Daring Bakers, April 2013

This month, Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina challenged us to make a traditional Savarin, complete with soaking syrup and cream filling. We were to follow the Savarin recipe but were allowed to be creative with the soaking syrup and filling.

Savarin

Ingredients
2½ cups (600 ml) (12-1/3 oz) (350 gm) bread flour
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water, lukewarm
6 (320 gm) large eggs at room temperature, separated
½ satchel (1½ teaspoons) (4 gm) instant yeast or 15 gm (½ oz) fresh yeast
4 teaspoons (20 ml) (20 gm) sugar
2/3 stick (1/3 cup) (80 ml) (75 gm) butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) orange and lemon zest (optional)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt
¼ cup (60 ml) (2 oz) (55 gm) butter for greasing the work surface, hands, dough scraper & baking pan


Directions
0. In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lukewarm water, 3 tablespoons (1 oz) (25 gm) flour and yeast , cover with cling film and let rise 60 minutes
1. After 30 minutes put the egg whites in the mixer bowl and start working with the paddle at low speed adding flour until you have a soft dough that sticks to the bowl (about 2 cups or 270 gm) and work until it comes together , cover with cling film and let rest 30 min
2. Add the sponge to the mixer bowl along with a tablespoon of flour and start mixing at low speed (if you wish to add the zests do it now)
3. When it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl add one yolk and as soon as the yolk is absorbed add one tablespoon of flour
4. Add the second yolk , the sugar and as soon as the yolk is absorbed add one tablespoon of flour
5. Raise the speed a little
6. Add the third yolk and the salt and as soon as the yolk is absorbed add one tablespoon of flour
7. Keep on adding one yolk at the time and the flour saving a tablespoon of flour for later
8. Mix the dough until is elastic and makes threads
9. Add the butter at room temperature and as soon as the butter is adsorbed add the last tablespoon of flour
10. Keep on mixing till the dough passes the window pane test
11. Cover the dough with cling film and let it proof until it has tripled in volume 2 to 3 hours.



12. You can prepare the Pastry cream now if you chose to use it, and refrigerate it



13. While you wait prepare your baking pan buttering it very carefully not leaving too much butter on it
14.Grease your dough scraper, your hands and your work surface and put the dough on it and fold with the Dough Package Fold two or three times around (5 folds twice or three times). Cover with cling foil and let it rest 15 minutes on the counter
15. Turn the dough upside down and with the help of your buttered dough scraper shape your doughhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta2_h6Qogp0 in a rounded bun
16. Make a hole in the center with your thumb and put it in the prepared pan



17. Cover with cling film and let rise in a warm spot until the dough reaches the top of the pan about 1 hour



18. Pre-heat oven to moderate 340°F/170°C/gas mark 3
19. Bake the Savarin for about 40 minutes until the top is golden brown



20. Meanwhile prepare the Syrup



21. When the Savarin is done take it out of the oven, let it cool and remove carefully out of the pan



22. You have two choices now : you can immerse it in syrup right now or you can let it dry out (so it will lose some of the moisture that will be replaced by the syrup) and soak it later on.
23. To immerse it in syrup it is a good idea to place it in the mold you baked it in (I’m afraid a spring-form one wouldn’t work for this) and keep adding ladles of syrup until you see it along the rim of the pan. Or you can just soak it in a big bowl keeping your ladle on top of it so it doesn’t float. Once the Savarin is really well soaked carefully move it on a cooling rack positioned over a pan to let the excess syrup drip



24.The soaked Savarin gains in flavor the next day
25.Whatever you decide the day you want to serve it glaze it and fill the hole with your filling of choice and decorate it. You can serve the Savarin with some filling on the side




Syrup


Orange & Vanilla Syrup in this one.


2 1/2 cups orange juice.
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean pod
1 cup water
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons


Mix it all up, reduce it until sticky, and total volume is about 2 1/2 cups


Pastry Cream


Vanilla and Lemon flavoured...


2 cups (500 ml) milk
¼ cup (60 ml) (2 oz) (60 gm) sugar
zest of one lemon
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (1¼ oz) (35 gm) cornstarch
¼ cup (60 ml) (2 oz) (60 gm) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream (I used Marscapone instead, because I had it on hand. Worked fine.)
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthways


1. In a saucepan bring to a boil milk, sugar and vanilla bean
2. In a bowl whisk together egg yolks, egg, cornstarch and sugar
3. Add the hot milk to the eggs one tablespoon at the time to temper it
4. Pour in the saucepan again and bring to a boil stirring constantly
5. When the cream thickens remove from the stove
6. Put cling film onto the cream (touching the surface) and cool
7. Pour 1 cup (250 ml) cold heavy cream in mixer bowl with the whisk attachment
8. Beat until whipped
9. Combine with the cooled pastry cream adding a tablespoon at the time of whipped cream until it gets to the right consistency.