Venezuelan Dark Chocolate Banana Petite Gateau

Level: Advanced

Makes 20 x petite gateaux

Equipment needed: 6 cm in diameter x 4 cm in depth cake ring, 5 cm in diameter cookie cutter, 4 cm in diameter cookie cutter

For the Insert

Venezuelan Dark Chocolate Sponge

Almond meal 80 g

Castor Sugar 66 g

Whole Eggs 120 g

Unsalted Butter 40 g

Egg Whites 30 g

Castor Sugar (2) 20 g

Venezuelan Dark Chocoalate 50 g

1. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before proceeding.

2. In a stand mixer bowl, combine Almondmeal, sugar and eggs together with a whisk attachment and whisk until mixture is light. Gradually add in the room temperature butter(20°C) until well combined and make sure there are no lump of butter in the mix.

If the mix seem to separate, simply place mixer bowl over warm water bath and whisk until the mix is smooth.

3. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and maintain it at 40°C.

4. Make meringue with egg whites and castor sugar (2) and whisk stiff peak.

5. Add the melted chocolate into the almondmeal mix then gently fold in the meringue.

6. Spread on to a tray slightly larger than 20cm x 20 cm as you will need to trim the sponge with a 20cm x 20 cm square ring.

Passionfruit Banana Compote

Banana Puree 165 g

Passion Fruit Puree 30 g

Castor Sugar 10 g

Gelatine Sheet GOLD 2 g

Water 8 g

Fresh Bananas thinly sliced

1. Place all purees in a pot and bring to a mere boil.

2. Meanwhile soften gelatine in water and then melt the both together to make a gelatine solution.

3. Whisk the gelatine solution into the hot puree and pour on top of the sponge and spread to even.

4. Slice bananas to roughly around 2mm thickness and spread on top of the compote.

5. Place in the freezer to set.

Venezuela Cremeaux

Cream 35% 100 g

Milk 15 g

Egg Yolks 20 g

Glucose 60 g

1. Combine all ingredients in to a pot over low heat. Meanwhile, partially melt the chocolate and leave in a bowl and set aside.

2. Constantly stir the cremeaux mix with a whisk until thicken and reaches 82°C.

3. Strain the anglaise over the semi melted chocolate and stick blend until smooth. Cool to below 40

4. Once the slab is frozen, remove from the freezer and cut out the insert to individual discs with a 4 cm in diameter ring cutter. Place the cut out inserts in the freezer until ready to use.

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Banana Sponge Base

Plain Flour 75 g

Salt 0.5 g

Baking Powder 1.5 g

Bi- Carb Soda 1.5 g

Unsalted Butter 40 g

Brown Sugar 25 g

Castor Sugar 27 g

Ripened Banana 113 g

Whole Eggs 50 g

Method:

1. Combine plain flour, salt, baking powder and bi-carb soda and sift the ingredients.

2. Over a warm water bath, melt unsalted butter with brown sugar and castor sugar until the sugars have dissolved.

3. Meanwhile, stick blend the ripened banana and set aside until ready to use.

4. Once the butter/sugar mix is ready, cool slightly, whisk in the egg then the banana puree.

5. Finally, fold in the sifted dry ingredients with a whisk.

6. Spread the sponge evenly on to a tray to desired thickness and large enough to cut out 20 x 5 cm in diameter discs.

7. Bake the sponge sheet in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for approximately 12 minutes or until golden brown on the top.

8. Once ready, remove the sponge from the oven, transfer the sponge on to a wire rack to cool.