Grapefruit & Gin petit gâteau

I love pairing gin with pastries. Finding different gins with varying flavour profiles is such a fun way to alter the taste of a pastry while using the same recipe. Grapefruit and gin are a flavour match made in heaven, and create a pretty pink gâteau at the same time.

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Instructions

1.	GRAPEFRUIT CAKE
2.	Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a tin 16cm x 26cm and 3.5cm deep.
3.	Whisk the butter and sugar together in a bowl until well combined, then whisk in the egg.
4.	Whisk the oil and grapefruit juice in, followed by the flour and baking powder.
5.	Once smooth, pour into the lined tin and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the cake is just set to the touch.
6.	Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
7.	GRAPEFRUIT GIN CREMEUX
8.	Soak the gelatine sheet in cold water until soft. Drain and set aside.
9.	Whisk the grapefruit juice, sugar, egg, red colouring and gin together in a small pot.
10.	Cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils.
11.	Remove from the heat and whisk in the gelatine sheet.
12.	Allow to cool to 45°C, then blend in the butter with a stick blender.
13.	Once fully combined, pour over the cooled cake, level off with a palette knife and freeze for at least an hour before making the grapefruit and gin mousse.
14.	GRAPEFRUIT & GIN MOUSSE
15.	Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water until soft.
16.	Drain and put in a pot with 20g of the grapefruit juice.
17.	Cook over a very low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatine is fully melted.
18.	Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining grapefruit juice, gin and red colouring.
19.	Set aside while you whip the cream to medium peaks. Set the cream aside.
20.	To make the Swiss meringue, put the egg whites and sugar together in a bain-marie.
21.	Whisk constantly until the mixture is hot to the touch, or has reached 75°C.
22.	Remove from the heat and whisk with an electric whisk or a stand mixer until you have a stiff-peaked meringue.
23.	Whisk the grapefruit mixture into this, then fold in the cream until just combined.
24.	Pour over the frozen cremeux and level off with a palette knife. Freeze overnight until solid.
25.	PORTIONING
26.	See Techniques section (here)to portion your petit gâteau.
27.	Portion the gâteau into 20 pieces that are 7 x 2.5cm rectangles.
28.	Store in the freezer and defrost fully before finishing.
29.	TO FINISH
30.	Use a fine zester to zest the grapefruit over the gâteaux.
31.	Decorate with a few leaves of baby basil and edible flowers.