This year’s Christmas has been lovely. Plenty of time spent with my family, good food, positive thoughts and over all a good energy for the year that will soon be done. But of course I couldn’t let Christmas go away without making a cake – well, actually two, but the second one is reserved for another post. This particular cake, coffee banana buche, combines a few flavors that I love: banana, coffee and cardamom, being supported by delicate notes of hazelnuts, either in the form of a delicious biscuit or a praline croustillant. This coffee banana buche was the perfect mix of flavors for these winter holidays!
The layers of this entremet are as follows (from bottom to top): hazelnut biscuit, milk chocolate mousse, praline croustillant, cardamom ganache, banana compote, coffee creme brulee and mirror glaze, finished with white chocolate decorations and gold spray. Plenty of flavors, plenty of layers, but they combine so well together that a slice is surely not enough for your sweet cravings!
- 60g hazelnut flour
- 23g white sugar A
- 100g whole eggs
- 16g all-purpose flour
- 12g butter, melted
- 10g honey
- 60g egg whites
- 40g white sugar B
- 125ml heavy cream
- 30g white sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 40g egg yolk
- 2g gelatin + 10ml cold water
- 20g dark chocolate (50-60%)
- 5g butter
- 65g praline paste
- 32g paillete feuilletine
- 150g bananas, diced
- 5ml lemon juice
- 40g white sugar
- 40g butter
- 2g pectin NH
- 1g gelatin + 5ml cold water
- 70g dark chocolate (50-55%)
- 5 cardamom pods, crushed
- 70ml heavy cream
- 10g butter
- 60g egg yolk
- 15g white sugar
- 100ml milk
- 4g gelatin + 20ml cold water
- 196g milk chocolate, partially melted
- 15ml dark rum
- 225ml heavy cream, whipped
- 75ml cold water
- 150g white sugar
- 150g glucose syrup
- 100ml sweetened condensed milk
- 10g gelatin + 50ml cold water
- 150g white chocolate
- Red food coloring (powder or gel)
- Combine the hazelnut flour, white sugar A, eggs, flour, butter and honey in a bowl and mix briefly just to combine.
- Whip the egg whites until foamy then add the sugar B and continue mixing until stiff and glossy.
- Fold the meringue into the first mixture then pour the obtained batter into a large pan, spreading it into a about 1cm thick sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown but still soft.
- Allow to cool down then cut out a piece of biscuit that has the same size as your buche. Reserve in plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
- Bloom the gelatin in cold water then melt it.
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into an insert for buche and bake in the preheated oven at 120C on a bain-marie (a large pot of hot water in the oven to hold your insert mold) for 35-40 minutes or until set.
- Allow to cool down in the mold then freeze for a few hours.
- Melt the chocolate.
- Combine it with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- Spread the mixture into a rectangle that has the same size as your buche and freeze.
- Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
- Combine the bananas and lemon juice.
- Mix the sugar, butter and pectin in a saucepan and place over low heat.
- When the butter is fully melted, add the bananas and cook for 3 minutes on low to medium heat just until the bananas are softened.
- Remove from heat and add the gelatin.
- Mix well then allow to cool down and spread the mixture over the frozen crĆØme brulee.
- Place back in the freezer.
- Combine the heavy cream and cardamom pods and bring to a boil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool down and infuse.
- Drain the cream to remove the cardamom pods then heat the cream back up to the boiling point.
- Remove from heat and add the chocolate.
- Mix well then stir in the butter.
- Pour the ganache over the banana layer.
- Place the croustillant on top and freeze once again.
- Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
- Combine the egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl and mix well.
- Heat the milk to the boiling point then pour it over the egg yolk mixture. Return the mix back on heat and continue cooking until it reaches 82C.
- Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin.
- Strain the mixture over the chocolate and mix well.
- Allow the mixture to cool down in the bowl then add the dark rum. Fold in the whipped heavy cream.
- Pour half of the mousse in the buche mold.
- Remove the insert from the freezer and place it in the center of the mousse.
- Top with the remaining mousse and finish off with the hazelnut biscuit.
- Freeze the buche for a few hours, preferably over night.
- Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
- Combine the white chocolate and condensed milk in a bowl.
- Combine the water, sugar and glucose in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to 103C.
- Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin then pour the mixture over the chocolate.
- Add one drop of food coloring and blend well. Add more food coloring if needed.
- Use at 32-35C.
- To finish the cake:
- Reheat the glaze to 32-35C if needed.
- Remove the cake from the freezer and place it over a cooling rack.
- Pour the glaze over the cake and allow it to drip off.
- Transfer on a platter and decorate as you wish.

ROMANIAN
Nu stiu voi, dar eu gasesc forma de buche incantatoare si extrem de ofertanta pe partea de decor. O vedeti destul de des la Craciun, a devenit cumva o forma traditionala, aducand usor cu buturugile, dar eu personal vad aceasta forma folosita oricand si oricum. Dupa ce am folosit-o in cadrul ultimului curs de bomboane, mi-am dorit mult sa ma mai “joc” putin cu ea si sa vad ce mai pot obtine, asa ca am decis ca de Craciun sa avem pe masa un tort de acest gen.
Pentru compozitia de la interior, m-am orientat spre banane si ciocolata, o combinatie clasica careia i-am adaugat note delicate de cafea si cardamom, totul sustinut de un biscuite cu alune de padure. E un tort aromat, cremos ale carui arome s-au incadrat perfect in peisajul sarbatorilor de iarna! Pentru glazura am mers la sigur spre culoarea rosie, cum altfel?! Decorul nu putea fi decat alb, tematic!
- 60g alune de padure
- 23g zahar alb A
- 100g oua intregi
- 16g faina alba
- 12g unt, topit
- 10g miere
- 60g albus
- 40g zahar alb B
- 125ml smantana pentru frisca
- 30g zahar alb
- 1 lingurita cafea instant
- 40g galbenus
- 2g gelatina + 10ml apa rece
- 20g ciocolata neagra (50-60%)
- 5g unt
- 54g pasta de praline
- 32g paillete feuilletine
- 150g banana, tocate marunt
- 5ml suc de lamaie
- 40g zahar alb
- 40g unt
- 2g pectina NH
- 1g gelatina + 5ml apa rece
- 70g ciocolata neagra (50-55%)
- 5 pastai de cardamom
- 70ml smantana pentru frisca
- 10g unt
- 60g galbenus
- 15g zahar
- 100ml lapte
- 4g gelatina + 20ml apa rece
- 195g ciocolata cu lapte, partial topita
- 15ml rom brun
- 225ml smantana pentru frisca, batuta
- 75ml apa rece
- 150g zahar alb
- 150g glucoza
- 100ml lapte condensate indulcit
- 10g gelatina + 50ml apa rece
- 150g ciocolata apa
- Colorant rosu
- Combinati faina de alune de padure, zaharul alb A, ouale, faina, untul si mierea intr-un bol si amestecati scurt pana la incorporare.
- Mixati albusurile spuma apoi adaugati zaharul alb B si continuati sa mixati pana obtineti o spuma ferma, lucioasa.
- Incorporati bezeaua in aluatul de mai sus, apoi turnati compozitia intr-o tava tapetata cu hartie de copt si intindeti intr-un strat subtire.
- Coaceti in cuptorul preincalzit la 180C pentru 15-20 minute.
- Cand e gata, lasati sa se raceasca in tava apoi taiati un blat de aceleasi dimensiuni cu baza formei de buche. Infoliati sa nu se usuce si dati deoparte.
- Hidratati gelatina in apa rece 10 minute, apoi topiti-o.
- Combinati toate ingredientele intr-un bola poi turnati in forma de insert de buche si coaceti in cuptorul preincalzit, intr-o baie de apa fierbinte, la 120C pentru 35-40 minute.
- Cand e gata, scoateti din cuptor, lasati sa se raceasca apoi congelati cateva ore.
- Topiti ciocolata.
- Adaugati restul ingredientelor si amestecati bine.
- Intindeti compotizia intre doua foi de hartie de copt, dandu-I aceeasi marime ca si insertul buche. Dati la congelator.
- Hidratati gelatina in apa rece.
- Combinati bananele cu sucul de lamaie.
- Amestecati zaharul, untul si pectina intr-un vas si puneti pe foc mic.
- Cand untul e topit complet, adaugati bananele si gatiti aproximativ 3 minute pana bananele incep sa se inmoaie usor.
- Luati de pe foc si adaugati gelatina.
- Lasati sa se racoreasca, apoi turnati peste crĆØme brulee si congelati din nou.
- Combinati smantana cu pastaile de cardamom si dati in clocot scurt.
- Luati de pe foc si acoperiti cu folie alimentara. Lasati sa infuzeze pana se raceste complet.
- Strecurati smantana si dati din nou in clocot apoi turnati peste ciocolata. Omogenizati apoi adaugati untul.
- Turnati ganache-ul peste compotul de banana si asezati deasupra crocantul congelat.
- Dati insertul la congelator cateva ore.
- Hidratati gelatina in apa rece.
- Combinati galbenusul si zaharul intr-un bol si amestecati sa se combine.
- Incalziti laptele pana la punctual de fierbere apoi turnati-l peste galbenus.
- Intoarceti amestecul inapoi pe foc si gatiti pana atinge 82C.
- Luati de pe foc, adaugati gelatina hidratata apoi strecurati peste ciocolata. Amestecati pana la omogenizare.
- Lasati sa vina la temperatura camerei apoi incorporati smantana batuta.
- Turnati jumatate din mousse in forma de silicon de buche. Scoateti insertul de buche din congelator si asezati-l in forma de buche peste mousse. Turnati restul de mousse peste insert apoi asezati deasupra biscuitele de alune de padure deasupra.
- Dati din nou la congelator pentru cateva ore, preferabil peste noapte.
- Hidratati gelatina in apa rece.
- Combinati ciocolata alba cu laptele condensate intr-un vas inalt.
- Amestecati apa, zaharul si glucoza intr-un vas. Puneti pe foc si aduceti la 103C.
- Luati de pe foc si turnati peste ciocolata.
- Adaugati colorantul si blenduiti cateva minute.
- Folositi glazura la 32-35C.
- Scoateti tortul din congelator, apoi asezati-l pe un gratar.
- Turnati glazura deasupra cat mai uniform, acoperind perfect tortul.
- Decorati dupa dorinta.

Ā
OlguČa, ce faci cu gelatina la creme brulĆ©e? O pui Či pe ea la copt? Nu se stricÄ? Čtiu cÄ de la o anumitÄ temperaturÄ Ć®n sus Ć®Či pierde proprietÄČile. Am vÄzut undeva o reČetÄ de creme brulee pentru aČezat Ć®n tort cu ingredientele toate pe aragaz, se fierbe un pic oul, cĆ¢t sÄ nu fie crud, Či se leagÄ cu gelatinÄ. Se pune peste restul de straturi ca orice cremÄ. Ce pÄrere ai? Či aČ mai avea o intrebare: crezi ca pe langa niste straturi de creme brulee cu cafea, mousse de baileys Či caramel, ar merge un jeleu de coji de portocalÄ? AČ pune un jeleu, Ästa mi se pare cÄ s-ar potrivi. Tu ce crezi? ĆČi mulČumesc mult pentru minunata inspiraČie pe care o reprezintÄ blogul tÄu.
Multumesc, Iulia!
Nu se intampla nimic cu gelatina, o pun la copt, e un mit ca se distruge la temperaturi mari. Plus ca acest creme brulee e oricum copt la temperatura destul de mica. Cred ca e ok si cealalta varianta, eu insa o prefer pe asta, textura mi se pare putin mai buna.
Eu nu m-as mai complica cu un jeleu, deja ai arome intense in prajitura. As pune poate ceva crocant, dar nu o aroma in plus.
Sper sa iti fie de folos! Spor la treaba!
Sarbatori fericite!