18 hours ago, jmacnaughtan said:
I disagree - there's something wrong with your pastry and/or pastry cream if it can't stand upright on its own.
The traditional way is just puff pasty and pastry cream. I like to incorporate 1% gelatin and 3% cocoa butter into the pastry cream while it's still hot, then when it cools to body temperature blitz in about 20% butter (as a % of the milk). Let it set overnight, then whip for 15 minutes before using - it makes it firmer and lighter.
I think you would have problems with a bavarois (unless you really pack it with gelatin), especially when you cut the cake. They're delicate, so I'd be worried about the cake collapsing and mousse squirting out all over yourself and guests. Then panic, depression, etc.
Doweling has nothing to do with the pastry cream. The dowels are for support when stacking multiple cake tiers on top of each other. You wanna take the chance of it collasping, that's fine. I just choose to not ruin someone's wedding with their cake in a pile on the floor.
