Giant Easter Creme Egg for Daring Bakers’ Challenge
Good golly gosh! Where has this year gone?!
A quarter of the year has slipped away just like that, and we are already in Autumn season down under here in Australia. Easter also suddenly creeps up on me when I am least expected, so as the Darking Bakers’ Challenge!
The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris. I am sure all the daring bakers probably tilting their heads thinking “what the?” when they saw this giant Easter egg on my Daring Bakers post.
But wait, and then…
*CRACKS!*
Ta-dah!
It is a giant orange tian creme egg! The typical me wants to jazz things up a little and go all the way out to make something a little different and more festive. Hence, I’ve decided to assemble the tian inside an Easter egg and with whipped cream as egg white, and orange caramel sauce as the runny egg yolk. I have kept most of the components of the orange tian inside the egg except the orange segments, worried it will get too wet and soggy inside and the whole egg will just melt and collapsed. So I only used the orange segments on the side when it is served.
The assemble of the egg is pretty simply, but the most challenging part is to fill up the small egg inside with orange caramel sauce. I used a piping tube with a small tip to drip the sauce into a tiny hole on top of the egg. The sauce can’t be too watery or too hot, as it will melt the chocolate egg. Hence it has to be like a thick caramel sauce, and chilled in the fridge before piping it into the egg. I am so happy that it works like a treat.
But excuse me for that ugly looking shattered egg creme, it is tasty nevertheless.
I actually also made two of the normal version orange tians with some of the leftover ingredients. I replaced the orange segments with mango, and also added chocolate ganache hidden underneath the whipped cream.
Overall the orange (or mango in my case) is tasty, but not my favourite. I find it lack of substance and it is basically eating a whole pile of whipped cream with some fruit and a biscuit. It is a little too sweet and missing a component which I can’t get quite put my finger on. Need something more solid or firmer in texture to counterbalance on all the soft components in the dessert.
Anyway, I had great fun making the giant creme egg and thanks for this month’s daring bakers’ challenge. But sorry to announce that this could be my last daring baker challenge. The reason why is due to time poor and also lack of motivation, only myself to be blamed really. I have had so much fun with all the daring barkers’ challenges and thank you for giving me the opportunities to make something I’d have never thought of doing.
For now, it is a “maybe” and will give it a break. But I am sure my hands will get itchy when I find out what next month’s challenge is. Who knows?! I am so fickle.
Until then, have a HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!
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Cornflakes Pate Sablee Ingredients 2 medium-sized egg yolks at room temperature 80g caster sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 100g Unsalted butter - ice cold, cubed 1/3 tsp Salt 200g All-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup cornflakes - crunched into crumbs Directions 1. Put the flour, cornflakes, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and mixed on medium speed until well combined. 2. In a separate bowl, add the eggs yolks, vanilla extract and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. 3. Add dry mixture into wet mixture and process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogenous ball of dough. 4. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until around 1/4 inch thick, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. 5. Preheat oven to 175 degree Celcius. 6. Using a cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.
Orange Caramel Sauce Ingredients Juice of 2 fresh oranges - squeezed 5 tbsp caster sugar 2 tsp Orange rind finely chopped Directions 1. Place the sugar, orange juice and rind in a pan on high heat. 2. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium and keep boiling until the orange juice reduced by half and thick. 3. Take it off the heat and strain the orange sauce into a bowl and let it cool. Keep the rind for using in whipped cream later. 4. Once the orange caramel sauce is cool enough, put it in the fridge and let it completely chilled.
Orange rind whipped cream Ingredients 1 cup thickened cream 3 tablespoons of hot water 1 tsp Gelatine 1 tablespoon of caster sugar Orange rind reserved from orange caramel sauce (see above) Directions 1. In a small bowl, add the gelatine and hot water, stirring well until the gelatine dissolves. Let the gelatine cool to room temperature. 2. Combine the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the cream on medium speed until the cream starts to thicken for about one minute. 3. Add sugar and increase the speed to medium-high. Whip the cream until the beaters leave visible (but not lasting) trails in the cream, then add the cooled gelatine slowly while beating continuously. 4. Continue whipping until the cream is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and fold in the orange rind.
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients 200g dark chocolate 100g thickened cream Directions 1. add chocolate and thickened cream into a mixing bowl and put it into microwave. Turn microwave on for 2 minutes. 2. the mixture should be slightly melted, mix it with a dry spoon until well combined. If is not melted, put it back inside microwave for another 1 min and stir again until fully melted. 3. Let it cool for at least one hour, until the mixture thicken.
Assembling the Easter Egg Ingredients 1 small easter egg 1 big easter egg Directions 1. Dip a knife in hot water for 10-15secs, wipe dry and gentle run the knife blade along the line on the big easter egg and to melt it. Repeat the step until the egg shell is split in half. 2. Put the egg shell in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to make sure is completely chilled and hard before filling it. 3. Poke a small hole on top of small egg using a skewer stick. Fill a piping syringe with the orange caramel sauce, carefully aim the tip to the hole on the egg and slowly fill the egg up with the sauce. Once done, cover the hole back with a little bit of the chocolate ganache, and leave it cool again inside the fridge. 4. Take the big egg shells out of the fridge. Fill the top half with whipped cream, bottom part with chocolate ganache, and the centre with cornflakes pate sablee crumbs. Repeat on both shells. 5. Take the small egg out of the fridge, place it in the middle of the big shell. Place the other other shell over the top and seal it inside. 6. Gently seal the egg shell back together with leftover chocolate ganache. Place it back inside the fridge and let it harden again for at least 10 minutes. 7. Once set, take the egg out of the fridge, brush it with leftover orange caramel sauce, then sprinkle leftover cornflakes pate sable all over until nicely coated. 8. Sprinkle icing sugar on top. DONE!
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A Table For Two (ATFT) is Billy Law's food blog that features best eats in Sydney and around the world with drool-worthy food photography to salivate your appetite. I also throw in a smidgen of my food and travel photography for good measure. Billy Law also happened to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia 2011. 
this is uber cute! and it’s making me hungry at this hour, not good
.-= ladyironchef – Singapore Food Blog´s last blog ..Lei Garden Cantonese Restaurant, Chijmes, Singapore =-.
OHHHH MAAAAAAAA GAWAAAAD
I’m too stunned to say any other words – awesomeness to da max!!
But.. boo for your break from DBC
you always do too well to call it a quit now!
.-= Yas @ hungry.digital.elf´s last blog ..Late night cooking returned with Tori Ham =-.
omg billy, you have out-done yourself. love the top pic of all the chicks standing around and puffing their chests. your patience and creativity is quiet insane! lol
.-= Helen (GrabYourFork)´s last blog ..Freebie Friday: Win hotel accommodation worth AU$200 =-.
Amazing! This is so creative! I love how you included all the components in a unique way. Mine was much more traditional, but I can’t post it for another 10 hours! Selfishly, I hope you don’t take a DB break, as I love looking at your creations.
.-= Mary´s last blog ..TWD: Dulce de leche duos, my way =-.
What a beautiful easter egg. And fancy making that yourself rather than getting one from the chocolate store. Love it! Splendid looking orange tians..man, real drool-age here.
.-= diva´s last blog ..Red Champagne Lollipops =-.
Noooooo don’t leave us!!!!!
How else would I see such sweet magnificence like this?! Omg I want those little chickies….
DON’T GO
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Buzo Trattoria, Woollahra =-.
Absolutly gorgeous! Looks very decadent. Nice job.
Yep, I definitely did a double take when (as another person awake in the middle of the night) I saw the title of your blog post. Very creative! It would be a shame if this was indeed your last DB challenge.
How crazy is this? Very fun interpretation of the DB challenge.
This is called creativity!
Wow!
Really creative approach to this challenge. Great work! I like those little chickens you have decorated the plate with, I always have to buy a few at easter time.
.-= Mark @ Cafe Campana´s last blog ..BBQ Favourites – Kartoffelsalat =-.
Superb dude, very creative and looks great as well, well presented. Don’t take a break for the DBC, just be selective with which challenges you do
.-= Howard´s last blog ..Macha Sables =-.
Oh goodness, but did you have fun cracking open the egg in the end?
.-= mademoiselle délicieuse´s last blog ..Coco Chocolate, 30 Dec 2009 =-.
I so feel like raiding the creme eggs at woolies now
.-= Fiona´s last blog ..Sakeena’s Cups =-.
*CRY* DON’T GO! Your creme egg is brilliant! I love creme eggs…please stayyyy!
.-= Steph´s last blog ..Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Chive Dressing =-.
I like your mango tian with the ganache; but the egg is really cute!
.-= Cakelaw´s last blog ..Daring Bakers – Orange Tian =-.
AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I love it Billy! It is the best Easter egg I have ever seen. I am in awe. I love the little chickies.
.-= steph´s last blog ..Leftover Fridays: Pigs and Blog Love for No Recipes =-.
Dude this is so awesome! It’s a shame to hear that you might not continue on with DBC as your creations always seem to amaze me! But I guess if you need the time off to do things then that’s understandable; well be super excited for your arrival netherless.
I can’t wait for Easter. My boyfriend is Italian so that only means one thing… MASSIVE FEAST! Woo!
.-= Phuoc’n Delicious´s last blog ..Reminiscing: Nussschnecken in Heidelberg (Germany) =-.
Seriously creative interpretation of the challenge! You can’t leave the daring kitchen – we need that kind of creativity and inspiration!!
Also love your “standard” tian – I love mango. Really amazing job on the challenge, and I hope you’ll drop in once in a while for some more challenges!
That is too cool – your DBCs are always so creative! I love the little chickens hehe so cute
.-= Jacq´s last blog ..All You Can Eat Ribs at Waterfront Grill, Darling Harbour =-.
OMG OMG OMG this is utterly cute! I’m with everyone, don’t take a break, you’re much to creative to take a break =D
LOL maybe I should set up a challenge, to see whether I will get 100 comments to plea for me to stay on in DBC!
Let’s the game begin shall we?
No waaaaay!!! This blows my mind. You’re like a Daring Architect
Ahh brilliant work bro! Mmm looks soo gooodd and cute +10
.-= FFichiban´s last blog ..Penguin says feed me… ribs and crack pie! =-.
ahhhhh! You’re crazy B
Love what you’ve done with the DB challenge – I couldn’t figure out how it fit in until I read further.
My contribution to your 100 comment challenge! What a creative way to serve up an orange tian! Very nicely done!
.-= Ellie´s last blog ..Recipe Shout-Out (7) =-.
That “egg” is totally adorable! Have a great Easter.
.-= Alpineberry Mary´s last blog ..Orange Tian =-.
I like it! Very creative. It would be a pity to eat it though – I would just stare at it instead – maybe all day!
.-= Trissa´s last blog ..The aMAZEing Pumpkin Risotto =-.
OMG, this is sooo creative. I love the easter egg tian!
.-= ap260´s last blog ..The Daring Bakers’ Challenges 03/10: Orange Tian =-.
The last time I split an egg with a katana a bomb fell out…this is a far more pleasing surprise.
cheep cheep
NO! You can’t leave! I absolutely love all the creative things you come up with each month!!!!
I totally understand your reasoning as I am going through the same thing.. after 4 years, and so much stuff going on, I can’t find time or motivation very often either – but the difference is, when I do find the time/motivation – my creations SUCK compared to anyone else, as I don’t have the gift that you and so many other DB’s have – and that’s to make something so incredibly beautiful & interesting every month. So get it in your head you can’t leave us, cuz we’ll cry.
Take a break if you need to. 
The egg is STUNNING. I absolutely love it and wish I could do something like that in my kitchen!
Hugs!
Lis
xoxoxo
Wwwoooow Duuuude!!!!
That’s awesome!
You win my ‘most unique interpretation of the daring bakers march challenge’ !!
.-= Gala´s last blog ..DB: Orange Tian =-.
Wow, that was definitely thinking outside (way outside) the box! Nice job! Your traditional tians look beautiful as well, but that egg . . . my goodness.
This comment is my contribution to the “Don’t Go” campaign
Billy, this is brilliant! What a great idea & it looks wonderful whole or cracked! Atually, I prefer the cracked version so that we can see what’s inside =)
.-= cin´s last blog ..South Island Cafe =-.
Wow. I love the little chicks and the creamy centre of your dessert. That was so original. You are the daring baker king Billy. I love love love it…
.-= Katherine´s last blog ..Double Chocolate Brownie Bars for Easter =-.
Amazing. been looking at so many lovely creations. This must be one of my favourites. UBER cuteness to the MAX!
.-= penny aka jeroxie´s last blog ..The Salt book and a Giveaway =-.
OMG!! This is absolutely stunning! The best version of the DB challenge I’ve seen so far. Such a shame you will be leaving. Happy Easter!
.-= bakingaddict´s last blog ..Daring Baker’s March 2010 Challenge – Orange Tian =-.
omg, that is absolutely amazing!!! so creative and a little extra effort makes something ordinary into something so special!
simply outrageous! always love your fantastic ideas for the challenges! this one’s awesome! nice job billy!
.-= Meeta´s last blog ..Daring Bakers: Kumquat Tian =-.
I love it I love it I love it!!!
.-= Conor @ HoldtheBeef´s last blog ..Happy Easter! =-.