Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard

If spectacular is your thing try this two-tiered praline and crème anglais gateaux from Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard

For the sponge

• 600g unsalted butter
• 600g unrefined caster sugar
• 20 eggs
• 600g self-raising flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 600g dark chocolate, melted

For the praline

• 300g caster sugar
• 300g whole roasted hazelnuts

For the chocolate crème Anglaise

• 400g unrefined caster sugar
• 15 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed
• 500ml milk
• 600g milk chocolate, melted
• 1.2kg unsalted butter, softened

For the dipped fruit decoration

• 250g melted dark chocolate
• 250g melted white chocolate
• 400g strawberries

For the chocolate fans

• Silicone chocolate fan moulds
• White moulding chocolate
• Icing sugar, for dusting

To assemble

• Chocolate cigars
• 50g melted dark chocolate
• 400g raspberries

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3 and grease and line the base of 2 x 15cm and 2 x 20cm round cake tins.

2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy then gradually add the eggs. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the butter and egg mixture and fold in, then add the melted chocolate and fold again until smooth and glossy.

3. Divide the mixture between the tins, filling each tin half full. Bake for 25-30 minutes for the smaller tins and 40 minutes for the larger tins, or until skewer comes out clean.

4. For the praline, make a dry caramel by heating a pan and adding the sugar. Heat over a medium to gentle heat until the sugar begins to melt. Move the sugar with a wooden spoon around the pan gently – this prevents the sugar from catching and burning. Be careful not to over stir however or the mixture may crystallise. Once the caramel turns golden, add the hazelnuts to the pan. Stir then pour the mixture onto a silicone mat and spread into an even layer using a spatula. Leave to cool and harden.

5. Once the praline has set, break up by hand and place in food processer, blitzing into small pieces. (You may have to do this in batches.)

6. For the chocolate crème Anglaise, add the vanilla seeds to the egg yolks and sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy. Heat the milk to scalding point then pour onto the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and place over a medium heat, stirring continuously until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pass through a sieve and leave to cool. Once the mixture is cool, using a mixer beat in the softened butter until smooth, then add the melted chocolate and mix again. Finally using a spatula, fold in half the blitzed praline mixture. The rest can be kept for use another time.

7. To assemble the cake, cut both the larger cakes horizontally through the middle into layers about 1.5cm thick. Using a 20cm ring mould, place a layer of sponge in the bottom and press down to form the base. Cover with some chocolate crème Anglaise, then repeat until the mould is full. Place the cake in the fridge to set, then repeat the same process for the smaller cakes.

8. For the dipped fruit decoration, dip half the strawberries in white chocolate, place on a silicone mat and drizzle with dark chocolate. Dip the remaining half in dark chocolate drizzle with white chocolate then allow to set.

9. For the chocolate fans, dust the moulds with icing sugar and press the moulding chocolate in to fill. Use a sharp knife to trim off any excess then turn out.

10. To assemble the cake, use a blow torch or the heat from your hands to gently and carefully release the moulds from around the cakes. Use a palette knife to coat the sides of the larger cake with a thin layer of crème Anglaise then stick the chocolate cigars around the sides.

11. Drizzle some melted chocolate over the top of the cake to act as a glue then sit the smaller cake on top. Continue to cover the cake with crème Anglaise then attach the remaining chocolate cigars around the sides of the top cake. Arrange the raspberries around the gap between the cakes and sit the chocolate fans and strawberries on top of the cake to decorate.

© Eric Lanlard