[oli]

I have a recipe that calls for a glaze made up of caramel and aprocot jam. Since this is a book translated from French giving the quantity of each item, what I am not sure of, can I use the caramels that we usually see in the markets that are individually wrapped?
Thanks

[W.DeBord]

Ooh, well techniquely you could use hard kraft style carmels if your apricot thins out the carmel enough. Ice cream style carmel also might work depending on which brand of carmel and how much apricot your using. I personally wouldn't really do either (maybe if I saw your recipe that would make things clearer), but I'd make my own simple carmel glaze or carmel frosting. If your putting this over a brownie purchased carmels are fine, but over a cake you'll have a much harder time.


The best way to help you is if you could post your recipe. Does it call for purchased carmel or are you trying to short cut a step and substitute purchased carmels in it's place?

[momoreg]

Doesn't sound like a shortcut--unwrapping each little caramel.
Might as well make your own.

[oli]

Thanks guys, the recipe I cannot post just quite yet because I am at work, but I know, Debord, you might have these books called The French Professional Pastry Series, the recipe is in there. The glaze is just a combination apricot and caramel. It is used on a cake.

[oli]

The cake is called Perlia. The recipe description says that "The perlia is topped with a thin layer of shiny caramel glaze, from which it gets its name." I don't think you guys want the recipe for the whole cake? But I will say that the Caramel Bavarian has 17.5 oz. of caramel and the Caramel Glaze has 35 oz. of apricot or clear jelly and 7 oz. of caramel. It does not say how to prepare the glaze.
Thanks

[W.DeBord]

I don't have that book oli, but it does give you the recipe for the carmel for the bavarain, correct? If so I would assume you'd be using the same carmel from the bavarian (either the recipe for the bavarian includes this extra amount of carmel or make the recipe x2 so you have enough for your glaze also).

It sounded strange at first to use a heavy carmel on a cake when you asked about purchased carmels. From what you posted it's mostly an apricot glaze with carmel in it. It's probably not going to thicken it much with those proportions but it will add a little more interest to the purchased apricot. You'd just heat (or not) the two together and cool before appling that as a glaze to your cake.

P.S. That's alot of glaze for one cake, what's that about?

Try it if you want to learn the orginal recipe. Personally it's not appealing to me, I'd go with a different frosting or brown sugar glaze that's not going to be as sticky and thin.

[oli]

W.DeBord You mentioned "that is a lot of
glaze for one cake, what's that about", you have to remember these books are for professional recipes. My question is the recipe says it serves 40. There are many pictures on the page along with a photo of 4 cakes, does that mean this recipe makes 4 cakes. I only want to try and make one.
Would I need to cut the recipe in half to make one 9" cake?

Well here it is:

COMPOSITION
Ladyfingers
Coffee Mousse
Caramel bavarian
Coffee genoise
Coffee/rum-flavored sugar syrup
caramel glaze

Caramel Bavarian
milk 34 oz
eggs 16
caramel 17.5 oz
gelatin cream 1 oz

Coffee Mousse
milk 17fl. oz
5 oz sugar-8 egg yolks
instant coffee granules 1.5 T
powdered gelatin 3 oz.
Italian meringue 14 oz
heavy cream 17 fl oz
rum 1.5 fl oz

Coffee Genoise
16 eggs-17.5 oz sugar
instant coffee granules 1.5 T
cake flour 17.5

Caramel Glaze
apricot or clear jelly 35 oz
cramel 7 oz.

Coffee/Rum -flavored sugar syrup
sugar syrup 34 fl oz
water 3.5 fl oz
coffee granules 1/2 oz
rum 1.5 fl. oz.

Assembling the Cake
Place a 1.75in metal cake ring over a cardboard circle and line it with strips of ladyfinger 3 cm high. Place a thin layer of genoise inside the ring, and brush both the genoise and ladyfingers with coffee/rum-flavored sugar syrup.
Fill the ring to the tops of the ladyfingers with caramel bavarian. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over the cream if desired.
Fill the cake to the rim of the ring with coffee mousse, and smooth the top with a metal spatula.

Decoration
Glaze the top of the cake with the caramel glaze and place a few walnuts decoratively in the center of the cake. Remove the cake ring.

WHEW
Thanks
Thanks

[W.DeBord]

Yes, the quantities you posted are for 2 cakes (not 4). 40 servings would only be from 2 cakes American style. Although French recipes use much smaller rings in width and height then Americans do. So unforunately it could be 4 cakes with 10 servings each. Don't worry it will work either way. I would make 2 9" tortes and follow the written instructions, if you have any extras keep it to the side as left-overs (but you won't).

The cost difference between making one or two cakes from this recipe is pennys. If I was you I'd make the full recipe and assemble each differently to play with it. Don't forget you can definately freeze your finished second cake for later! (But don't put nuts IN it if your holding it over time, only on top fresh if desired)


I was right about the consistancy of the carmel glaze it's meant to be thin since it's on top of mousse. Basicly its just to finish off the look of the mousse and possibly brush over your lady fingers once the torte is unmolded.

The way the recipe is written implys that there is a master section of recipes somewhere in your book. In current French professional pastry books it's in the back 20 pages or so of books. And from that section you'll find the recipes and procedures for making your carmel, meringue simple syrup and lady fingers. If there isn't a designated area for recipes then you page back thru prior recipes and find your recipes and proceedures (usually there's a reference to what page it's on).

Did I help? Any other questions?

I like the flavor combos in this torte. There are tons of ways to play with this and or embelish it too. 2 little things I'd change....I'd get rid of the nuts and either used grated chocolate in it's place or use a chocolate glaze on top of the carmel mousse instead of the carmel glaze......I'd also use a plain geniose instead of the coffee one....my two cents

[W.DeBord]

Oops, I just re-read your last post Oli where you wrote the size of the ring molds. I don't know metric measuring at all, I wing it when working in cake rings (I usually am doubling these recipes so I have plenty to work with, then freezing extras) from French pastry books.

I can't translate the size exactly, I bet someone else knows, though? But I'm certain the recipe you posted is enough quantity for 2 9" tortes. It's like all recipes... you could assemble this recipe in individual ring molds if you wanted. You just follow the proportions.

[oli]

Thanks, I think you're right with the suggested change about the glaze, its just the one in the book looks real attractive, I guess it a guy thing. But I can see how you're idea would look too.
About finding the recipe for the glaze else where in the book or other book in the series, nope, its just not there. I've read the three books cover to cover, but that particular glaze is not covered, maybe it just too simple to have to explain.
Thanks again

[W.DeBord]

Sorry I must not have written things clearly enough. The recipe for the glaze you posted (7 oz.carmel & 35 oz.apricot), the techinque you didn't, that's what you meant? The techinque is just mix together either hot or cool, there is not another way to make it unless you introduce other ingredients. You could boil it for a while etc...but nothing really will change. Just mix the two together at any temp., anyway.

Did you find the recipe for the carmel, ladyfingers, etc...?

[oli]

Thanks for all the help and I am sure I will be asking more about this book.

[pjm333]

OLI
HERE IS A RECIPE I USE AT WORK..IT DOES HAVE CHOCOLATE IN IT THOUGH

9 OZ SUGAR
2 # HEAVY CREAM
7 OZ GLUCOSE
2 OZ BUTTER
4 1/2 OZ MILK CHOC OR SEMI SWEET
8 GELATIN SHEETS- SOAKED AND DRAINED
CARMALIZE SUGAR AND GLOCOSE ADD CREAM AND BUTTER AND DISSOLVE AND CHOCOLATE AND GELATIN AND STRAIN.

PATRICK

[momoreg]

HI pjm,
Glad you found cheftalk okay!!

[W.DeBord]

pjm333, I'm not familar with what you posted, would you explain it a little?

I've never seen gelatin added with carmel and chocolate with-out making it a mousse. There seems like alot of cream to thin your carmel, then the chocolate and gelatin bind it. What's the advantage/what's is its' consistany, use and re-warming? What items do you put this on?


TIA