My First Challenge!!

As of today I am officially a member of the Daring Bakers!!! YAY!!! I thought joining would be a fun way to past some time during the quiet winter season, seeing as I'm not working too much. However, I didn't even attempt the challenge until today, about 4 hours ago to be exact. I've done tuile at work a gazillion times so I wasn't too worried about it. Although we've never done the nougatine tuile I attempted tonight, and I think for my first time I didn't do too bad. . . . I paired my nougatine tuile with a Buttermilk Panna Cotta topped with a dried fruit compote. I was trying to stick with the idea of a light dessert, but that idea flew out the window as I was adding the heavy cream into the panna cotta mix!

So here it is, my first challenge!!!

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

Nougatine
From Michel Roux Finest Desserts
5.1/4 cups / 500 grams sliced almonds(or 4.1/3 cups/500 grams slivered almonds)
3.1/3 cups / 660 grams sugar
4 tbs / 60 grams butter (optional)
2 tbs oil (vegetable, sunflower, peanut)


Makes 2.3/4 lbs/1.2 kgs! (This is the yield of the recipe given in the book, feel free to downsize!)Preparation time: 25 minutes
Preheat oven: 180C/350F


Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Cook the sugar in a heavy based saucepan over low heat, stirring gently and continuously with a spatula, until it melts to a light golden caramel. Add the almonds and stir over low heat for 1 minute, then stir in the butter until completely absorbed. (This is not essential, but will give the nougat an added sheen) Pour the nougatine onto an oiled baking sheet.

Shaping: place a baking sheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable. Work with one piece at a time, of a size appropriate to the shape you want. Roll out each piece on a warm, lightly oiled baking sheet or lightly oiled marbled surface. It is essential to work quickly, since the nougatine rapidly becomes brittle. Heat the nougatine in a microwave oven for a few seconds only to soften it if needed.Roll the nougatine into the appropriate thickness for your desired shape, but never thicker than 1/8 inch or 3 mm. Quickly cut out your chosen shapes using cookie cutters, or the blade or heel of a chef’s knife. To mold the nougatine, drape it very rapidly over the mold so that it follows the shape and contours. Leave until completely cold before removing from the mold.Or, cut out and using your fingers or a knife, push into folds or pleats… use as a basket, twirl round a knitting needle...

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

2 tablespoons water
1 packet of unflavored gelatin (usually it is 1 tbsp.)
2 cups 35% cream
7 tablespoons sugar
1 cup reduced fat buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour 2 tablespoons water into small a small bowl or cup; sprinkle unflavored gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, approximately 10 minutes. Combine whipping cream and sugar in a medium saucepan. Gently stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth. Cool mixture to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
Stir buttermilk and vanilla extract into cream mixture. Pour into small cups or ramekins. (4-oz ramekins are a good size.) Chill in the fridge until set, at least 4-6 hours.
*You may want to increase the amount of gelatin if you plan on demolding for serving.

Dried Fruit Compote

2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 (3- by 1/2-inch) strips of lemon zest
1 cup dried Calmyrna figs (5 ounces), trimmed, halved lengthwise if large
1/2 cup dried California apricots (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup dried sour cherries (3 ounces)

Bring water, wine, sugar, vanilla bean (if using), and zest to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stir figs into syrup and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer figs with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Stir apricots into syrup and simmer until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer apricots with slotted spoon to bowl with figs. Stir cherries into syrup and simmer until just tender, about 1 minute, then add to fruit using slotted spoon. Boil syrup until reduced to about 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Discard lemon zest and vanilla bean (if using; if using extract, stir in now), then pour syrup over fruit and cool to room temperature.