Strawberry Gateau St Honore Recipe
Ingredients
| 100 g/4 oz plain flour | ||
| 50 g/2 oz ground almonds | ||
| 85 g/3 oz butter | ||
| 50 g/2 oz caster sugar | ||
| Egg | 1 , separated (FOR THE PASTRY BASE) | |
| 50 g/2 oz butter | ||
| 70 g/2 1/2 oz plain flour, sifted into a bowl | ||
| 2 eggs, lightly beaten | ||
| Almonds | 3 Tablespoon, flaked (FOR THE CHOUX PASTRY) | |
| Custard powder | 2 Tablespoon (FOR THE FILLING) | |
| Caster sugar | 3 Tablespoon (FOR THE FILLING) | |
| 300 ml/1/2pt milk | ||
| Vanilla extract | 1 Teaspoon (FOR THE FILLING) | |
| 284ml pot double cream | ||
| 750 g/1lb 10 oz strawberries, hulled and halved if large | ||
| 100 g/4 oz caster sugar | ||
| Icing sugar, for dusting | ||
Directions
GETTING READY
1. For making the pastry for the base: in a food processor whizz the flour, almonds, butter and sugar to fine crumbs.
2. Add the egg yolk (reserve the white for later) and a few drops of water if necessary, then pulse until the dough comes together.
3. Wrap in cling film, then chill for 1 hr.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas
4. Roll out pastry on a large square of baking parchment, then trim to a 26cm round using a cake tin or plate as a guide.
5. Carefully transfer the pastry still on the paper to a large baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.
6. Cool on the paper, then transfer to a large, flat serving plate.
7. Can be made 2 days ahead.
MAKING
8. To make the choux pastry, line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
9. Heat the butter in a pan with 125ml water until melted, then increase heat until boiling.
10. Remove from the heat, then add the flour in one go, quickly stirring until everything comes together as a thick paste.
11. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
12. Using a wooden spoon beat the eggs in to the paste, a little at a time, until you have a thick, glossy mixture.
13. Over the baking sheet spoon 12 equal-size blobs of choux, a little apart,.
14. Lightly whisk the reserved egg white and brush over each blob of pastry.
15. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Let the buns bake for 25-30 minutes such that crisp and golden.
16. Take out of the oven, carefully split each bun, then return to the oven for 5 minutes more to dry out the insides.
17. Cool on a rack, then scoop out any soft insides.
18. Can be made 2 days ahead- if they go soft, briefly crisp them up in the oven.
19. For making the filling, mix the custard powder and sugar in a pan, then blend in a little milk to a smooth paste.
20. Add the rest of the milk, then gently bring to the boil, stirring, until you have a thick custard.
21. Remove from the heat, then stir in the vanilla.
22. To a bowl add and cover the surface with cling film. Let it cool. Can be made 2 days ahead.
To assemble the gateau: stir the custard to loosen a little.
23. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the custard.
24. Slice a third of the strawberries.
25. Spread a thin layer of custard over the pastry base.
26. Add the sliced strawberries to the remaining custard, then use to fill the choux buns.
27. Arrange buns around edge of the pastry base.
28. Spoon any remaining custard into the centre, then top with the remaining strawberries.
29. To make the caramel, tip the caster sugar into a heavy based pan with 2 tablespoon cold water.
30. Heat, without stirring, to dissolve the sugar, tipping the pan if necessary, then boil hard until it becomes a light caramel.
31. Remove from the heat and, when the bubbles subside, drizzle carefully over the choux buns.
SERVING
32. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
33. The gateau can be chilled for up to 2 hrs before serving.
1. For making the pastry for the base: in a food processor whizz the flour, almonds, butter and sugar to fine crumbs.
2. Add the egg yolk (reserve the white for later) and a few drops of water if necessary, then pulse until the dough comes together.
3. Wrap in cling film, then chill for 1 hr.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas
4. Roll out pastry on a large square of baking parchment, then trim to a 26cm round using a cake tin or plate as a guide.
5. Carefully transfer the pastry still on the paper to a large baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.
6. Cool on the paper, then transfer to a large, flat serving plate.
7. Can be made 2 days ahead.
MAKING
8. To make the choux pastry, line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
9. Heat the butter in a pan with 125ml water until melted, then increase heat until boiling.
10. Remove from the heat, then add the flour in one go, quickly stirring until everything comes together as a thick paste.
11. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
12. Using a wooden spoon beat the eggs in to the paste, a little at a time, until you have a thick, glossy mixture.
13. Over the baking sheet spoon 12 equal-size blobs of choux, a little apart,.
14. Lightly whisk the reserved egg white and brush over each blob of pastry.
15. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Let the buns bake for 25-30 minutes such that crisp and golden.
16. Take out of the oven, carefully split each bun, then return to the oven for 5 minutes more to dry out the insides.
17. Cool on a rack, then scoop out any soft insides.
18. Can be made 2 days ahead- if they go soft, briefly crisp them up in the oven.
19. For making the filling, mix the custard powder and sugar in a pan, then blend in a little milk to a smooth paste.
20. Add the rest of the milk, then gently bring to the boil, stirring, until you have a thick custard.
21. Remove from the heat, then stir in the vanilla.
22. To a bowl add and cover the surface with cling film. Let it cool. Can be made 2 days ahead.
To assemble the gateau: stir the custard to loosen a little.
23. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the custard.
24. Slice a third of the strawberries.
25. Spread a thin layer of custard over the pastry base.
26. Add the sliced strawberries to the remaining custard, then use to fill the choux buns.
27. Arrange buns around edge of the pastry base.
28. Spoon any remaining custard into the centre, then top with the remaining strawberries.
29. To make the caramel, tip the caster sugar into a heavy based pan with 2 tablespoon cold water.
30. Heat, without stirring, to dissolve the sugar, tipping the pan if necessary, then boil hard until it becomes a light caramel.
31. Remove from the heat and, when the bubbles subside, drizzle carefully over the choux buns.
SERVING
32. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
33. The gateau can be chilled for up to 2 hrs before serving.
Chef
