Sponge Methods: Hazelnut Joconde, Caramel Buttercream. Assembly of Brasilia Torte

Day 7: Recipes for Hazelnut Joconde sponge cake, Caramel buttercream, and Nougatine. Assembly of Brasilia Torte.

Hazelnut Joconde
3.5 oz Hazelnut Flour
3 oz Powdered Sugar
1 oz Cake Flour
4.75 oz Eggs
3.25 oz Egg Whites
10 g Sugar
1.25 oz Melted Butter

Preparing Joconde sponge
-Spray and parchment line a full sheet pan.
-Sift the flour and powdered sugar. Pour into mixing bowl.
-With paddle attachment, mix in the hazelnut flour.

-The butter should be melted and cooled.
-Have a separate bowl cleaned and wiped with lemon juice, for whipping the egg whites.
-Add the whole eggs to the dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl.

-You want to lighten the batter. Turn the mixer up to speed 2 for two minutes.
-In the separate bowl, whip the egg whites and sugar to glossy, stiff peaks.
-Fold the whites into the egg batter.

-Temper the butter with a little batter and fold into the remaining mixture.
-Pour into sheet pan and spread evenly with offset spatula.
-Bake in deck oven at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Caramel Buttercream
1 oz Water
6.6 oz Sugar
1.75 oz Water
1.25 oz Cream
.2 oz Trablit Coffee Extract
2 oz Egg Yolks
6.75 oz Butter

Preparing Caramel Buttercream
-Bring the sugar, 1 oz water, and 3 drops of lemon juice to a boil.
-The sugar will caramelize at 360 degrees. It is the flavor base for the frosting. The caramel and the extract adds flavor.

-Whip the egg yolks, like you do for a French buttercream.
-Add 1 ¾ oz water to the cream.
-You want the sugar to reach a pale blonde, honey color.
-Let the sugar settle a little before adding the cream, it will bubble.

-Whisk it at first, then add the extract when it has settled down a little.

-Stream the caramel into the yolks on medium speed, then move up to speed 3 to whip.

-When it is cooled, add the butter.

Nougatine
12 oz Sliced Almonds
1 lb 8 oz Sugar
9.5 oz Glucose
6.5 oz Water

Preparing Nougatine and Assembling Brasilia Torte
-Toast almonds on a sheet tray, about 12 minutes.

-Cut the Hazelnut Joconde sponge into 3 strips, about 5” wide.

-Paint the bottom of one strip with chocolate pâte a glacer. Don’t go over the edges with the chocolate if you can avoid it. Apply a thin coat and put in the freezer to set.

-Combine the sugar, glucose, and water on the stove. You want to cook it long enough to harden.

-Spread some of the caramel buttercream on one layer of the sponge and top with a second layer.
-Get the other layer from the freezer and with the chocolate side down, the chocolate is the bottom, spread some caramel buttercream on top.

-Put the other layers on top and press down.
-Cover the top with more buttercream.

-When the cooking sugar reaches a dark honey color, take if off the heat and let the bubbles settle down.
-Add the toasted almonds and stir.

-Pour them onto a sprayed sheet of parchment paper on top of the workspace, also sprayed with pan spray.
-With another sheet of sprayed parchment on top, press down and roll out the nuts flat. This caramel is very hot!

-Roll until it is a very thin layer and cut and mold pieces for the garnish of the Brasilia.

-Once they are cooled assemble on top of the torte or save for garnishing of individual slices.