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Salambo
Serves : 12
Time: 1 h 30
Difficulty:
Published on :
4 May 2017
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Ingredients for 12:
- For the choux pastry:
- 125g whole milk
- 125g water
- 100g unsalted butter
- 1 pinch of salt
- 165g flour (T55)
- 250g eggs
- Cold milk (optional)
- For the crème pâtissière:
- 1 litre of milk
- 200g egg yolks
- 240g castor sugar
- 100g crème pâtissière powder or cornflour
- 2 vanilla pods
- For the syrup:
- 75g castor sugar
- 100g water
- For the fondant icing:
- 500g white fondant icing
- Sugar syrup
- Pistachio green colouring
- For the finish:
- 150g chocolate vermicelli
A little history...
This small French cake was created at the end of the 19th century. Its name originates from the opera by Reyer, based on Flaubert's famous novel Salammbô.
Salambo cakes are made from choux paste, filled with kirsch-flavoured pastry cream and iced with green fondant, with one end coated with chocolate vermicelli.
Method for Salambo:
1
Before starting this Salambo recipe, organise the necessary ingredients for the choux pastry.
2
For the choux pastry: Pour the water in a saucepan.
3
Add the milk.
4
Add the salt.
5
Place the saucepan on the stove.
6
Add the butter, cut into cubes.
7
Bring the milk and water to a boil.
8
Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour in one go.
9
Combine with a spatula...
10
... until you get the consistency of a dough. This dough is the base of choux pastry and is called "panada". Dry off the dough over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spatula, until the paste comes away from the sides of the pan.
11
The dough is ready when there is a thin layer at the bottom of the pan.
12
Fit the stand mixer with the flat beater.
13
Transfer the dough in the stand mixer recipient...
14
... and beat for 2 or 3 minutes until warm. Beat at low/medium speed.
15
Add the whole eggs (beaten beforehand) in five or six batches.
16
Combine carefully every time...
17
... until completely incorporated.
18
Repeat until all the eggs are incorporated.
19
If you find the dough is a bit dull and missing colour, it probably means it is not hydrated enough. Add a little bit of cold milk.
20
The pastry shown in the photo is ready. It should be smooth and glossy.
21
Scrape the sides of the bowl with a maryse spatula...
22
... and create a groove in the centre.
23
If the groove takes a while to disappear, this also means that the pastry is ready.
24
This is what the result should look like.
25
Fit a piping bag with a petit four nozzle Ø 18mm.
26
Transfer the choux pastry into the piping bag...
27
... and close the bag. Set aside.
28
Place a Silpat baking mat on a Silichef XL perforated baking sheet.
29
Pipe oval shapes with a length of 6-7 cm and a width of 3 cm. Pipe the salambo puffs in staggered lines.
30
This is what the result should look like.
31
Bake in a fan-assisted oven preheated at 170°C (gas 3) for about 30 minutes.
32
For the crème pâtissière: Organise all the necessary ingredients.
33
Pour the milk in a saucepan, then add the vanilla seeds.
34
Place the saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil.
35
In the meantime, take a mixing bowl...
36
... crack the eggs and beat with a whisk.
37
Add the castor sugar...
38
... and beat vigorously with a whisk.
39
Add the crème pâtissière powder or cornflour...
40
... and combine with a whisk...
41
... until completely incorporated.
42
Set aside.
43
Heat the milk...
44
... and bring to a boil.
45
Pour the boiling milk over the mixture and continue whisking.
46
Stir until completely incorporated.
47
Transfer the preparation into the saucepan used to boil the milk.
48
Cook the cream over medium heat, whisking constantly...
49
... until thick. Cook for a couple of minutes.
50
When the cream is cooked...
51
...Transfer into a recipient and spread to a thin layer. Cover the surface of the cream with cling film. Set aside to cool. This cream can be prepared in advance.
52
When the Salambo puffs are cooked, remove from oven...
53
... and leave to cool at room temperature.
54
Place the crème pâtissière in the stand mixer bowl.
55
Beat with the whisk attachment until homogeneous.
56
The result should look like this.
57
With the tip of a small kitchen knife, make two holes at the bottom of the choux puffs.
58
Transfer the crème pâtissière into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (diameter 5 mm) and fill the Salambo puffs.
59
Repeat the operation with all the choux puffs...
60
... until you get a result similar to this.
61
Remove the cream excess with the blade of a knife.
62
Arrange the stuffed Salambo puffs on a baking sheet.
63
For the icing: Place the fondant in a saucepan and place over very low heat. In the meantime, bring water and sugar to a boil to make a syrup.
64
When the fondant icing starts to melt, stir constantly with a spatula.
65
If needed, add a few drops of syrup to liquefy the icing.
66
Combine until smooth and homogeneous. The ideal temperature for the icing is 37°C. I recommend using a digital thermometer with probe.
67
Add the green colouring (the powder is not green before incorporating it, which is totally normal).
68
Combine carefully...
69
... until the colour is homogeneous.
70
Lift the choux puffs from underneath and dip the top part in the green icing.
71
Remove the Salambo puff, tilting it gently from one side to the other.
72
Wipe any dripping icing with your fingertip to create a neat end.
73
Dip one end of the Salambo in chocolate vermicelli so they stick to the icing.
74
This is what the result should look like.
75
Continue with all the Salambo puffs...
76
... and dip in the chocolate vermicelli. Store the Salambo puffs in the fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!
