This elegant raspberry and pistachio gâteau makes for a spectacular dessert for a party or special event. If you’re feeling ambitious, follow the instructions to tackle the sugar dome – but this recipe can easily be simplified by opting for a shop bought marzipan and decorating with some fresh raspberries or edible flowers.
Paul Hollywood
Series 16
Difficulty:
Challenging
Baking Time:
25 mins
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- Ingredients
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Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4. Brush a 23cm cake or spring form tin with melted butter and line the base with non-stick baking paper. Brush the paper with butter.
Step 2
For the génoise, tip the eggs and sugar into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of very gently simmering water. Using a balloon whisk, whisk the eggs and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved and the temperature on a sugar thermometer reaches 55°C/131°F.
Step 3
Remove the bowl from the pan and tip the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, then whisk to ribbon stage. Add the vanilla and whisk to combine.
Step 4
Sieve the plain flour and cornflour together. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the sieved flour, in 3 batches, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
Step 5
Pour the melted butter down the inside of the bowl and fold in gently until the batter is smooth with no pockets of butter or flour.
Step 6
Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 20–25 minutes until the sponge is well risen, golden brown and springy to touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7
For the soaking syrup, tip the sugar and water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until syrupy, then remove from the heat and stir in the raspberry liqueur. Set aside until cool.
Step 8
For the pistachio paste, tip the pistachios into the bowl of a food processor with the oil and blitz for 2–3 minutes to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides when necessary. Add the pistachio extract and blitz for 30 seconds. Set aside.
Step 9
For the crème mousseline, tip the milk into the pan with the vanilla seeds and bring slowly to a simmer.
Step 10
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together, then add the cornflour and whisk until smooth.
Step 11
Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture and then return to the heat, whisking continuously until it comes to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3–5 minutes to cook out the flour, then pass through a sieve into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Step 12
Beat on low speed until it reaches room temperature, scraping down the sides when necessary. Increase the speed to medium and add the softened butter a little at a time until incorporated, then fold in the pistachio paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle and chill until needed.
Step 13
For the marzipan, place the almonds and icing sugar in the bowl of a mini food processor and blitz to a powder. Add the egg white bit by bit and blitz to a marzipan consistency. Add the colouring to form a pale green. Wrap the marzipan in cling film and chill until required.
Step 14
To assemble, line a 23cm mousse ring with acetate. Slice the cooled, genoise sponge in half horizontally and place the bottom half in the base of the mousse ring, then brush with half of the soaking syrup.
Step 15
Cut some of the raspberries in half vertically and then arrange to form a line neatly around the side of the mousse ring, sitting snugly together with the cut side facing out. Pipe the pistachio crème mousseline between the raspberries to fill any gaps, then pipe a layer of crème mousseline over the top of the sponge. Sit the remaining raspberries in the crème mousseline until the sponge is covered in raspberries. Pipe the remaining crème mousseline over the raspberries and level with a palette knife.
Step 16
Brush the inside of the remaining sponge with the soaking syrup, then place cut-side down in the mousse ring on top of the crème mousseline. Chill in the fridge until firm or in the freezer for 40 minutes.
Step 17
For the sugar flower, pinch off a small piece of the modelling paste (the size of a small hazelnut) and form into a cone shape, then set aside.
Step 18
Pinch off 9 pieces of fondant, each the size of a peanut, then roll into small balls.
Step 19
Flatten one of the balls and form into a circle, then wrap it around the cone (with the pointed end of the cone facing upwards).
Step 20
Flatten the next ball of fondant and attach to the cone, placing it higher than the tip of the cone. It should stick on its own but if you’re struggling, use a drop of water.
Step 21
Repeat with 2 more of balls of fondant, flattening them into circles and curling them around the cone to form a bud.
Step 22
Repeat with the remaining balls of fondant, flattening them into thin circles and curling them around the bud, pulling each petal back as you go, so the tops of the petals are slightly curled.
Step 23
If you want a larger flower, pinch off more pieces of fondant (the size of a hazelnut) and roll or flatten them into circles and continue attaching them one petal at a time increasing in size and bending the edges so the petals are slightly curled.
Step 24
For the sugar dome, place a sheet of heatproof clingfilm over a 24cm glass bowl and seal so that it is taut but not overstretched. Repeat with another sheet of clingfilm so you have 2 layers of clingfilm over the bowl.
Step 25
Grease the insides of a 17cm metal cake ring with grease spray and place on top of the cling film.
Step 26
Tip the water, caster sugar and glucose into a small pan and stir together until all the sugar is wet and there are no lumps. Place over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Increase the heat until the sugar reaches 145°C/293°F.
Step 27
When the sugar reaches 145°C/293°F remove it from the heat and leave it to come up to 150°C/302°F. Do not stir.
Step 28
Leave the mixture to cool to 110–115°C/230–240°F. You should be aiming for the consistency of honey.
Step 29
Pour approx. 3 tablespoons of the hot syrup in the middle of the clingfilm. Do this by eye, don’t use measuring spoons as it could make the dome cloudy or bubbly.
Step 30
Wearing sugar gloves, very gently press down on the metal ring to spread the syrup to the edge of the ring, then continue pressing very gently to create a dome. Hold the ring in place for 3–4 minutes until the sugar dome has set.
Step 31
Gently pull the ring away from the clingfilm. To demould, use an offset spatula to very gently push the sugar dome out of the ring while the sugar dome is still warm. Set aside.
Step 32
To assemble: remove the framboisier from the freezer and remove the mousse ring. On a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll out the marzipan and using the mousse ring as guide, cut out a 23cm circle.
Step 33
Lay the marzipan flat on top of the framboisier, then place your flower in the centre. Cover with the sugar dome.
Step 34
To decorate, whip the cream to soft peaks, then spoon into a piping bag fitted with a number 21 nozzle. Pipe decorative scallops of cream around the bottom edge of the sugar dome to cover the join.
