WINTER menus
Gateau à la crème Ingredients
For the dough
“This is a rich and immensely satisfying dessert that is well worth the 1 tbsp yeast
effort; this time, the proof is in the proving! Just inhale those warmly 30ml milk, warm
provocative vapours of the sweet/sour rising dough, the light yeast 3 pinches sea salt
fermenting; it lingers temptingly, just as when you pass a fine bakery 250g white flour
in the early hours.” 3 eggs, free-range/organic, medium
175g butter, unsalted
Difficulty rating: 2 tbsp sugar
Serves (Yield): 8
Preparation time: 20 minutes For the crème filling
Cooking time: 22 minutes 4 egg yolks, organic/ free range, medium
Special equipment: 1 x 8in by ½in flan ring (+ 1 egg yolk, reserved for egg washing)
3 tbsp sugar, caster
1 lemon zested
130ml crème fraiche
2 tsp sugar, caster (sprinkling on top)
“
Quintessential comfort food, this
10g diced butter for the topping (optional)
Gateau à la crème will make a
Method
perfect choice as a dessert for
For the first proving
Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm
your festive Christmas lunch.
milk. In an electric mixer bowl, place the flour, salt, sugar, eggs, yeast and
”
milk mixture. Mix for 5 minutes on low power. Then beat in the soft butter.
Turn the mixer up to medium power and continue to beat the mixture for a
further 5 minutes. Transfer the dough into a large bowl and cling film. Allow to
prove in a warm area for 2 hours. The temperature needs to be about 30°C
(*1), so the airing cupboard is ideal. Then knock back the dough to remove
most of the air and chill in the fridge till firm.
Rolling the dough and the second proving
Lightly flour the work surface and your hands. Bring the dough together with
the palms of your hands to form a ball, flatten slightly and with a rolling pin,
roll the dough out into a circle. Fold the dough over the rolling pin and gently
drape the dough over a (21cm x 2½cm) baking tin or flan ring. With one
hand, lift the dough and with the other hand gently tuck the dough into the
bottom edge of the tart mould so that it fits tightly. Be careful not to stretch
the dough. Cut off any excess dough by rolling the pin over the edge of the
tart. Place the dough in the warm area for a further 25 minutes.
For the crème topping
In a large mixing bowl mix the egg yolks, sugar and lemon zest together and
gradually mix in the crème fraiche and reserve.
Egg-washing the rim, and cooking
Brush the rim of the gateau with the egg yolk and dock the base of the dough
evenly with the end of a fork to help the even cooking and rising of the dough.
Pour the crème mixture over the dough and sprinkle with 10g of sugar and
dot with the butter. Place in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Chef’s notes (*)
1* A slightly higher or lower temperature is fine as long as you adjust the
proving time accordingly.
Variations
Some fruit placed in the cream before baking would be delicious: fresh figs
cut in half, caramelised apple, pear or banana, some cherries macerated in
kirsch and a little sugar would all work well as suggestions.
48 RAYMOND BLANC’s SEASONS www.raymondblanc.com
RBS6_XmasMenus 36-49.vp.indd 48 28/11/08 5:58:02 pm
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