Featured Recipe
Chocolate Almond Caramel Crunch
By Kate
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Dark 72% chocolate ganache, almond meringue baked crisp. Brown sugar and cocoa cake base. Caramel buttercream whipped with a candy thermometer. Texture from crunchy meringue, rich ganache, moist cake. Layers stacked, ganache spread thick, buttercream piped with precision. Timings adjusted up to 5 minutes, quantities shifted by 30%. Ingredients tweaked: honey swapped for maple syrup, vanilla extract added to cake batter. Almond powder reduced, oat flour introduced. Oven temps modulated, resting times extended slightly. Result dense, rich, slightly nutty caramel twist with fresh aromatic notes. Complex textures interplay with bitter chocolate, sweet caramel, nutty almond. French technique meets modern tweaks for layered dessert.
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Prep:
Cook:
Total:
Serves:
10 servings
chocolate
caramel
almond
layered dessert
French
Introduction
Chocolate batter thick, dark. Boiling water added slowly to smooth cocoa mix. Ganache rich, maple syrup sweetens. Buttercream cooked carefully to 117 Celsius, thickens slowly. Sugar boiled, caramelized with care — syrup stage critical. Egg yolks whipped in, emulsion forms dense cream. Almond meringue crisp, baked low temp long enough to dry but keep soft center. Layers stack: cake, ganache, meringue rectangle, buttercream piped precise. Texture varies. Crunch meets moist cake, creamy buttercream, bittersweet ganache. Swapping honey for maple changes flavor subtly — deep, woody notes. Vanilla in cake adds aromatic lift. Oat flour mixed with almond reduces nut component, softer crumb results. Timing edges shifted, resting lengthened a bit, to ensure ganache sets firm but spreadable. French inspired dessert, complex and textured, but decently approachable. A twist on classic chocolate gateau, almond crunch, caramel butter finish. For those who want many textures, rich flavors, surprising balance.
Ingredients
Ganache
- 140 g dark chocolate 72 percent chopped
- 160 ml heavy cream 35 percent
- 25 ml pure maple syrup
- 35 g unsalted butter softened
- 45 g almond flour packed
- 35 g confectioners sugar
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 100 g light brown sugar packed
- 75 g all purpose flour unbleached
- 35 ml cocoa powder
- 3 ml baking soda
- 35 g dark chocolate 72 percent melted
- 50 ml vegetable oil
- 1 egg yolk
- 50 ml milk
- 80 ml boiling water
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 50 ml warm water
- 15 ml corn syrup
- 110 g unsalted butter cubed and softened
- 1 egg yolk
Almond Meringue (Dacquoise)
Cake
Caramel Buttercream
About the ingredients
Ganache uses darker chocolate 72%, stronger than 70%. Maple syrup replaces honey for distinct sweetness and depth, maple’s complexity is less cloying. Almond powder reduced from original, with oat flour added for tender crumb, slightly different texture but gentler nut presence. Cake flour omitted, using all purpose to keep it rustic. Cocoa amount increased slightly for richer flavor. Vanilla extract added at batter stage, balancing bitterness. Butter softened to room temp for smooth incorporation in ganache and buttercream. Corn syrup stabilizes caramel buttercream, offsets crystallization risk. Egg yolks carefully tempered with hot caramel syrup to avoid scrambling, slows cooking. Sugars measured precisely; small changes affect final structure. All butter unsalted, allowing control over seasoning and sweetness. Adjust water in cake to maintain batter consistency after ingredient shifts.
Method
Caramel Buttercream
- 1 Whisk egg yolk in bowl, keep nearby
- 2 Heat sugar and half the water in saucepan over high heat, no stirring. Watch caramel color develop, pull from heat as deep amber.
- 3 Add rest of water and corn syrup carefully, steam and sputter warning.
- 4 Return to stove, simmer without stirring, thermometer at 117°C (239°F)
- 5 Beat egg yolk at medium speed, drizzle syrup slowly in thin stream, avoid beaters.
- 6 Increase speed, whisk until cool and thick. Add butter cubes one or two at a time, keep beating until glossy, smooth texture.
- 7 Place chopped chocolate in bowl.
- 8 Bring cream and maple syrup to boil in saucepan.
- 9 Pour over chocolate, wait 60 seconds before stirring gently until smooth.
- 10 Stir in butter until melted and uniform, cover and leave at room temperature 4-5 hours. Ganache thick but spreadable.
- 11 Place rack mid-oven, preheat 145°C (293°F). Line baking sheet with parchment.
- 12 Draw 33x8 cm rectangle pencil side down.
- 13 Mix almond flour with confectioners sugar, set aside.
- 14 Heat granulated sugar and egg whites in double boiler, whisk continuously till sugar dissolved to soft ball stage.
- 15 Remove from heat, beat with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- 16 Fold in almond mixture gently.
- 17 Pipe meringue inside rectangle, use leftover to pipe small teardrop shapes along edges.
- 18 Bake 38-43 minutes until dry inside, peels from paper easily. Cool on rack.
- 19 Increase oven temp to 180°C (356°F). Butter rectangular tart pan 35x10 cm. Dust inside with mix of 15 ml sugar and cocoa powder.
- 20 Combine brown sugar, flour, cocoa powder and baking soda in bowl.
- 21 In separate bowl, mix melted chocolate and oil with electric mixer. Add egg yolk, beat slightly.
- 22 Alternately add dry ingredients and milk at low speed.
- 23 Slowly pour in boiling water, mix until smooth batter forms. Stir in vanilla extract.
- 24 Pour batter into prepared pan, bake about 20-25 minutes until toothpick clean.
- 25 Cool completely on rack before unmolding.
- 26 Transfer caramel buttercream to piping bag fitted with 1 cm round tip.
- 27 Fill another piping bag with 125 ml of ganache with same tip.
- 28 Carefully unmold cooled cake onto serving plate, spread remainder of ganache evenly over top.
- 29 Place meringue rectangle gently on ganache layer.
- 30 Pipe alternating dollops of ganache and caramel buttercream over meringue rectangle.
- 31 Decorate with small meringue peaks piped from leftovers.
Ganache
Almond Meringue (Dacquoise)
Cake
Assembly
Technique Tips
Start with buttercream caramel as it needs longest time to cool. Prepare ganache next; leave covered at room temperature so it thickens without refrigeration and loses sheen otherwise. Almond meringue piped carefully, low temperature baking prevents cracking and achieves crisp shell with soft interior. Cake mixed gently, dry ingredients combined with wet slowly to avoid over developing gluten. Boiling water added stepwise to improve batter smoothness, cocoa bloom control. Bake times monitored closely, toothpick inserted to confirm doneness, reduce by 2-3 minutes if oven runs hot. Cooling times key; ganache from fridge too firm, cream too runny if warm. Assembly done layering from bottom: cake, ganache spread thickly but not sliding, meringue rectangle positioned gently so it doesn’t shatter. Garnish piped alternating buttercream and ganache for contrast. Small meringue drops add accents and crunch. Entire process flexible to room temperature and humidity, humidity softens meringue. Ready several hours after assembly; flavors meld with rest but still hold texture.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Start with buttercream. Caramel needs time to cool. Watch sugar closely. Stir only when necessary. Sugar burns easily. Stay focused. Then prepare ganache. Let it sit at room temp. Thicker, smoother. Meringue? Pipe carefully. Use parchment. Low temp baking prevents cracks.
- 💡 Bake times vary. Toothpick test. Adjust for oven characteristics. Brown sugar adds moisture. Cacao brings depth. Incorporate boiling water slowly. This ensures smooth batter. Chocolate must be dark. Use high-quality ingredients. Better flavor. More texture. Enhance taste with quality maple.
- 💡 Focus on meringue process. Egg whites need clean bowl. No oil residue. Stiff peaks are key. Fold gently. Incorporate almond mix slowly. Avoid deflating. Flavor deepens with each layer. Use precision in piping. Avoid too much buttercream. Balance is essential.
- 💡 Cool layers completely before assembly. Ganache can be tricky. Too hot? It runs. Too cold? It firms too much. Stack carefully. Cake, ganache, then meringue. Use remaining ganache as a dollop. Buttercream contrast. Finish with meringue accents for crunch.
- 💡 Timing matters. Let flavors meld after assembly. Hours of resting give better taste. Humidity affects meringue texture. Too much air, meringue softens. Store away from moisture. Avoid refrigeration. Keep cool. This keeps textures intact and flavors clearer.
Kitchen Wisdom
How to solve common ganache issues?
Check temperatures first. Too hot? Runs. Too cold? Hard. Stir well. Let sit for a few hours.
Can I switch up the buttercream?
Yes, use different syrups. Adjust sweetness with care. Don't overbeat. Stops texture development.
What if my cake is dry?
Check mixing method first. Overmixing leads to dryness. Adjust baking time. Moisture check often.
Can I store leftovers?
Yes, but in a cool place. Avoid humidity. Cover layers loosely with plastic. Keep flavors intact. Don't refrigerate.
