Page 205 - Pie It Forward: Pies, Tarts, Tortes, Galettes, and Other Pastries Reinvented

melts and is incorporated perfectly. To finish, sprinkle chopped
hazelnuts on top of the caramel to add a little nutty flavor!

A NOTE FROM THE SWEETIE PIE

To make the thin, hard strands of caramel that decorate the
perimeter of the Gateau St. Honoré, I use a piece of homemade
equipment I call a “sugar whisk.” You can buy a specialized piece
of equipment at pastry supply stores for hundreds of dollars, or
you can buy a $5 ball whisk, get a pair of wire cutters, and cut off

the top of the whisk (those pieces of wire that arch over), so that
you’re left with independent wire tines. Clip the tines as evenly as
possible. You dip the tines into the hot sugar and are rewarded
with multiple strands of gorgeous sugar!