Chocolate passion entremet
Valentine's day is around the corner and there is nothing better than to finish your Valentine's day dinner with a chocolate dessert. I wanted to make something special for me and my husband, so I decided to try and make my first entremets (multi-layered mousse based cake with different complementary flavors and textures).
Because chocolate is a must on Valentine's day (or almost any day in my opinion) I made a dark chocolate cream (cremeux au chocolat noir) for the main part of my dessert. The bottom of the entremet formed a simple pistachio cake. I also made a sour cherry gelee which I placed in the middle of the entremet. The gelee gives a freshness/acidity and cuts through the richness from all of the chocolate. The whole dessert is then covered with a chocolate glaze and topped with sour cherries and heart tuiles.
Because I have absolutely no experience in making entremets I adapted a recipe from an amazing dailydelicious.blogspot.com, which is always my inspiration.
The dessert can be made in a simple round pastry mold or any kind of silicone mold that you have.
To give the dessert some texture I made heart shaped tuiles, a thin crisp wafer made of dough. I made tuiles for the first time and I must say it was a lot of fun making them. They bake for only 5 minutes and when they are hot they can be shaped in different forms. Although I burned my fingers a little, it was totally worth it, the cookies were so cute and delicious.
I needed two days to make this dessert, first I made the sour cherry gelee, which needed time to set. Then I made the cake and chocolate creme, I assemble the entremet and put it in the freezer. The next day I made the tuiles and the chocolate glaze.
There are many different combinations you can use to make this dessert, instead of sour cherries you can use strawberries or raspberries and you can substitute the pistachio cake for any other cake you like.
Time:
Making the pistachio cake:
Making the chocolate creme:
Place the gelatin sheets in cold water and set aside. Chop the chocolate in small pieces and place it in the heat-proof bowl.
Pour the milk in a small pot and brig it to the boil. Meanwhile beat the egg yolks and sugar until combined. Pour hot milk over the egg yolks and whisk all the time to prevent the eggs to cook. Put the mixture back in the pot and cook over medium heat until 80°C (176°F). Take off the heat and squeeze the gelatin sheets and add them to the mixture. Mix until the gelatin melts and pour the mixture through a sieve over the bowl of with the chocolate. Wait 2 minutes then stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture does not have any lumps. Let the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Whip the whipping creme to soft peaks, add 1/3 of the cream to the cooled chocolate mixture and fold to combine. Pour the chocolate mixture back in the whipped cream and fold to combine. Pour the mixture in a piping bag.
Assemble the entremet:
Pipe the chocolate cream half way into the molds, add a slice of sour cherry gelee and top with more chocolate creme. Place the pistachio cake over the cream and freeze until firm, about 6 hours or even better overnight.
Cover the bowl and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicon baking mat. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes, this will help with the spreading of the batter. If you want to make heart shaped tuiles, you will need a stencil (cardboard template), I made mine with a cookie cutter and cardboard. Draw the heart on the cardboard and cut the heart shape out.
Press the stencil on a baking sheet and use a palette knife to smooth the batter on the stencil. Gently lift the stencil and do the same for all the hearts. Leave some room between the shapes.
You can also use a piping bag and pipe the desired shapes. Make sure that you spread the batter really thin because the cookies will puff up in the oven. If you want to shape/bend the cookies, prepare the baking sheet with a rolling pin or/and wooden spoons.
Bake for about 5 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately take each cookie off the baking sheet and bend/shape them. Place each cookie on a rolling pin or a wooden spoon.
Assemble:
Take the cake out of the fridge and top with thawed sour cherries. Stick the tuiles in the chocolate creme. Decorate with shards of tempered chocolate. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Happy Valentine's day!
Because chocolate is a must on Valentine's day (or almost any day in my opinion) I made a dark chocolate cream (cremeux au chocolat noir) for the main part of my dessert. The bottom of the entremet formed a simple pistachio cake. I also made a sour cherry gelee which I placed in the middle of the entremet. The gelee gives a freshness/acidity and cuts through the richness from all of the chocolate. The whole dessert is then covered with a chocolate glaze and topped with sour cherries and heart tuiles.
Because I have absolutely no experience in making entremets I adapted a recipe from an amazing dailydelicious.blogspot.com, which is always my inspiration.
The dessert can be made in a simple round pastry mold or any kind of silicone mold that you have.
To give the dessert some texture I made heart shaped tuiles, a thin crisp wafer made of dough. I made tuiles for the first time and I must say it was a lot of fun making them. They bake for only 5 minutes and when they are hot they can be shaped in different forms. Although I burned my fingers a little, it was totally worth it, the cookies were so cute and delicious.
I needed two days to make this dessert, first I made the sour cherry gelee, which needed time to set. Then I made the cake and chocolate creme, I assemble the entremet and put it in the freezer. The next day I made the tuiles and the chocolate glaze.
There are many different combinations you can use to make this dessert, instead of sour cherries you can use strawberries or raspberries and you can substitute the pistachio cake for any other cake you like.
Chocolate passion entremet
(Makes 8 medium sized entremets)
Preparation: 40min
Cooking: 1 hour
Baking: 40min
Baking: 40min
Cooling: 40min
Setting: 2 hours
For the sour cherry gelee:
- 200g frozen sour cherries
- 1/2 teaspoon agar-agar
- 100ml water
- 1 tablespoon cherry liquier (optional)
- 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 80g shelled pistachio nuts (not salted)
- 80g room temperature butter
- 75g white granulated sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 100g eggs (2 large eggs)
- 10g all-purpose flour
- 10g cornstarch
- 135g chopped dark chocolate (I used 60% cocoa mass)
- 65g egg yolks (3 large)
- 25g white granulated sugar
- 150g milk (I used skimmed milk)
- 165g heavy cream
- 3g gelatin sheets (2 sheets)
- 44g milk (I used skimmed milk)
- 20g glucose syrup
- 30g heavy cream
- 20g white granulated sugar
- 100g dark couverture chocolate (I used 57% cocoa mass)
- 34g dark chocolate (I used 60% cocoa mass)
- 65g room temperature butter
- 60g sifted icing sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, I used sour cherry juice)
- 2 large egg whites
- 65g sifted all-purpose flour
- food coloring/cocoa powder (optional)
Place the frozen cherries in a small pot and cook gently until boiling. Blend the cherries with a stick blender or food processor until smooth. Pour the mixture in a bowl through a sieve, discard the fleshy bits, add the liquier (if using) and set aside.
Pour the water in a small pot add the sugar and agar-agar. Stir and cook until all the agar-agar powder melts, bring to the boil and keep stirring. Add the cherry puree, cook over high heat and don't stop stirring. When the mixture starts to boil, place it off the heat and pour in a small baking or heat-proof dish. Leave at room temperature until slightly set, then transfer in a fridge to set completely, about 2 hours. Slice to medium sized pieces, that will fit in the mold you are using for the entremet.
Making the pistachio cake:
Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F) and line a small baking dish (preferably 18x18 cm) with baking paper.
Place the pistachios, flour and corn starch in the food processor and process until fine. Sift the mixture in a bowl and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the eggs and beat to combine. Fold the pistachio mixture in the butter mixture. Transfer the mixture in a baking dish and bake for about 17-20 minutes. After the cake is baked take it out and leave to cool completely. Slice to pieces that will fit the mold you are using for the entremet.
Making the chocolate creme:
Place the gelatin sheets in cold water and set aside. Chop the chocolate in small pieces and place it in the heat-proof bowl.
Pour the milk in a small pot and brig it to the boil. Meanwhile beat the egg yolks and sugar until combined. Pour hot milk over the egg yolks and whisk all the time to prevent the eggs to cook. Put the mixture back in the pot and cook over medium heat until 80°C (176°F). Take off the heat and squeeze the gelatin sheets and add them to the mixture. Mix until the gelatin melts and pour the mixture through a sieve over the bowl of with the chocolate. Wait 2 minutes then stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture does not have any lumps. Let the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Whip the whipping creme to soft peaks, add 1/3 of the cream to the cooled chocolate mixture and fold to combine. Pour the chocolate mixture back in the whipped cream and fold to combine. Pour the mixture in a piping bag.
Assemble the entremet:
Pipe the chocolate cream half way into the molds, add a slice of sour cherry gelee and top with more chocolate creme. Place the pistachio cake over the cream and freeze until firm, about 6 hours or even better overnight.
Making the chocolate glaze:
Chop both kinds of chocolate into small pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl. Pour all the ingredients in a small pot, except the chocolate. Bring it to the boil and pour over the chocolate, stir until combined.
Un-mold the cake from the freezer and pour over the chocolate glaze, place the cake in the fridge until ready to serve.
Making the tuiles:
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Using a hand whisk or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous smooth batter/ paste, but do not over-mix. Add a dash of the food coloring if using.
(The batter will keep in a fridge for 1 week, take it out 30 minutes in advance before using it.)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicon baking mat. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes, this will help with the spreading of the batter. If you want to make heart shaped tuiles, you will need a stencil (cardboard template), I made mine with a cookie cutter and cardboard. Draw the heart on the cardboard and cut the heart shape out.
You can also use a piping bag and pipe the desired shapes. Make sure that you spread the batter really thin because the cookies will puff up in the oven. If you want to shape/bend the cookies, prepare the baking sheet with a rolling pin or/and wooden spoons.
Bake for about 5 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately take each cookie off the baking sheet and bend/shape them. Place each cookie on a rolling pin or a wooden spoon.
Take the cake out of the fridge and top with thawed sour cherries. Stick the tuiles in the chocolate creme. Decorate with shards of tempered chocolate. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Happy Valentine's day!
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