Chef-goddess Blandine's exquisite creation. Royal Gourmet Cake first captured Blandine's imagination when she sampled a slice in a French bakery years prior. Living in Paris where she grew up, she was back at the bakery again and again for she loved this cake. Experimenting over time, Blandine developed her own version, which she loves even more. And I love it, too: a light, meringue-ish base, crunchy almond-hazelnut praline layer, smooth mousse above that, topped with chocolate ganache frosting and dusted with premium cocoa powder. The decorations are bar chocolate which we melted and dripped onto wax paper, chilled, and added last to the cake.
To take the cake-making class and therefore possess this recipe along with improved techniques, go to The French Kitchen Cooking Classes website: www.tfkcc.com. You will leave the class with a Royal Gourmet Cake of your own and the ability to make it again and again, to the delight of those who dine with you.
