Presenting my first project for the Daring Bakers Challenge: a Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream!

I can't remember the last time I baked a cake before this - I don't bake often to begin with (part of why I joined Daring Bakers) and for the past few years I have been fixated on pie. That being the case, this project introduced me to several new techniques (praline paste, genoise, and swiss buttercream - I will never make a lesser frosting again!) and forced me to practice old ones (cutting and assembling layers, ganache, decoration)

I prepped, baked and assembled this cake, an intricate three-layer production of ground hazelnuts, praline paste, and buttercream, over the course of two evenings, plus, of course, another one to run about buying ingredients. My inner perfectionist kicked in and insisted on fresh hazelnuts, local cream and eggs, and top-shelf chocolate, hoping that quality ingredients would cover for any deficiencies in my skills. I think they did: while I know that the genoise could have been much fluffier, and the ganache smoother, this cake was a delight to eat.

That so many heavy ingredients came together to make something so light and tender is almost magical. The secret to this cake is its delicate contrasts: the sweetness of the praline buttercream was tempered by the fresh whipped cream, the smooth chocolate ganache played off the crumbly genoise, and the backdrop of sultry hazelnut deepened against the hints of apricot and orange liquor.

You can find the recipe here.