2023 Tour de France - Stage 10: Vulcania to Issoire.
After a rest day, boom - right back into the action after the start as a break-away rushed to the first climb along an overall 167 kms until they reach the finish line in Issoire (eece-wah). Some of the riders, though, were clearly not ready; somewhat surprising after a day of rest. You’d think they’d be rested-up. Perhaps they could’ve used a kick off energy, which they’d absolutely receive with today’s regionally specific dish: le Suprême d’Issoire. Yes, named after today’s finish town, these are a bit similar to Paris-Brest, albeit a less-fancy version. Typically, this is served as one big cookie-like cake, but I thought these would be better served as individual cookies and my gamble paid off! These crispy cookies, filled with hazelnut cream would break apart when cut and the cream would ooze out all over the platter, and are perfect for individual portions.
Suprêmes d’Issoire
Praline
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Cookies
1 cup salted, roasted almonds
½ cup Confectioner’s sugar + more for dusting
1 oz heavy cream
2 egg whites
¼ cup sugar
Hazelnut Praline Cream
Prepared praline
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups half-and-half
5 large egg yolks
⅓ cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces and chilled
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
Prepare the praline. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the hazelnuts in a pie dish or small baking tray. Toast for about 20 minutes, then allow to cool. Once cool, remove the skins from the nuts.
While skinning the hazelnuts, bring the sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice. Once the sugar is dissolved, reduce the heat to medium and let the syrup boil until golden, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare a baking sheet with some parchment greased with baking spray.
Once the syrup is caramel color, remove from the heat and stir in the hazelnuts, immediately transferring it to the prepared baking tray. Let cool, at least 30 minutes, and reserve.
Once the praline has cooled, break hardened caramel into rough 2-inch pieces; process pieces in a food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add salt and vegetable oil and continue to process until uniform paste is formed, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and reserve.
While the praline cools, prepare the cookies. Grind the almonds and ½ cup of confectioner’s sugar in a food processor and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the cream briefly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk, mix the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form. Then fold into the almond mixture until fully combined and pour into a ziplock bag, with the corner snipped off.
Portion out rounds of the cookie dough into rough 2” circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Dust with more confectioner’s sugar and bake in the oven until browned and beginning to crack on the top, about 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely and harden-up.
Prepare the praline cream. While the cookies bake, sprinkle the gelatin on the water in a small bowl. Meanwhile, heat the half-and-half in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, until it just comes to a simmer.
While the cream heats up, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until combined, then add the flour and continue whisking until no dry flour is visible.
Take the simmering cream mixture and whisk about ½ cup into the prepared eggs. Transfer this back into the pot and return to the stove, over medium heat and whisk for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 8 minutes, whisking continuously. Turn the heat up to medium and whisk vigorously for 2 minutes until bubbles form at the surface.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and softened gelatin until butter is fully melted. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Spray a piece of parchment and gently press down onto the custard surface and refrigerate for about 45 minutes, until mostly cooled.
After 45 minutes, whisk the cream in a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) on low, until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high until medium peaks form.
Add the reserved praline, and half of the whipped cream, to the custard and whisk until combined. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until no streaks of cream are visible. Cover and set in the refrigerator for 3-24 hours.
Once the cream has fully chilled, place some into a large ziplock bag, fitted with a star tip. Invert one cookie and pipe on the cream filling, leaving a ¼-inch edge. Place another cookie atop the cream, pressing lightly, to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies and cream. Chill until ready to serve. ______________________________ Copyright 2023, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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