Apricot Gateau Nantais

For the cake base

ingredients preparation
  • 35g
    rum
  • 9g
    vanilla bean paste/extract
  • 45g
    honey
  • 3g
    Sea salt
  • 500g
    butter room temperature
  • 650g
    powdered sugar, sifted
  • 400g
    NLN-PO-A093503
  • 590g
    eggs
  • 310g
    cake flour
  1. Combine the rum, vanilla, and honey; dissolve the salt in this liquid and set aside.
  2. Cream the butter with the sifted powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the sifted almond flour.
  4. Add the eggs in increments, incorporating each before adding the next.
  5. Add the sifted cake flour.
  6. Add the rum mixture.
  7. Transfer the batter into prepared molds and bake at 3000 F for 23-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is golden brown.
  8. Allow the cake to rest for a few minutes before unmolding it; cool right side up on a grid.
  9. Glaze & garnish the cake while still slightly warm.
  10.  

Note: As featured in the photo, each mold has 200g of batter, if baking in a traditional round shape, use 600g of batter in a 220 mm ring.

For the poached apricots

ingredients preparation
  • 1000g
    water
  • 454g
    sugar
  • 750g
    white wine
  • 75g
    honey
  • 15g
    Vanilla
  • 5g
    Whole Peppercorns
  • 6g
    Whole, Fresh Apricots, Halved and Pitted
  • 12g
    Fresh Apricots (Whole)
  • 20g
    dried apricots
  1. Combine all ingredients in a pot.
  2. Bring to a slight boil.
  3. Steep the trimmed apricots in the liquid at a very low simmer until they are soft.
  4. Apricots may be left in the poaching liquid with the heat off for up to another hour to absorb more of the flavor of the liquid.
  5. Reserve the liquid.

For the rum glaze

ingredients preparation
  • As needed
    powdered sugar
  • As needed
    rum
  • As needed
    Poaching Liquid
  1. Add enough of the reserved poaching liquid and rum to the powdered sugar to make a fluid icing.

For the assembly

  1. Place the cake on a grid over a parchment-lined sheet tray.
  2. Transfer the glaze into a piping bag and cover the entire top of the cake, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides of the cake.
  3. Arrange diced poached dried apricots over the top of the cake.
  4. OPTIONAL: Position 1/2 of a whole poached apricot on the top of the cake with the cut side facing up.