Appelina by Emmanuel Hamon

(This recipe appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)

Caramel and apple are two flavors that go together very well, and being Breton, I particularly love this combination. With Appelina, I wanted a delicacy in the mouth with apples cooked ‘Tatin style’, and also I wanted to create a dessert in which the flavors would be recognizable at a single glance.

Yield: one log of 21.6ʺ x 2.7ʺ (55 cm x 7 cm), to make three 7ʺ (18 cm) cakes

Almond Biscuit

• 180 g unsalted butter, softened
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 200 g whole almond powder
• 55 g all-purpose flour
• 200 g whole eggs

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and sugar at 2^nd Add the almond powder and flour. Finish by incorporating the eggs one by one, mixing until smooth. Spread on baking sheet in a 23.6ʺ x 7.8ʺ (60 cm x 20 cm) rectangle. Bake at 350˚F (175˚C) for 10-15 minutes. Cool.

2. Cut three 21.6ʺ x 2.3ʺ (55 cm x 6 cm) strips from the biscuit.

Caramelized Apples (Tatin Style)

• 10 apples
• 100 g unsalted butter
• 150 g granulated sugar

1. Peel and core the apples.

2. Place each apple in a 3.14ʺ (8 cm) demi-sphere silicone mold and surround with butter and sugar. Cover with another demi-sphere mold (same size). Bake at 338˚F (170˚C) for about an hour.

Vanilla Cremeux

• 150 g eggs yolks
• 90 g granulated sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, split
• 450 g fresh cream 35%

1. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Heat the cream slightly, then pour over the egg yolk mixture. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

2. Pour into 20ʺ x 2.3ʺ (50 cm x 6 cm) silicone inserts that are about 0.4ʺ (1 cm) high. Bake at 185-194˚F (85-90˚C) for about 40-60 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the cream is not boiling inside the oven. Remove from the oven and freeze.

Caramel Mousse

• 250 g fresh cream 35%, divided
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 90 g egg yolks
• 8 g gelatin
• 420 g whipped cream

1. Heat 200 g of the cream until hot. Make a dry caramel with the sugar and deglaze with the hot cream.

2. Whisk the remaining 50 g of the cream with the egg yolks, then pour into the caramel and cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, to 185˚F (85˚C) Add the gelatin and mix with a hand blender. Let cool to 95˚F (35˚C), then fold in the whipped cream.

Hazelnut Streusel

• 100 g unsalted butter
• 100 g brown sugar
• 100 g all-purpose flour
• 120 g hazelnut powder

1. Mix together the butter with the brown sugar. Add the flour and hazelnut powder and mix until it forms a dough. Roll them into 23ʺ (60 cm) log, then wrap and freeze until firm.

2. Bake at 320˚F (160˚C) for 15- 20 minutes.

3. Cut into 7-8ʺ (18-20 cm) segments.

Caramel Glaze

• 450 g granulated sugar, divided
• 50 g water
• 300 g cream
• 220 g water, hot
• 30 g cornstarch
• 12 g gelatin sheets, bloomed

1. Make a caramel with 400 g of the sugar and the 50 g of water. Deglaze with the cream and the 220 g hot water.

2. Toss the remaining 50 g sugar with the cornstarch, then add to the caramel and boil for a minute. Add the drained gelatin and mix to dissolve. Cover with plastic wrap and cool down in refrigerator. Use the glaze at 95˚F (35˚C).

Assembly

• Thinly sliced apples
• White chocolate-cocoa butter spray (50% of each), colored tan

1. Arrange the apple slices on a lined sheet pan and dry at 158˚F (70˚C) for 2 hours. Using a metal ring, cut out different sizes of round from the slices.

2. Fill one-third of a log mold with the Caramel Mousse, then place the Vanilla Cremeux in the center and cover with a layer of Almond Biscuit. Arrange some of the Caramelized Apples on top and cover with more Caramel Mousse. Place another layer of Almond Biscuit on top, then a layer of streusel on top to close the mold. Freeze.

3. Spray some of the Hazelnut Streusel logs with the white chocolate-cocoa butter spray.

4. Bring the glaze to 95˚F (35˚C) and glaze the dessert. Decorate with some of the sprayed streusel logs and some dried apple slices.

About Emmanuel Hamon

Emmanuel Hamon is the owner of Emmanuel Hamon Pastry Consulting and an artisan patissier. His childhood love of cake led him to tell his parents at the age of eight that he wanted to be a pastry chef. His “textural” signature style is heavily influenced by nature.