Blueberry beauty
I love using fresh fruit to make my desserts. I had some leftover blueberries in the fridge and leftover prosecco jelly from my prosecco and peach verrine. I decided to combine those two leftover elements, by making a blueberry mousse with a jelly center. For some crunch I made a chocolate and cornflake disc. The chocolate and blueberry combination is very delicious, that's why I also made a chocolate sponge for the bottom of my entremet.
Making blueberry mousse is generally simple but I had some problems with it. I had to make my Italian meringue twice, because the first batch just didn't work. My sugar syrup was too hot and the meringue was too liquid. The quantity of egg whites and sugar is small, and I would suggest using a hand held mixer instead of a big planetary mixer. This way you can evenly mix and whisk even small amount of ingredients.
All you need for the chocolate and cornflake disc is chocolate and cornflakes. Really simple, you just melt the chocolate and add crushed cornflakes. Mix together and spread thinly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat. Place it in the freezer and when slightly set, cut out the desired round discs. The crunchy component gives the dessert a needed textural element and makes it even more delicious.
I used a simple recipe for my chocolate sponge. The recipe is the same as in my chocolate banana mousse cake. After assembly I had some leftover sponge and I froze the leftovers (the sponge really freezes well) and made a completely new dessert a few days later.
I absolutely love the look of this blueberry beauty. For a polished look I made a purple milk glaze, it made it look even better, plus it protects the mousse from outer elements and makes the dessert last longer. If you don't have purple food coloring just use a drop of blue and a drop of red and mix.
I decorated the entremet with tempered white chocolate discs and additional blueberries dipped in granulated sugar. The only flowers I had were from my basil plant, they looked good and the flavor actually complemented blueberries.
After tasting, I was very happy with the flavors but the blueberry flavor could be more powerful. When making this again I will incorporate some blueberry preserves or marmalade for a punchy blueberry flavor. You could smear some blueberry jam on the chocolate sponge before assembly or just add it into the mousse. Other than that, the dessert was delicious and I was very proud of putting in on a table.
Making blueberry mousse is generally simple but I had some problems with it. I had to make my Italian meringue twice, because the first batch just didn't work. My sugar syrup was too hot and the meringue was too liquid. The quantity of egg whites and sugar is small, and I would suggest using a hand held mixer instead of a big planetary mixer. This way you can evenly mix and whisk even small amount of ingredients.
All you need for the chocolate and cornflake disc is chocolate and cornflakes. Really simple, you just melt the chocolate and add crushed cornflakes. Mix together and spread thinly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat. Place it in the freezer and when slightly set, cut out the desired round discs. The crunchy component gives the dessert a needed textural element and makes it even more delicious.
I used a simple recipe for my chocolate sponge. The recipe is the same as in my chocolate banana mousse cake. After assembly I had some leftover sponge and I froze the leftovers (the sponge really freezes well) and made a completely new dessert a few days later.
I absolutely love the look of this blueberry beauty. For a polished look I made a purple milk glaze, it made it look even better, plus it protects the mousse from outer elements and makes the dessert last longer. If you don't have purple food coloring just use a drop of blue and a drop of red and mix.
I decorated the entremet with tempered white chocolate discs and additional blueberries dipped in granulated sugar. The only flowers I had were from my basil plant, they looked good and the flavor actually complemented blueberries.
After tasting, I was very happy with the flavors but the blueberry flavor could be more powerful. When making this again I will incorporate some blueberry preserves or marmalade for a punchy blueberry flavor. You could smear some blueberry jam on the chocolate sponge before assembly or just add it into the mousse. Other than that, the dessert was delicious and I was very proud of putting in on a table.
Blueberry beauty
(Makes about 7)
Time:
Preparation: 45min
Cooking: 10min
Baking: 14-16min
For the chocolate sponge:
- 3 eggs
- 90g granulated white sugar
- 70g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 15g cocoa powder
- 20g melted butter
- 15g room temperature heavy cream
- a pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Kirsch liqueur (optional)
- 100g chocolate (I used Nestle praline)
- 50g crushed cornflakes (I used Nestle regular)
- a pinch of salt
- 300ml prosecco
- 100ml water
- 45g white granulated sugar
- lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
- 4 leafs gelatin
- 180g blueberry pure (250g fresh blueberries)
- half a lemon juice (12g)
- 40g room temperature egg whites
- 70g white granulated sugar
- 8g gelatin sheets
- 20g water
- 160g heavy cream
- 90g white granulated sugar
- 22g water
- 100g whipping cream
- 22g milk
- 30g glucose syrup
- 15g nappage (I substituted with cold mirror gel)
- 3g gelatin sheets (2 leafs)
- violet food coloring (optional)
Soak gelatin in cold water and set aside.
In a medium sized pot combine prosecco, water, sugar and lemon zest. Put on medium heat and cook until very hot but not boiling.
Take off the heat and stir in the soaked gelatin. Pour the mixture in a bowl and cool over an ice bath.
Once cooled completely, pour into silicon hemispheres mold and place in the freezer.
Freeze until ready to use.
Making chocolate cereal discs:
Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over hot water.
Sprinkle over crushed cornflakes and mix. Add a pinch of salt.
Pour the mixture on the parchment paper or silicon mat on a baking sheet and thin it out (about 1cm thick).
Place in the freezer for 5 minutes then take a round cutter and mark the circles. Cover with foil and place back in the freezer until solid.
Making chocolate sponge:
Combine flour, salt and cocoa powder in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of your electric or hand mixer whisk the eggs until light and frothy. While whisking gradually add the sugar and whisk until the mixture becomes thick and pale.
Take 1/4 of the egg mixture and mix with the warm whipping cream and melted butter, fold to combine, set aside. Take the flour mixture and sprinkle into the 3/4 of the egg mixture and fold to combine. Pour the 1/4 egg mixture with the butter and the cream in to the bater with the flour. Fold to combine and pour in to the prepared baking pan.
Making the blueberry mousse:
Place the gelatin into a bowl of cold water and set aside. Blend the blueberries with a stick blender until smooth. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a different pot. Bring the puree to a boil, then take it off the heat, add lemon juice stir and add the gelatin. Let the mixture cool completely.
Make the Italian meringue:
In a small sauce pan, put sugar and water together and bring to the boil over medium heat. Meanwhile place the egg whites in a bowl of your electric or hand mixer. Start whipping the egg whites when the raspberry syrup reaches 100°C (212°F). The syrup is ready when it reaches 118°C (244°F). Pour the hot syrup over the egg whites and whisk at high speed. Keep whisking until the egg whites are cool.
Fold the blueberry mixture in the Italian meringue. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold 1/3 of the cream into the blueberry mixture. Pour the mixture back into the whipped cream and fold gently until combined.
Pipe a dollop of mousse in silicone molds and spread it around to the edges. Place a frozen prosecco jelly in the middle. Pipe a small amount of mousse over and tap the mold gently to eliminate air bubbles. Place the frozen chocolate and cornflake disc in the mousse. Pipe mousse to the top of the mold. Place a chocolate sponge circle on top and press gently. Cover with foil and freeze overnight.
Making the milk glaze:
Place gelatin into a bowl of cold water and set aside.
In a small sauce pan combine water and sugar together, bring to the boil on medium heat. Meanwhile boil the whipping cream and milk together and set aside. When the syrup reaches 110°C (230°F), slowly pour it into the whipping cream mixture and whisk to combine. Pour the glucose and nappage into the same pan, place the pan over low heat and stir to combine.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the soaked gelatin. Mix in the violet food coloring and set aside to cool.
Unmold the entremet and place it on a wire rack under a large bowl. Pour the cool glaze over the entremet. If needed, even out the glaze with a small palette knife. Tap the wire rack to get rid of the air bubbles. You can also use a kitchen torch to pop the air bubbles.
Wait for the glaze to set and decorate the entremet as you wish. I used different silicon molds for my mousse and made two different presentations. The decorating part is so much fun and really makes the entremet stand out.
Freeze until ready to use.
Making chocolate cereal discs:
Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over hot water.
Sprinkle over crushed cornflakes and mix. Add a pinch of salt.
Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
Line the 30cm x 30cm baking pan (or 26 diameter circle) with parchment paper or silicon mat, if you do not have this type of baking pan you can use a smaller or wider type of a baking pan but this will affect the thickens and the baking time of the sponge.
Line the 30cm x 30cm baking pan (or 26 diameter circle) with parchment paper or silicon mat, if you do not have this type of baking pan you can use a smaller or wider type of a baking pan but this will affect the thickens and the baking time of the sponge.
Combine flour, salt and cocoa powder in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of your electric or hand mixer whisk the eggs until light and frothy. While whisking gradually add the sugar and whisk until the mixture becomes thick and pale.
Take 1/4 of the egg mixture and mix with the warm whipping cream and melted butter, fold to combine, set aside. Take the flour mixture and sprinkle into the 3/4 of the egg mixture and fold to combine. Pour the 1/4 egg mixture with the butter and the cream in to the bater with the flour. Fold to combine and pour in to the prepared baking pan.
Bake the sponge for 14-16 minutes. Check if the sponge in baked with a toothpick. Insert the toothpick in the sponge and if it comes out clean it means that the sponge is done, if the toothpick does not come out clean, bake the sponge for another minute and check again.
After the sponge is done baking, leave aside to cool. When the sponge is cool enough cut it into circles that fit the silicon molds for the mousse. Because the sponge is quite thick I split mine lengthwise, so I ended up with two thiner pieces. With the help of a pastry brush, brush a little Kirsch (if using) on each circle. Store them in an airtight container until ready to use.
Place the gelatin into a bowl of cold water and set aside. Blend the blueberries with a stick blender until smooth. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a different pot. Bring the puree to a boil, then take it off the heat, add lemon juice stir and add the gelatin. Let the mixture cool completely.
Make the Italian meringue:
In a small sauce pan, put sugar and water together and bring to the boil over medium heat. Meanwhile place the egg whites in a bowl of your electric or hand mixer. Start whipping the egg whites when the raspberry syrup reaches 100°C (212°F). The syrup is ready when it reaches 118°C (244°F). Pour the hot syrup over the egg whites and whisk at high speed. Keep whisking until the egg whites are cool.
Fold the blueberry mixture in the Italian meringue. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold 1/3 of the cream into the blueberry mixture. Pour the mixture back into the whipped cream and fold gently until combined.
Pipe a dollop of mousse in silicone molds and spread it around to the edges. Place a frozen prosecco jelly in the middle. Pipe a small amount of mousse over and tap the mold gently to eliminate air bubbles. Place the frozen chocolate and cornflake disc in the mousse. Pipe mousse to the top of the mold. Place a chocolate sponge circle on top and press gently. Cover with foil and freeze overnight.
Making the milk glaze:
Place gelatin into a bowl of cold water and set aside.
In a small sauce pan combine water and sugar together, bring to the boil on medium heat. Meanwhile boil the whipping cream and milk together and set aside. When the syrup reaches 110°C (230°F), slowly pour it into the whipping cream mixture and whisk to combine. Pour the glucose and nappage into the same pan, place the pan over low heat and stir to combine.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the soaked gelatin. Mix in the violet food coloring and set aside to cool.
Unmold the entremet and place it on a wire rack under a large bowl. Pour the cool glaze over the entremet. If needed, even out the glaze with a small palette knife. Tap the wire rack to get rid of the air bubbles. You can also use a kitchen torch to pop the air bubbles.
Wait for the glaze to set and decorate the entremet as you wish. I used different silicon molds for my mousse and made two different presentations. The decorating part is so much fun and really makes the entremet stand out.
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