The Kitchen Workshop with Cake Guru Rose Levy Beranbaum

Cake Guru Rose Levy Beranbaum

Kitchen Workshop host Mary Reilly, editor and publisher of Edible Pioneer Valley, speaks to Rose Levy Beranbaum about her latest book, The Baking Bible. They discuss her unique ingredient grid system and that fact that with ten cookbooks under her belt, she learns something new every time.

PLUS! Three great recipes from her new book below the fold: Chocolate Hazelnut Tart, Praline Pecan Meringue Cookies, and Hazelnut Praline Mousse.

Learn more about Rose at RealBakingWithRose.com

Order The Baking Bible from a local, independent bookseller

Excerpted from THE BAKING BIBLE, © 2014 by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Tart
Serves 10 to 12

Oven Temperature 375°F/190°C
Baking Time 12 to 14 minutes

The Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Tart is one of the most loved tarts in The Pie and Pastry Bible. It was even chosen by Food & Wine for the magazine’s book called Best of the Best. Because my charming friend Marko Gnann doesn’t like peanuts but adores hazelnuts, I created this version, which I dedicate to him. The hazelnut cookie crust is unlike any other. Along with a delicious hazelnut flavor, it is both soft and chewy. It also makes fabulous cookies (see page 344). The idea for the optional caramelized hazelnuts for the décor was contributed by Beta Baker Matthew Boyer.

Special Equipment: One 9½ by 1 inch high heart-shape or round tart pan with a removable

bottom, lightly coated with baking spray with flour, set on a baking sheet.

Praline Pecan Meringue Cookies
Makes 16¾ by 11¾ by ½ inch rectangle

Make the Tart Dough Cut the butter into 1 inch cubes and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Food Processor MethodIn a small food processor, place the sugar. (Granulated sugar can be used if processed for several minutes until very fine.)

With the motor running, add the butter cubes. Add the praline paste and process until smooth and creamy, about 10 seconds. With the motor running, add the egg and vanilla and process until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and pulse just until incorporated.

Stand Mixer MethodSoften the butter to 65° to 75°F/19° to 23°C.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the sugar, butter, and praline paste on medium speed for several minutes, or until very smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

Line the Tart Pan Using a small offset spatula, spread the dough into the tart pan and slightly up the sides. Lightly dust the dough with flour. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the dough. Use a flat-bottom measure or custard cup, or your hand, to press the dough evenly into the tart pan. Press the dough at the juncture where the bottom meets the sides, which often tends to be thicker. Push up the sides a little past the top of the rim. Leave the plastic wrap in place and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the Oven Thirty minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.

Bake the Tart Shell Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden. The bottom will puff up and the sides will be soft but spring back when touched gently with a fingertip.

Cool the Tart Shell Remove the tart pan, still on the baking sheet, to a wire rack and let it cool for a few minutes. Lightly press the sides and the bottom of the tart shell with your fingers to form straight sides and a flat bottom. Cool it completely on a wire rack. The crust will be soft to the touch.

Hazelnut Praline Mousse Filling
Makes 2. cups/14.6 ounces/415 grams

Whip the Cream Into a mixing bowl, pour the cream and refrigerate for 15 minutes. (Chill a handheld mixer’s beaters alongside the bowl.) Starting on low speed and gradually raising the speed to medium-high as it thickens, whip the cream just until it mounds softly when dropped from a spoon. Be careful not to overwhip because it will be mixed a lot more when combined with the praline paste.

Make the Mousse Filling In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, beat the cream cheese, praline paste, and brown sugar on medium speed until uniform in color, about 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continuing on low speed, beat in ¼ cup of the whipped cream just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With a balloon whisk or silicone spatula, fold in the rest of the whipped cream just until blended.

Fill the Tart Scrape the mousse filling into the prepared crust and, using a small offset spatula, smooth the surface so that it is level. Set a large bowl over the tart to cover, and refrigerate the tart for a minimum of 1 hour before applying the ganache glaze.

Frangelico Ganache Glaze
Makes About ¾ cup/177 ml/7 ounces/200 grams

Make the Ganache Glaze Have ready a fine-mesh strainer suspended over a glass bowl.

In a food processor, process the chocolate until very fine.

In a 1 cup microwavable measure with a spout (or in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often), scald the cream (heat it to the boiling point; small bubbles will form around the periphery).

With the motor of the food processor running, pour the cream through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process for a few seconds until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Pulse in the Frangelico. Press the ganache through the strainer. Cover it with plastic wrap and cool just until cool to the touch (under 90°F/32°C) but still fluid. If necessary, reheat in the microwave with 3 second bursts or in a hot water bath.

Glaze the Tart Pour the ganache glaze in a circular motion over the mousse filling so that it does not land too heavily in any one spot and cause a depression. With a small offset spatula, start by spreading the ganache to the edge of the pastry. Then spread it evenly to cover the entire surface. Make a spiral pattern by lightly pressing the spatula against the surface and running it in spirals from the outside to the center.

Refrigerate the tart, uncovered, for at least 2 hours to set the filling and glaze. The crust will remain slightly soft.

Unmold the Tart Place the tart pan on top of a canister that is smaller than the bottom opening of the tart pan’s outer rim. Press down on both sides of the tart ring. The outer rim should slip away easily. If the crust sticks to the pan when unmolding, insert a thin needle to loosen any parts that may have stuck. Slip a long metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan, loosening it all around if necessary, and slide the tart onto a serving plate. Cut with a sharp, thin blade dipped in hot water and dried between each slice.

Store Room temperature, 6 hours; refrigerated, 5 days; frozen, 3 months.

Notes Different brands of commercial praline paste vary widely between 20 to 50 percent sugar. Also, some contain almonds as well as hazelnuts, some roast the nuts, and some use caramelized sugar, all of which have a great impact on flavor. I recommend American Almond Praline Paste (see page 527) because the nuts are 100 percent hazelnut and are roasted. It contains 33 percent sugar. I also recommend Maison Glass praline paste (see page 527), which contains 100 percent hazelnuts and 35.3 percent caramelized sugar.

Praline paste needs to be stirred before measuring because the oil tends to separate and rise to the top. Once open, the praline paste keeps refrigerated for about 6 months.

You can make your own praline paste but it will not be quite as smooth as the commercial variety. Make the praline powder on page 344. Add 2½ teaspoons/12.5 ml of hazelnut or canola oil and process until smooth. It will make about 1¼ cups of praline paste.

Amazingly, the ganache stays shiny even after freezing as long as it is wrapped in plastic wrap after it is frozen so that the plastic wrap does not mar the surface.