Grape Gateau Recipe
Ingredients
| 75 g/3 oz plain flour | ||
| Salt | 1 Pinch | |
| Pinch of baking powder | ||
| Eggs | 3 Large | |
| 150 g/5 oz caster sugar | ||
| Vegetable oil, for greasing | ||
| 300 ml/1/2 pint double or whipping cream | ||
| Kirsch | 3 Tablespoon (FILLING AND DECORATION) | |
| Icing Sugar | 2 Teaspoon, sifted (FILLING AND DECORATION) | |
| 250 g/9 oz seedless grapes, halved, or black grapes, halved and seeded | ||
| 10 ratafia biscuits, crushed | ||
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Grease a 33 x 23 cm/13 x 9 inch Swiss roll tin; line tin with greaseproof paper and grease paper.
2. Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder and set aside.
3. Put the eggs and sugar into a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan half full of gently simmering water. Using a rotary or hand-held electric whisk, beat the mixture until thick and foamy. Continue beating until the mixture is thick enough to hold the trail of the whisk for about 3 seconds when beaters are lifted.
4. Remove the bowl from the pan and beat for a few minutes more until the mixture is cool. Using a large metal spoon, fold in the sifted flour, one-third at a time.
5. Pour mixture into the prepared baking tin and spread evenly by gently tilting the tin. Bake the cake immediately in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the surface is golden and springy to the touch. Leave to stand in the tin for 1-2 seconds, then turn out on to a wire rack. Peel off the lining paper and leave to cool completely.
6. Make filling: whip cream in a bowl with kirsch and sugar until standing in soft peaks. Spoon half the whipped cream into another bowl and fold in three-quarters of the prepared grapes.
7. Assemble gateau: cut sponge across into 3 equal rectangles, then sandwich them together with the grape cream in between. Spread three-quarters of the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides. Transfer to a serving plate.
8. Using a palette knife, press the crushed ratafias over the sides of the gateau. Put the remaining cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe a border around the top edge. Decorate with the remaining grapes and the ratafias, if liked. Keep in a cool place and serve within 2 hours.
2. Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder and set aside.
3. Put the eggs and sugar into a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan half full of gently simmering water. Using a rotary or hand-held electric whisk, beat the mixture until thick and foamy. Continue beating until the mixture is thick enough to hold the trail of the whisk for about 3 seconds when beaters are lifted.
4. Remove the bowl from the pan and beat for a few minutes more until the mixture is cool. Using a large metal spoon, fold in the sifted flour, one-third at a time.
5. Pour mixture into the prepared baking tin and spread evenly by gently tilting the tin. Bake the cake immediately in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the surface is golden and springy to the touch. Leave to stand in the tin for 1-2 seconds, then turn out on to a wire rack. Peel off the lining paper and leave to cool completely.
6. Make filling: whip cream in a bowl with kirsch and sugar until standing in soft peaks. Spoon half the whipped cream into another bowl and fold in three-quarters of the prepared grapes.
7. Assemble gateau: cut sponge across into 3 equal rectangles, then sandwich them together with the grape cream in between. Spread three-quarters of the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides. Transfer to a serving plate.
8. Using a palette knife, press the crushed ratafias over the sides of the gateau. Put the remaining cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe a border around the top edge. Decorate with the remaining grapes and the ratafias, if liked. Keep in a cool place and serve within 2 hours.
Chef
