Strawberry Hazelnut Gateaux

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Recipe's preparation

Meringue

Add sugar into the bowl and grind the sugar for 20seconds on Speed 9. Set Aside.

 

Add hazelnuts to the bowl and mill for 10seconds on Speed 8. Set Aside.

 

Insert butterfly into clean dry bowl. (Make sure the bowl is 100% dry as this will effect the outcome of the meringue). Add egg whites and cream of tartar if using. Beat for 8minutes at 50degrees on Speed 3. (MC off). After 3 minutes (5minutes remaining) add sugar through the lid one teaspoon at a time, over a 2 minute period.

 

Transfer to a bowl and gently fold in the hazelnut meal, vanilla and vinegar.

 

Keep one third of the mixture aside and divide the remainder between two 22cm springform tins with the bottom lined. Put into a 140degree oven for 35minutes.

 

With the remaining third of the mixture, pipe onto a baking paper lined  tray into love hearts or shape of your choice. Once the 2 meringues are out of the oven, turn oven back to 120degrees and bake hearts for 10-15minutes until crisp. 

Chocolate Ganache

Mill chocolate for 30seconds on Speed 8. Add cream and cook for 2minutes at 50degrees on Speed 5. Set Aside.

Whipped Cream

Insert butterfly and cream, whip for 30seconds on Speed 4. Set Aside.

Praline

Add sugar and water to a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer without stirring until golden.

 

Blitz handful of hazelnuts in TM bowl for 1second on Speed 8. Remove from bowl and lay on a tray lined with baking paper. Pour praline evenly over the nuts.

 

Once cooled blitz the praline in the TM bowl using the Turbo button until fairly fine consistency is achieved.

Chocolate Lace Collar (and dipped strawberries)

Add the chocolate to the bowl and blitz for 30seconds on Speed 8. Melt for 4minutes at 50degrees on Speed 4.

 

Cut a piece of baking paper long enough to fit around the circumference of the cake. Make the width about 10cm so the collar will be high enough to cover both layers of meringue. Using some of the chocolate and a piping bag drizzle chocolate evenly over prepared baking paper collar and drizzle in a lace pattern. Allow chocolate to become firm but not set. I would recommend having the rest of the cake put together before commencing this step. See next set of instructions relating to construction of the gateux. This is just to ensure that your chocolate lace collar doesn't set too hard whlie you are putting the rest of the cake together.

 

Using left over chocolate, dip the whole strawberries into the chocolate, place on a tray and leave to set. 

Putting the Gateux together...

Place one meringue on a round cake board. Using a spoon spread half the chocolate ganache evenly over the top. Spread a quarter of the whipped cream over the ganache and sprinkle with the blitzed praline. Arrange sliced strawberries evenly over the top. Add the second layer of meringue, add another layer of ganache, praline and cream. Add your love heart meringues and chocolate coated strawberries on the top. Carefully place lace collar around the edge of the gateux, peeling the baking paper off once two ends are together.