Coffee Petit Gateux Recipes

WALNUT & COFFEE GATEAU

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Grease and line 3 x 20cm round sandwich tins. For the sponge use an electric whisk to beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and thick like semi-whipped cream. Gently fold in the flour, then the oil and finally the chopped nuts. Divide mix between the tins and bake for 15 mins or until cooked through. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
• To make the cream filling, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla, then set aside. For the butter icing, beat the butter with half the sugar until smooth. Add remaining sugar, stir in the milk and coffee essence, then continue to beat until everything is combined.
• To assemble, spread a third of the cream filling on top of one of the cakes, put another cake on top, spread another third of the cream over and lay the final cake on top. Put remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle.
• Use a palette knife to spread the butter icing all over the top and sides of the cake. Lightly press the finely chopped walnuts into the sides and scatter the top with the roughly chopped walnuts. Pipe 8 swirls of cream on top, one for each slice, and top with a walnut half. The cake will now sit happily in a cool place for a couple of hours but is best enjoyed on the day it is made.

ESPRESSO PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9-inch pan with shortening; lightly flour. In medium bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, gradually adding 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat 3 egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup melted butter at medium speed until creamy. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until moistened. (Batter will be thick.) In small bowl, mix 1/3 cup water and espresso powder; add to batter. Beat at low speed until blended. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Fold in beaten egg whites. Spread in pan.
• Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run knife around edges to loosen; turn cake upside down onto cooling rack. Place another cooling rack on cake and turn upside down so top of cake is upright. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cover loosely and freeze 15 minutes or refrigerate 30 minutes.
• With long thin serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Brush 3 tablespoons liqueur over cut side of bottom half. In small bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until mixed. Beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Place 1/2 cup almonds in food processor with metal blade. Process 10 to 15 seconds or until finely chopped. Stir into filling. Spread filling evenly over bottom half of cake. Place top of cake over filling, cut side down. Press down firmly. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat all icing ingredients on low speed until smooth, adding water if necessary for drizzling consistency. Remove cake from freezer. Trim outside edges of cake to create a 10 1/2x7 1/2-inch rectangle. Cut into 7 rows by 5 rows, forming 35 squares. Place on 2 large cooling racks set over sheets of waxed paper. Using fork or spoon, drizzle and slightly spread each cake with icing. Top each with coffee bean and 1 sliced almond. Let set, about 15 minutes. Flatten 35 mini paper baking cups slightly. Place 1 cake bite on each paper. Cover loosely to store.

PETIT GATEAU

Steps:

• Break the chocolate and butter into small pieces, melt them on the microwave under"defrost" for about two minutes, Don't let it stand too long on the microwave to avoid burning the chocolate.
• With a spoon mix the melted chocolate and butter until smooth.
• Reserve.
• On a separate bowl, mix the eggs, egg's yolks and sugar.
• Beat the mixture on a mixer until almost doubled its size and has a firm consistency.
• Get the melted chocolate and butter mixture and start pouring it in small bits into the bowl with the beaten eggs and keeping beating it gentle and slowly, until it forms one smooth uniform mixture.
• While you still beating the mixture (in a low speed), sprinkles the flour on it and stop the beating after the flour gets incorporated in the mixture.
• turn off the mixer and stir in the cointreau.
• Reserve.
• Get the muffin baking sheet with 6/8 holes, rub a little bit of butter and sprinkle flour on the sides of each hole, It will help to get the mini cake out of the mold later(use induvidual muffins sheets, it gives a little bit of more work to do but it is much easier to take the muffin out of the mold).
• Pour the mixture into the mold almost to the top(leave 1cm or so, just for precaution of spelling the dough.
• Pre-heat the oven for about 15 minutes.(low temperature, around 180C.
• On the low heat(180c) put the muffin sheet for about 5 minutes, 7 on the most.(Keep trying to find out the perfect timing that works for you)
• After taking the baking sheet out of the oven let it rest of 2 to 3 minutes and then turn it upside down on a plate (The mini cakes should be hard on the outside enough to hold its original shape and all creamy and melted inside)Get each little cake with caution for not breaking them and put on individual plates.
• Put a ball of vanilla ice-cream on the side, Serve while it is hot!
• P.S.when you spoon the mini cake it will open and a rich creamy filling will pour out.