Pumpkin and persimmon entremet

Me and my husband really love cooking with pumpkins and we both enjoy all the pumpkin varieties. In the past I have used pumpkin only in savory dishes such as soup, risotto, pasta,... I know there are a lot of desserts with pumpkin as the main ingredient and I have always wandered what they taste like.

I decided to make a pumpkin mousse using a butternut pumpkin, this variety is sweet on its own without additional sugar. When cooked it turns out creamy and delicious. It was a perfect choice for my mousse. For some freshness I also used persimmon. Persimmon is very sweet on its own and when cooked it turns into a thick marmalade which was perfect for my dessert. The two flavors are almost synonymous with autumn and worked together really well.

For an additional autumn look I also made tuiles in the shape of leafs. The dough is very simple to make but the hardest part was making the template. I cut the template from cardboard and wrapped it in foil. Spreading the dough through the template was messy and it took some time. After all this work the tuiles looked cute and they resembled real leafs which was great.

I intended for the persimmon center to be slightly runny but only cooking it with a little sugar and lemon made it into a thick jelly. Even though the center wans't runny it still tasted great. For additional decoration and flavor I also made a caramel "cage". It is simple to make, all you need is regular sugar. Making sugar decorations is really fun and the decorations make the desserts look even better.

Pumpkin and persimmon entremet

(Makes about 8)

Time:

   Preparation: 1hour

 Cooking: 30min

Baking: 20min

Setting: 2hours

For the almond-macadamia cake:

• 40g almonds (can use other nuts)
• 40g macadamia nuts (can use other nuts)
• 80g room temperature butter
• 75g white granulated sugar
• salt
• a pinch of cinnamon
• 100g eggs (2 large)
• 10g all-purpose flour
• 10g cornstarch

For the persimmon center:

• 1 persimmon
• 1 tablespoon sugar (to taste)
• a pinch of cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• lemon zest

For the pumpkin mousse:

• 100g heavy cream
• 400g butternut pumpkin (cubed and steamed until tender)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 cloves
• 1 teaspoon five spice
• 100g condensed milk
• 150g heavy cream
• 2 gelatin leafs

For the tuiles:

• 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

For the white chocolate glaze:

• 135g white chocolate
• 1 gelatin sheet
• 85g heavy cream
• 20g water
• 15g glucose syrup
• 12g vegetable oil

For the caramel garnish:

• 100g white granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Making the almond-macadamia cake:

Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F) and line a small baking dish (preferably 18x18 cm) with baking paper.

Place the almonds and macadamia nuts in the food processor and process until fine. Add flour, salt, cinnamon and corn starch and process.  Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the eggs and beat to combine. Fold the nut 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 silicon mold you are using for the entremet. 

Making the persimmon center:
Peal and chop the persimmon into small pieces.
Place into a small sauce pan with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and water. Cook until tender and add water if needed.

Puree the mixture and pour it through the sieve into a jug. Fill the silicon molds with the persimmon mixture, sprinkle over fresh lemon zest and freeze.

Making the pumpkin mousse:
Soak gelatin in a bowl of cold water and set aside.
Place pumpkin, heavy cream (100g), cinnamon and cloves into a small pot and place on medium heat. When hot add the condensed milk and stir. Remove the cloves and puree the hot mixture until smooth.

Pour the mixture through a sieve into a pot and bring to boil. Take of the heat and add the soaked gelatin and stir to combine. Pour the mixture in a bowl and set aside to cool completely.

After the mixture is at room temperature start whipping the cream (150g). Whip the cream to soft peaks. Pour 1/3 of whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the 2/3 of the cream and fold carefully until incorporated.

Pour into a piping bag and fill the silicon molds only half way up. Remove the persimmon center from the freezer and place onto the pumpkin mousse. Top with the rest of the mousse and freeze.

Making the white chocolate glaze:
Place the gelatin sheet in a bowl of cold water.
Chop the white chocolate and melt it over a bowl of simmering water. Pour the heavy cream, glucose, water and oil into a pot and bring to a boil.

Place the mixture off the heat and stir in the soaked gelatin. Pour the hot mixture over the melted chocolate and stir to combine. Add orange food coloring (if using) and stir.

Pour the glaze into a measuring cup and set aside to cool.

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. 

(The batter will keep in a fridge for 1 week, take it out 30 minutes in advance before using it.) 

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 leaf tuiles, you will need a stencil (cardboard template), I made mine with a printed image and cardboard. Draw the leafs on the cardboard and cut the 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. 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.

Making the caramel garnish (cage):
When making sugar decorations you should be really careful because this stuff is extremely hot and could burn you badly.
Pour the sugar and water into a small pot and place on medium heat. Once the sugar turns dark amber take it off the heat and set aside to cool. It should cool to about 135°C (275°F).

Lightly oil the steel ladle. Spoon the hot sugar over the ladle into a criss-cross pattern creating a "cage". The sugar will cool really fast and you should be able to take the sugar cage off the ladle easily

If the sugar gets too cold to work with simply heat it up gently until workable. You can also find a lot of videos on youtube on sugar decorations.

Assembly:
Unmold the pumpkin mousse domes and place on a wire rack over a large bowl. Pour the white chocolate glaze over the mousse. Make sure to cover it completely. Wait 2 minutes and pour a second layer of glaze over the mousse.

Place the mousse on a almond-macadamia cake. Garnish with caramel cage.
Sprinkle powdered sugar over the tuiles and place on the mousse.