Petit Gateau

Petit Gateau Recipe courtesy Elizabeth Falkner

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
User Rating: Chocolate


From Foodtv...

Mint Chocolate Mojito:
Cocoa genoise, recipe follows
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
12 fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cardamom pods, crushed
1/4 cup rum
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 cup chocolate ganache, recipe follows
12 chocolate cookies, recipe follows
2 sheets gelatin (1 teaspoon powdered gelatin)

Mint Bavarian Mousse:
1 cup mint cream anglaise, recipe follows
3 sheets gelatin (1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin)
2 cups heavy cream, whipped

To make the mint chocolate mojito: Use 12 rings to cut out 3-inch circles in the cocoa genoise and place them at the bottom of each mold. Place the brown sugar, water, mint and spices in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Let the mixture cool and steep overnight. Strain and add the rum and lime juice. Reserve half of the liquid for the glaze. Brush a little of the syrup onto each cake. Pipe a tablespoon of chocolate ganache onto each cake and press a round chocolate cookie onto the ganache and fill with mint Bavarian mousse.

To make the mint Bavarian mousse: Soak the gelatin leaves in water for 5 minutes, squeeze out excess water and microwave for 1 minute or until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in a spoonful of cream anglaise and then mix in the rest. Fold in the whipped cream. Fill entremet rings with the mousse and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

To finish the cakes melt 2 leaves of gelatin and add to reserved syrup. Place a spoonful on each cake and garnish with chocolate shard or shavings.

Cocoa Genoise:
8 eggs
11 ounces sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
3 ounces pastry flour
2 ounces cocoa powderPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the eggs and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Over simmering water, whip the eggs with a whisk until sugar is dissolved. Place the warm eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip on high until ribbon forms. Fold the butter and sifted dry ingredients into the whipped eggs. Pour onto a greased, parchment lined half sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Ganache:
1/2 ounce glucose
1/2 ounce cocoa powder
4 ounces cream
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce milk chocolate, choppedCombine the glucose and cocoa powder in a saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth. Temper in the cream and stir until cream comes to a boil. Pour over chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool.Chocolate Cookies:
7 ounces butter
7 ounce sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
8 ounces pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces cocoa powderCream the butter and sugar together. Add the vanilla and eggs to combine. Add the flour, salt, and cocoa and mix until just combined and smooth. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll out and cut into desired shapes and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.

Mint Creme Anglaise:
4 ounces milk
4 ounces cream
1/2 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons crushed mint leaves
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 ounces sugarCombine the milk, cream, vanilla bean, and mint in a saucepan and set on medium heat to bring just to a boil. Combine the yolks and sugar together just before the liquid is hot.

Temper the hot milk/cream into the yolks and return to the stove to cook until thickened, and the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Strain and chill completely.