Chec cu vanilie si migdale
Indiferent de aromele principale ale unui desert, in foarte multe cazuri pe lista de ingrediente se va regasi si vanilia. Am devenit cumva imuni la gustul vaniliei adevarate, obisnuiti fiind nu doar sa o intalnim in orice produs, ci si cu aroma de vanilina. Vanilia si vanilina sunt doua lucruri diferite insa. Numim vanilie acele pastai moi, umede, pline de seminte parfumate (sau extracte realizate din aceste seminte si pastai) si cunoastem vanilina ca fiind un produs artificial, mult prea intens si mult prea uzitat in cam tot ceea ce gasim pe piata in materie de snacks-uri ori deserturi gata cumparate.
Dar a compara vanilia adevarata cu vanilina e ca si cum ai compara un Lamborghini cu o Dacia 1300. Nu exista indoiala ca vanilia e mult mai buna, dar in acelasi timp si mult mai delicata si mai greu de pus in valoare, iar pretul acesteia e pe masura. Si totusi, merita oare sa ne chinuim sa o valorificam?!
Sigur ca merita! Vanilia e, daca vreti, sarea cofetariei. Lipsa ei produce blaturi cu aroma de omleta, creme fara personalitate, glazuri fara farmec. Da, atunci cand e, nu prea o bagam in seama, dar cand lipseste, ne-o dorim cu ardoare!
Intrebarea pe care mi-am pus-o nu doar o data insa a fost daca cumva vanilia are puterea de a transforma un desert altfel banal intr-unul extraordinar. Cu alte cuvinte, poate vanilia sa fie aroma de sine statatoare intr-un desert?! Aceasta intrebare sta la baza acestui experiment pe care il pornesc astazi: Infiniment Vanille. Numele ii apartine de fapt lui Pierre Herme si nu intamplator acest experiment a inceput cu retetele lui: numit cofetarul anului 2016, Pierre Herme e garantia reusitei, omul care vede cofetaria cu ochii unui artist al aromelor si combinatiilor interesante. Veti gasi pe blog o multime de alte retete care ii poarta semnatura, precum acest tort cu ciocolata sau tortul Riviera, ori macarons sau cele mai bune brownies ever!
Ori de cate ori fac ceva pentru familie, un singur gand trebuie sa am in vizor: sa nu fie checuri, torturi uscate, caci ei nu mananca, prefera crema. Nici eu nu sunt un mare fan de blat, as manca oricand un mousse realizat cu smantana si o ciocolata de buna calitate, dar m-as gandi de doua ori in fata unei felii de chec. Si totusi, acest chec a fost irezistibil! Simpla lista a ingredientelor imi denota un produs final delicat, cu o textura atat de fina incat se topeste in gura! Si nu m-am inselat caci e probabil cel mai bun chec pe care l-am facut vreodata!
Chec cu vanilie si migdale
Ingrediente
Chec:
- 25 ml lapte integral
- 2 pastai de vanilie (seminte)
- 170 g unt (temperatura camerei)
- 125 g zahar pudra (cernut)
- 170 g faina de migdale
- 2 g sare
- 3 galbenusuri
- 1 ou intreg
- 3 albusuri
- 40 g zahar alb
- 80 g faina alba (cernuta)
Sirop:
- 100 ml apa
- 40 g zahar alb
- 1 pastaie vanilie (seminte)
Glazura:
- 1 lingura lapte
- 80 g zahar pudra (+/-)
- 1 pastaie de vanilie (seminte)
Instructiuni
Chec:
- Combinati laptele, semintele si pastaile de vanilie intr-un vas. Dati in clocot apoi dati deoparte, acoperiti cu folie alimentara si lasati sa infuzeze 10 minute.
- Mixati untul cu zaharul pudra pana devine albicios, pufos.
- Adaugati faina de migdale si sarea si continuati sa mixati 5 minute.
- Incorporati galbenusurile, oul si laptele vanilat si mixati inca 2 minute.
- Intre timp, mixati albusurile pana devin spuma apoi adaugati 40g zahar alb si continuati sa mixati pentru a obtine o bezea ferma si lucioasa.
- Incorporati bezeaua treptat in compozitia de faina de migdale si unt.
- La final, incorporati faina alba cernuta.
- Puneti aluatul intr-o tava de chec (aprox. 20x8cm) tapetata cu hartie de copt si coaceti in cuptorul preincalzit la 170C pentru 45-55 minute sau pana creste usor, devine auriu si parfumat.
- Lasati sa se raceasca in tava, apoi intoarceti invers pe un platou, avand grija sa-i nivelati partea de sus daca nu reuseste sa stea drept pe platou.
Sirop de vanilie:
- Combinati ingredientele intr-un vas si dati in clocot.
- Lasati sa se racoreasca usor apoi cu o pensula insiropati checul pe toate partile.
- Lasati deoparte cel putin 1 ora.
Glazura:
- Amestecati zaharul pudra, laptele si semintele unei pastai de vanilia intr-un bol.
- Adaugati mai mult lapte sau mai mult zahar pudra pentru a corecta consistenta glazurii. Trebuie sa fie curgatoare, dar nu prea lichida.
- Intindeti glazura peste chec, lasand-o sa se scurga usor pe margini.
- Lasati glazura sa se inchege apoi decorati cu o pastaie de vanilie.
- Sa aveti pofta!
ENGLISH
Vanilla is the one flavour in the world that has almost the same purpose as salt – to support all the other flavors, to bring them out, it’s the one aroma that plays the role of a cord between them all. Whether it is chocolate or raspberry or matcha or perhaps mango and orange, there’s always some vanilla involved. For that reason, vanilla rarely gets to shine on its own. Further more, true, real vanilla is often replaced with the chemical compound that tastes like it (or tries to). Vanilla extract and vanilla essence are two different things, not just in terms of chemical structure, but also in terms of flavor, aroma, intensity and even consistency. Needless to say that my personal taste tends to go for real vanilla, preferably fresh seeds coming from a pod, but the homemade extract or another natural extract works just as fine.
Pierre Herme has a way of taking the simple, the obvious and make it intricate, beautiful without loosing the essence or losing himself on the way. No wonder he received the title of the best pastry chef in the world in 2016! I trust his tastes and his recipes more than I can put into words. Just take a look on the blog to the Riviera Cake, Carrement au Chocolat, the best brownies in the world or these delicious Viennese cookies and see for yourself! He sure knows his way around perfect mix of flavors and the kind of textures that I like – creamy, melt-in-your-mouth, gooey, rich, buttery, intense!
I have one rule when baking for my family: don’t bother with simple, plain sponge cakes as they won’t eat it! But there was something about this cake that just kept calling me! The texture looked just perfect and just the idea of relying on vanilla only to flavor the cake was interesting enough to push me to make it. And boy, it sure rocked my world! Its texture goes beyond anything I ever tasted, its taste is so delicate and yet it does make you notice it. And moreover, its glaze and just the whole simplicity surrounding me make it the best cake of this type that I have ever made!
Infiniment Vanille Cake
Ingrediente
Cake:
- 25 ml whole milk
- 2 vanilla pods (seeds removed)
- 170 g butter (softened)
- 125 g powdered sugar
- 170 g almond flour
- 2 g salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 3 egg whites
- 40 g white sugar
- 80 g all-purpose flour
Vanilla syrup:
- 100 ml water
- 40 g white sugar
- 1 vanilla pod (seeds removed)
Glaze:
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 80 g powdered sugar (+/-)
- 1 vanilla pod (seeds removed)
Instructiuni
Cake:
- Combine 25ml milk and the two vanilla pods and theirs seeds in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then cover with plastic wrap and place aside to infuse for 10 minutes.
- Combine the butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and mix for 5 minutes until pale and light.
- Add the almond flour and salt then continue mixing for 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the egg yolks and whole egg, as well as the infused vanilla milk (the vanilla seeds, without the pods) and mix for another 2 minutes.
- In the meantime, whip up the egg whites until foamy then add 40g white sugar and mix until the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is firm and glossy.
- Fold the meringue gradually into the butter and almond flour mix.
- Lastly, fold in the all-purpose flour.
- Spoon the batter in a loaf cake pan lined with baking paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 330F for 45-55 minutes or until slightly risen and golden brown.
- Allow to cool down in the pan then turn upside down on a platter. If needed, slightly trim the top of the cake to level it.
Vanilla syrup:
- Combine the water, sugar and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil then remove from heat and allow to cool down slightly.
- While the syrup is still slightly warm, carefully brush it over the sides and top of the cake, making sure it is soaked evenly.
- Allow the cake to rest for at least 1 hour before glazing.
Glaze:
- Combine the milk, sugar and vanilla seeds in a bowl.
- Add more milk if the glaze is too thick or more powdered sugar if it’s too thin.
- Spread the glaze over the cake, allowing it to drip off the edges.
- Decorate with a vanilla pod.
- Allow the glaze to set then slice and serve.
Notes
