Marie-Louise Timbale

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •6-inch (15 cm) diameter, 4-inch (10 cm) deep Charlotte mould for the Génoise
• •Long thin serrated knife
• •Small offset spatula and two broad serving spatulas
• •Piping bag with a medium star tip, optional
• •Fine-mesh sieve and small saucepan

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the salpicon

   Set the peaches, pineapple, and cherries in a sieve for 30 minutes, then blot them gently. Reserve two peach halves for the sauce and cut four into slender wedges for the crown. Dice the remaining two peach halves and combine them with the pineapple and cherries to make the salpicon, a neat, even dice. The pieces must feel dry rather than syrupy; if they still shine, blot them again. Moisture left here will loosen the meringue later.

   Good canned peaches and pineapple are honest choices outside their season. Fruit picked ripe and preserved properly is far better here than hard fresh fruit that tastes of nothing.
2. 2

   Hollow the Génoise

   Set the day-old Pâte à Génoise Fine (No. 2376) upright on a board. Score a circle ½ inch (1.25 cm) inside its edge. Mark the knife blade so you can stop ½ inch (1.25 cm) above the base, then cut straight down around the circle. Slip a small offset spatula beneath the cut crumb and lift it out in one cork-shaped piece. Slice this plug horizontally into ½-inch (1.25 cm) rounds, keeping them in order. If the plug tears, don't discard it. Ça se rattrape: fit the pieces together before slicing, and the meringue will bind them during assembly.

   A day-old Génoise cuts cleanly because its crumb has settled. If yours is very fresh, leave it uncovered for an hour before hollowing; a soft cake compresses under the knife.
3. 3

   Reduce the peach sauce

   Purée the two reserved peach halves with the peach syrup and lemon juice until completely smooth. Pour the purée into a small saucepan and simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until it lightly naps the back of a spoon. Pass it through a fine sieve and hold it off the heat. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with a spoonful of reserved syrup; if thin, return it to the pan for another minute. Stir in the Kirsch only after the sauce leaves the heat so its fragrance remains clear.

4. 4

   Rebuild the timbale

   Set the hollow Génoise shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread each crumb round with a layer of Meringue à l’Italienne (No. 2383) about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, then scatter it evenly with salpicon, leaving a narrow bare edge. Coat the exterior and rim of the shell with more meringue, using simple upward strokes and reserving about ½ cup (120 ml / 85 g). Return the rounds to the cavity one by one, in their original order, fruit side up. They will rise naturally above the rim. Arrange the peach wedges around the projecting stack, placing a small rosette or spoonful of the reserved meringue between each wedge. If the stack leans, lift off the top rounds, remove some fruit, and rebuild with thinner layers. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Colour it gently

   Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C), or 275°F (135°C) with a fan, and place a rack in the center. Bake the timbale for 18 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheet once, until the raised ridges are pale biscuit-gold and the surface looks dry and set. The meringue is already cooked; this mild oven colours it without forcing out its syrup. Do not use a broiler or kitchen torch. If beads of syrup appear, remove the timbale at once and spoon away any collected syrup at the base. A pale, dry timbale is correct; more colour isn't worth a weeping meringue.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let the timbale settle for 5 minutes, then transfer it carefully to a serving platter with two broad spatulas. Rewarm the peach sauce gently without boiling and pour it into a small sauceboat. Cut the timbale with a light sawing motion so each serving receives some outer shell, layered center, and peach crown, then spoon the Kirsch-flavoured peach sauce alongside at the table. Never apologize at your own table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Stale Génoise is not a compromise here. The settled crumb is strong enough to hollow, slice, coat, and rebuild; a newly baked cake is too tender for the architecture.
• •Use the Meringue à l’Italienne while it is fresh and supple. If it has tightened before assembly, beat it briefly until smooth, but don't thin it with water or syrup.
• •Drain the fruit longer than seems necessary. The salpicon should cling to the meringue without leaving a wet trail on the bowl, because syrup between the layers makes them slide.
• •A mild oven is part of the recipe, not brigade scaffolding. Fierce top heat colours the sugar before the body of the meringue dries and draws syrup onto the surface.
• •The finished timbale is best served shortly after colouring. Refrigeration dulls the Génoise and encourages the fruit and meringue to exchange moisture.

Advance Preparation

• •Bake the Pâte à Génoise Fine (No. 2376) in the deep Charlotte mould one day ahead. Cool it completely and keep it loosely covered at room temperature so the crumb settles without becoming damp.
• •The peach sauce can be puréed, reduced, and strained one day ahead, then covered and chilled. Rewarm it gently and add the Kirsch off the heat just before serving.
• •The fruit can drain several hours ahead, but cut the salpicon no more than 4 hours before assembly and keep it chilled on an absorbent towel.
• •Prepare the Meringue à l’Italienne (No. 2383) shortly before assembly. Once the fruit and meringue meet, colour and serve the timbale without a long wait.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 210g)