)
HAZELNUT CRUNCH:
50g milk chocolate
50g dark chocolate
½ cup blanched and roasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
PRALINE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:
100g milk chocolate
150 praline paste from earlier
3.5g gelatine sheet (1¾ gold strength leaves)
75g milk
335g semi whipped cream
CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
125g cream
2 tbsp liquide glucose/corn syrup
100g dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp vegetable oil
Method
PRALINE PASTE:
Line a tray with baking paper.
Put the sugar in a medium saucepan and add 1½ tbsp water. Stir to combine.
Place on the heat and brush down the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush.
Cook until a deep amber colour. Do not stir.
Turn off the heat and add the hazelnuts. Swirl the pan to coat them in caramel and pour onto the prepared tray.
Spread into an even layer and allow to cool and harden.
Chop the praline into small chunks and blend with the oil in a food processor to make a smooth paste.
BROWNIE BASE:
Preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F) and line the base and sides of a 9 inch round springform tin with baking paper.
Melt butter and chocolate together until smooth and combined.
Lightly whisk sugar, eggs and vanilla and stir into the chocolate mixture.
Fold in the flour and salt.
Pour into the prepared pan and spread out into an even layer.
Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, until the top is set.
Allow the brownie to cool completely.
Once it is cool, remove the brownie base from the tin.
Place the same springform tin (without it's base) on a flat tray lined with baking paper. Line the sides of the tin with acetate.
Fit the brownie back into the tin and freeze.
PRALINE CRUNCH:
Melt both chocolates and praline together over a bain marie until smooth.
Stir in salt and feuilletine.
Spread in a thin layer over the brownie base and freeze until set.
CARAMEL MOUSSE:
Heat the cream, glucose, honey and vanilla in a small pot until melted and combined. Set aside but keep warm.
Make a dry caramel by putting the sugar in a medium pot and heating until it melts. Cook until it is a dark amber colour.
Turn off the heat and pour the warm cream mixture into the caramel, stirring constantly until smooth.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a stand mixer until they are thick and pale.
Pour in caramel slowly, while constantly whipping on a high speed.
Soak gelatin in cold water to soften. Squeeze out the excess water and put it in a small metal bowl. Place the small bowl over a larger bowl of hot water, stirring the gelatine until it dissolves into a liquid.
Add it to the caramel mix and stir to combine.
Cool to room temperature.
Fold through the semi whipped cream.
Pour over set praline crunch layer, level smooth and freeze until set.
CARAMEL CREME BRULEE:
Line the base of a 7 or 8 inch round springform tin with baking paper and the sides with acetate.
Heat the cream and seeds from the vanilla pod in a small pot until just under the boil. Set aside but keep warm.
Make a dry caramel by putting the sugar in a medium pot and heating until it melts. Cook until it is a dark amber colour.
Turn off the heat and pour the warm cream mixture into the caramel, stirring constantly until smooth.
Whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl. Still whisking, slowly pour in the caramel cream until completely incorporated.
Soften the gelatin in cold water, squeeze out the excess and stir through the brûlée mixture.
Pour into the prepared pan and freeze until set.
HAZELNUT CRUNCH:
Melt both chocolates together over a bain marie until smooth.
Stir in chopped hazelnuts.
Spread in thin layer over the creme brûlée and freeze.
Once set, remove the creme brûlée/hazelnut crunch layers from their tin and place on top of the set caramel mousse, hazelnut crunch down. Freeze.
PRALINE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:
Melt the milk chocolate with the praline over a bain marie until smooth and combined.
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft.
Heat the milk in a small saucepan until just under the boil. Remove from the heat.
Squeeze the excess water from the gelatin sheet and stir into the milk until dissolved.
Mix the milk into the chocolate praline mixture. Cool to room temperature.
Fold in the semi whipped cream.
Pour over the caramel creme brûlée layer and level flat.
Freeze until set.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
Remove the cake from the baking tray (but leave it in the springform ring) and place on your serving plate.
Bring the cream and glucose to the boil in a small saucepan.
Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Allow to stand for 2 - 3 minutes.
Stir the mixture until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Stir in the oil.
Pour over the praline mousse to form a smooth, even layer of glaze.
Refrigerate until set (the cake will defrost by then too).
Remove the springform ring and acetate from the cake and enjoy!
Serves 10 - 12. Keep refrigerated.
Recipe by Butter Baking at https://www.butterbaking.com/2014/04/29/caramel-and-hazelnut-chocolate-crunch-gateau/