Caramel & Apple Brownie Cake

Before starting this Caramel & Apple Brownie Cake recipe, make sure you have organised the necessary ingredients for the crunchy hazelnut praline.

For the crunchy hazelnut praline: Pour the egg whites in the stand mixer recipient.

Tip the water and castor sugar in a saucepan.

Cook the sugar until it gets to 121 or 125°C. For this step, the use of a digital thermometer is recommended.

Gradually add the cooked sugar to the beaten egg whites, pouring it against the inner side of the bowl...

... and beat until cooled down completely.

Sift the icing sugar...

... and add the ground hazelnuts and praline crumbs.

Pour the preparation in the cold meringue, mixing gently with a rubber spatula.

Pour the preparation on a perforated baking sheet, lined with a baking mat...

... and spread with a cranked spatula. In a fan-assisted oven, on the middle rack, bake at 160°C (gas 3) for about 40 minutes.

For the brownie base: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Crack the whole eggs in a mixing bowl.

Add the castor sugar...

... and whisk vigorously until foamy. Add the melted butter and whisk.

Add the blanched hazelnuts...

... and the Inaya chocolate couverture, melted and brought to 40°C.

The preparation for the brownie base is ready.

Pour into 2 tart rings (Ø 20cm), spread evenly and bake at 180°C (gas 4) for about 20 minutes.

For the Granny Smith apples: Peel the apples...

... then core...

... and cut into quarters.

Heat the Mycryo cocoa butter in a hot non-stick frying pan.

Melt the cocoa butter...

... and arrange the apple quarters in the pan.

Add a drizzle of honey, and sauté the apples slightly.

Cover the pan with cling film to steam cook the apples for about 10 minutes.

Remove the cling film and let cool.

For the Cara Crakine crispy biscuit: In 2 tart rings (diameter 16cm), place a generous tablespoon of Cara Crakine caramel filling...

... and spread into a thin layer, to a thickness of 1 mm.

In each ring, arrange 8 cold apple quarters.

Refrigerate for the Cara Crakine to set.

For the milk chocolate mousse: Heat the milk to 40°C.

Combine well to make a ganache. When the preparation has a temperature of 35°C...

... add 1/3 of whipped cream to facilitate the incorporation.

Then little by little, add the preparation to the rest of the whipped cream...

... folding gently.

Cover the apples with the chocolate mousse and fill up top.

Even the surface with a cranked spatula and place in the freezer.

For the crunchy hazelnut praline: Break the biscuit into medium-sized chunks.

Place the biscuit chunks in a bowl...

... and add a small amount of egg white.

Combine. The biscuit pieces should be coated with egg white.

Sprinkle some castor sugar and combine. Bake at 150°C (gas 1) for about 20 minutes.

For the caramel icing: Hydrate the gelatine powder with 108 grams of water.

Heat the castor sugar to make a caramel.

Add the 375 g of water. Take extra precautions, as you might get burnt with splashes of boiling caramel!

Add the glucose syrup, melted in the microwave for a few seconds beforehand...

... the sweetened condensed milk...

... the white chocolate pistoles...

Set aside for 2 hours, or until the icing goes down to a temperature of 20-25°C.

Assembling the cake: Remove the cold brownie bases...

... from the tart rings. Place each brownie on a cake board.

Remove the chocolate mousse discs from the tart rings...

... and transfer onto a cooling rack placed on top of a cooking tray.

Pour the icing in one stroke, starting in the centre then working towards the edges, making sure to coat the whole surface.

By coming into contact with the frozen disc, the icing will set immediately.

Even the surface with a cranked spatula while the icing is still liquid...

... and let the excess drip off.

Gently place the chocolate mousse disc in the centre of the brownie.

Arrange some crunchy hazelnut pieces all around the frozen disc.

They will stick to the caramel icing.

Decorate the surface of the cake with a few chocolate spirals...

... and sprinkle with a few gold flakes.

Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!