| Name: Flourless Milk Chocolate Cake with Grapefruit and Hazelnuts |
| Created by: Chef François Payard |
| This recipe makes: 9-inch cake; serves 8 to 10 |
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| INGREDIENTS: |
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| Candied grapefruit |
| 1 grapefruit, scrubbed thoroughly |
| 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 grams) granulated sugar |
| 1 tablespoon (20 grams) light corn syrup |
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| Milk chocolate cake |
| Vegetable cooking spray, for the pan |
| 4½ ounces (125 grams) milk chocolate, chopped |
| 6 tablespoons (3 ounces:90 grams) unsalted butter |
| 2 large eggs |
| 2 large egg yolks |
| 1/3 cup (65 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar |
| ¾ cup (70 grams) hazelnut flour or finely ground blanched hazelnuts |
| 1/3 cup (50 grams) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped |
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| Make the Candied Grapefruit Peel: |
| Cut the grapefruit into quarters. Remove the pulp and as much of the white pitch as possible. Place the peels in a medium saucepan, fill it with water, and bring to a boil. Drain the water, then fill the pot with fresh water and bring to a boil again. Repeat this process a third time. Drain the water completely. |
| Combine the peels, granulated sugar, and corn syrup with ½ cup (120 grams) water in the saucepan, and place over low heat. Simmer for about 1 hour, until the peels become slightly translucent. Remove from the heat, and let them sit in the syrup until cool. You can keep the peels in the syrup, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks. Drain and finely chop ½ cup (75 grams) of the peel to add to the cake batter. |
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| Make the Cake: |
| Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the sides and bottom |
| of a round 9-inch cake pan with vegetable cooking spray. Cut a 9-inch round piece of parchment paper and place it at the bottom of the pan. |
| Fill a medium pot one-third full with water and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl that will fit snuggly on top of the pot but not touch the water. Reduce the heat to low and place the bowl over the pot. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat. |
| Place the eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the mixture turns a pale yellow and increases in volume. With a silicon spatula, fold in the hazelnut flour, hazelnuts, and candied grapefruit. Fold in the chocolate until it is well incorporated. Pour the batterinto the prepared pan, and bake for about 40 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the sides slightly pull back the edges of the pan. |
