Recipes
Place the butter in a round-bottomed mixing bowl.
Work the butter until soft to incorporate it more easily later.
Add the powdered sugar and mix well.
Add the almond powder, salt and potato starch.
Mix the ingredients together.
Finish by progressively adding the flour and the eggs, while alternating.
Mix the preparation until you obtain a homogeneous paste.
Add the egg yolks and the remaining flour.
Place the dough on the work surface.
Work the dough by hand until smooth.
Roll out the dough into a square about 1.5 cm thick.
Film on contact.
Set aside in the refrigerator at +4°C for 1 hour.
Dust the work surface.
Cut the dough with a knife into small cubes before the fraisage.
Fold the dough over itself several times until smooth.
Shape the dough into a square of even thickness.
Film the dough on contact.
Set it aside and refrigerate at +4°C for 1 hour and 30 minutes before rolling it out.
Toast the pistachios for 20 minutes at 150ºC.
Cook the sugar into dry caramel.
Cool down and mix everything in the robot coupe until it’s becoming homogenic.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs, the powders and pecan paste.
Pipe the cream over the Pâte Sucrée (recipe above), top with pistachios and bake for 10-12 minutes at 160°C.
Cool down.
Heat the cream, blanch the yolks and sugar.
Cook to 83ºC.
Add the gelatin mass and pistachio paste.
Blend to emulsify the texture cool down before using.
Heat the cream and add the soaked and squeezed gelatin.
Make an emulsion by gradually pouring the cream onto the previously melted ivory chocolate.
Add the orange blossom.
Reserve in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Whip the cream in the mixer.
Cook the sugar and water at 245°F (118°C).
Add the nuts.
Mix until the sugar sets.
Put the pan back on the heat and caramelize the sugar until you are satisfied with it.
Based in Dubai since 2011, Chef Karim Bourgi is Executive Pastry Chef for the Al Mana Group, a role in which he manages the opening of La Maison du Chocolat Paris boutiques in the Middle East. He has just opened the Hermes Paris Cafe in the new Fashion Avenue Dubai Mall. Designated 3rd Best Pastry Chef at the Pâtissier dans le Monde competition in 2014, this lover of patisserie, born in Senegal to Lebanese parents, has trained in the finest establishments. A member of Les Toques Blanches du Monde, Chef Bourgi founded his own consultancy and boutique, KB Gourmandises, four years ago - which currently employs four people. This is his portrait.
