Matcha and sour cherry entremet

Lately I've seen a lot of desserts using matcha powder and I really wanted to try and make my own. Matcha is a special type of powdered green tea that is grown and produced in Japan (in most cases). The flavor is mild but present and the color is gorgeously green.

I made a matcha and white chocolate mousse, the chocolate gives body to the mousse but the flavor is mostly matcha tea. I absolutely love the taste of the fluffy and light matcha mousse.
For some acidity and spice I made a sour cherry and chilly curd center. I wanted the curd to leak out when the entremet is cut in half.

For a crunchy factor I made a coconut crispy that was absolutely delicious on it's own. It actually reminded me of raffaello confection. The mistake I made was, that I made the coconut crispy too thick. If I had to do it again I would roll it out very thin and I would place it directly on the biscuit. This way it would be much easier to eat.

There was quite a lot of work with this dessert but in the end it was worth it. It usually takes me a few days to finish all the components. First I start with the components that require freezing or baking and than I put them together. The last ting I make is probably always the glaze. In this case I used cold mirror gel and a drop of green food coloring. the gel can be bought in pastry shops and it saves a lot of time making your own glaze.
I was impressed with the look and the taste and I would definitely recommend you to try and make it.

Matcha and sour cherry entremet

(Makes about 9)

  Time:

Preparation: 90min

Cooking: 15min

Baking: 35min

Setting: overnight

For the sour cherry-chilly curd:

• 125g frozen sour cherries (thawed)
• 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk
• 10g butter
• 1/2 teaspoon chilly powder

For the lemon biscuit:

• 80g white granulated sugar
• 50g eggs (1 large egg)
• zest of one lemon
• 35g heavy cream
• 50g all-purpose flour
• 10g buckwheat flour
• 1g baking powder
• 20g grape seed/vegetable oil

For the paillete feuilletine:

• 35g room temperature butter
• 35g icing sugar
• 1 egg white
• 35g flour

For the coconut crispy:

• 60g white chocolate
• 15ml vegetable oil 
• 30g desiccated coconut
• 30g paillete feuilletine (recipe above)

For the matcha mousse:

• 45ml hot water
• 5g matcha powder
• 50g heavy cream
• 2 leafs gelatin
• 1+1/2 tablespoon glucose
• 100g white chocolate (chopped in small pieces)
• 150g heavy cream

For the glaze:

• 200g cold mirror gel
• a drop of green food coloring (optional)

Making the lemon biscuit:

In a bowl of your electric or hand mixer whip the egg, granulated sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.

Using a spatula, gently stir in the heavy cream, sift in the flours, baking powder and mix. Add the oil and gently mix until combined.

Pour the batter in the cake ring and bake at 170°C(338°F) for 12-15min or until slightly risen and golden. Put aside until completely cooled. Cut the biscuit in half lengthwise and cut out circual shape that will fit in you silicon molds for matcha mousse.

Making the sour cherry-chilly curd:
With your immersion blender blitz sour cherries until smooth and pass it through a sieve in a pot. Add all other ingredients except the butter. Cook on medium heat until slightly thick. Add the butter and blitz with immersion blender.

Pour the curd in small half-sphere silicon mold. Add a fresh sour cherry in each half-sphere (optional).

Freeze until completely frozen or overnight.

Making the coconut crispy:
First we need to make the crunchy paillete feuilletine. Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
Beat sugar and butter until creamy. Add the egg white and beat to combine. Fold in the flour.

Spread the mixture thinly on a silicon mat or baking paper.

Place in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 8-10min. Set aside to cool then break into small pieces.
Toast the coconut and melt the white chocolate. Combine the chocolate with oil, coconut and cooled paillete feuilletine.

Put the mixture in small hemisphere or other mold and set in the freezer.

Making the matcha mousse:
Pour hot water in a cup and add sieved matcha. Stir and set aside. Melt the white chocolate.

Pour 50g heavy cream in a small sauce pan. Heat until boiling, add glucose, gelatin and water with matcha tea.

 Stir to combine and pour over melted white chocolate.

Blend with immersion blender until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
Whip 150g heavy cream until soft peaks form.

Gently fold the cream into the matcha mixture.

Pour the mousse in a silicon mold only 1/3 way up. Add the frozen sour cherry curd and the frozen coconut crispy.

Pour over the remaining mousse but not all the way to the top. Place the lemon biscuit and gently push it in the mousse.

Place the mold in the freezer, best overnight.

Making the mirror glaze:
Place cold mirror gel in a bowl. Put it over a pot of boiling water and heat. Add water to thin it out a bit. Add green food coloring. Heat until the glaze is thin enough to pour.

Unmold the entremet and place it on a wire rack over a large bowl. Pour over the glaze and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Decorate the edges with more coconut. It will stick to the glaze nicely.
Place fresh cherries or other decorations on top, garnish with leftover curd and paillete feuilletine.