Light Chiboust Cream Cake with Nougat and Apricot Compote

I’ll admit, I almost didn’t put this cake on the blog. It was a first try and we finally tasted it with our family. I found it too low in sugar at first, which was ultimately not so bad for my mom who is diabetic. And after the second slice, the opinions were unanimous: once you got used to its light, airy and not very sweet side, this cake was perfect for a hot and sunny day. So I’m posting it today. I didn’t change anything: I didn’t add any sugar and that’s what makes it different. For the chiboust cream, we usually add an Italian meringue rich in sugar, but here I used a French meringue with very little sugar. At the moment you have noticed, I put a lot of recipes of desserts: the reason? I’m writing my second book, this time about savory dishes from around the world, so I’m always cooking savory dishes at home! So I am entertaining myself with desserts but I reassure you, I have lots of good things to propose to you very soon, including a very fresh salmon terrine, perfect for the summer !

Recipe for light apricot cake:

Pistachio cookie

-80g of egg whites

-35g of sugar

-50g icing sugar

-40g of pistachio powder

-60g of almond powder

Light chiboust cream nougat:

-90g of nougat

-10g of sugar

-250ml of milk

-4 egg yolks

-20g of cream powder

-3 sheets of gelatin
-120g of egg whites
-50g of sugar

Apricot compote:

-400g of pitted apricots

-50g of water

-100g of sugar

-1 vanilla bean

-1 tablespoon praline powder

-3 sheets of gelatin

Start by preparing your pistachio almond cookie. It is neither more nor less than a kind of dacquoise. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Pour in the powdered sugar and continue to whisk until you can no longer feel the sugar grains in the meringue.

Briefly mix the pistachio powder, almond powder and powdered sugar.

Add all the powder obtained in one go to the meringue and mix by lifting as for a mousse not to make the whole fall down.

Put the dough in a bag with a 10mm nozzle and make a thick disk of 20cm on baking paper, the diameter of the circle we will use later.

Bake at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes.

For the nougat cream: cut the nougat in large pieces in a saucepan and pour the milk.

Heat over low heat and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yolks, cream powder and sugar. (on the picture there are more yolks, but there are 4 in the recipe).

When the milk boils and all the nougat has melted, pour it over the yolk-sugar-cream powder mixture.

Return to the stove and cook until it boils, whisking over moderate heat.

Soak your gelatin sheets in cold water until soft and wring them out well.

Add them to the pastry cream.

Mix for 2 minutes to disperse gelatin.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, adding the sugar as before.

Add the whites to the still warm cream and mix while lifting the whole.

This is the baked cookie. Peel it off the paper ! Place it back on the paper, then use the circle to cut the size of the cake and remove the excess.

Pour the light chiboust cream over the cookie disk. There should be at least a 7-8mm margin at the top of the circle for the compote. Chill (on a plate) for one hour and then freeze.

Make your compote: put the pitted apricots, cut into pieces in a saucepan. Add water, sugar and the inside of a vanilla bean.

Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes over moderate heat.

Remove from the heat and add the praline powder. You can put some ready-made from the store.

Then add the soaked, softened and wrung out gelatin sheets.

Mix well and pour the mixture (even when hot) over the chilled (frozen) cream.

Let cool to room temperature, then place in the fridge and then in the freezer.

The next day, take out the frozen cake. Run a hair dryer around the metal ring and then untie the cake. Place on a plate and chill in the fridge to defrost until serving.