Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse and Baked Eggs for a Weekend of Comfort Food

This past weekend was the first time since we came back from our trip that I didn't have to work and I took full advantage of it. Friday I finished shooting a cookbook (no, not mine) and I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend with my family and my kitchen. Books to read, movies to watch and lots of different recipes in my head to try.

Evenings are also turning cooler, letting us know that yes, autumn will soon arrive. It takes time in South Florida, but we wait anxiously.



I wait patiently all year for winter squash season. It is definitely one of my favorite ingredients to cook with and of course to eat. Soups, clafoutis or doughnuts like these are always in my repertoire. So when I walked into Whole Foods and saw the large array of pumpkins and squashes they had, I felt a sudden rush of happiness. The kind that food gives you.

I sliced and roasted the red kuri squash with the seeds and all. Perfectly seasoned, it's the perfect side dish or snack by itself. I used some of it for a creamy soup and the rest for cheesy and creamy baked eggs.



The recipe is an adaptation of Shauna and Danny's baked eggs with taleggio from their new book "Gluten Free Girl and the Chef". I had pre-ordered the book months and months ago and I was so excited when it finally arrived this week. It is beautiful. Mouthwatering recipes, some really simple, some more complex. All highlighted by Lara's gorgeous photography.

I can seriously say I want to cook every single recipe from this book. Smoked salt caramel ice cream, braised balsamic rabbit, crisp pork belly with wild rice, cabbage, sour cherries and honey-sage gastrique... The names alone make my mouth water.



I wanted something simple for our Sunday breakfast, so I made the baked eggs with taleggio and added some roasted red kuri squash, fresh oregano and finished them with a roasted pumpkin seed and apple cider vinaigrette. Delicious.

A book everyone should own, gluten free or not.

And of course, we needed our sinful treat. Chocolate and hazelnut mousse squares. Soft chocolate, hazelnut, banana and teff cake topped with super silky and easy chocolate mousse. These from my own repertoire. The perfect ending to a relaxing weekend.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscuit

makes enough for half a sheet pan, but we will only use half of it. i recommend freezing the rest for another time or eating it alone as a snack.

3 eggs
3/4 cup (150 grams) cane sugar
1 cup (280 grams) pureed bananas 9about 3-4 bananas)
1 cup (125 grams) light olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup (100 grams) teff flour
1/3 cup (50 grams) sweet rice flour
1/2 cup (50 grams) hazelnut flour
2 Tbs (15 grams) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp (4 grams) baking soda

In a large bowl, whisk together the teff, sweet rice, hazelnut flours, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, banana puree, oil and vanilla extract. Add the liquids to the dry and whisk until combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the batter (will be rather liquid) onto the pan and spread evenly.

Bake at 350F until set about 15-18 minutes. Let it cool completely before making the mousse. We will only need half of it so wrap the other half and freeze it for another time.

Chocolate Mousse

370 grams bittersweet chocolate
370 grams heavy cream, whipped to soft peak

Line a quarter sheet pan with the chocolate and hazelnut cake.

Melt the chocolate over a water bath and let it cool slightly. When cool, add about 3/4 cup of the whipped cream into the chocolate and whisk to lighten it. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the rest of the cream. Fold gently but quickly until all incorporated.

Spread the chocolate mousse over the biscuit and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares and garnish with roasted hazelnuts.

Post Title

→

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse and Baked Eggs for a Weekend of Comfort Food

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2010/09/chocolate-hazelnut-mousse-and-baked.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Chocolate, Hazelnut and Coconut Mousse Cakes

Baking and cooking for me are often times much more than just eating. Particularly with baking. I enjoy the process of thinking about ingredients, scaling, folding and finishing. It's very therapeutic for me in a way that it almost feels like a necessity.

"What will happen to you now?", asked my brother once I told him about all the test results that came back to me last week. He was referring to the gluten intolerance diagnosis (amongst other issues) that my doctor had shared with me just a few hours prior. "Bake even more!", I replied.



For the last few months that I have given up gluten, going shopping has been like going to the candy shop. So many new ingredients to play around with. So many grains to cook with. My pantry and refrigerator shelves are full of grain flours, new nut and seed butters, oils...

It seems ironic how gluten, which for years has been the essence of my work and also life, has turned out to be not so good for me. I am sure that other factors besides gluten itself triggered all my immune responses, but gluten further aggravated them.



So as I told my brother, here I am, baking away. For the next couple of weeks, I will not be able to have any dairy either, so unfortunately, these chocolate, hazelnut and coconut mousse cakes were off limits, but I surely loved making them for my family. My mom, who is the chocoholic that she is, loved them. I will just have to make them again for me some time soon.



Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscuit

makes 1/2 sheet pan

180 grams egg whites
185 grams muscovado sugar
75 grams sugar
150 grams hazelnut flour
20 grams cocoa powder
pinch salt
225 grams butter, melted or coconut oil

Whisk together the egg whites and the sugars. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add the whites to the dry. Whisk until combined. Whisk in the melted and cooled butter or the coconut oil.

Line half a sheetpan with parchment paper and spread the batter evenly.

Bake at 350F for about 15-20 minutes until cake baked.

Chocolate Mousse

enough for 10 3x2 ring molds

45 grams sugar
100 grams egg yolks
300 grams dark chocolate (use couverture if you can)
400 ml heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until combined. Bring the bowl to a double boiler and cook until it starts to thicken, like making a sabayon. Remove from heat and bring to the mixer and whip to a thick ribbon.

In the meantime, melt the chocolate over a double boiler and let it cool.

When sabayon has cooled, fold in the soft peak whipped cream. Whisk some of the chocolate into it and then, fold in the rest.

Place the mousse in a piping bag. Line ring molds with acetate paper or parchment paper the fits around the circumference. Cut a disk of chocolate biscuit and place it on the bottom of the ring mold. Pipe in the chocolate mousse and refrigerate until set.

Coconut Mousse

150 ml heavy cream
30 ml heavy cream (to temper the gelatin)
10 grams freshly grated coconut or unsweeneted dry coconut
1 tsp coconut extract, optional
30 grams sugar
1 sheet of gelatin
100 grams plain whole yogurt

Whip the 150ml heavy cream with the sugar, coconut and coconut extract till soft peaks form. In the meantime, bloom the gelatin in ice water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water.

Heat the 30ml of heavy cream and dissolve the gelatin into it. Fold in a bit of the whipped cream into the gelatin mixture to temper. Fold back into the rest of the cream. Fold in yogurt.

Place the mousse in a piping bag and pipe on top of the chilled chocolate mousse. Refrigerate until it sets and serve with coconut shavings.

Post Title

→

Chocolate, Hazelnut and Coconut Mousse Cakes

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2010/04/chocolate-hazelnut-and-coconut-mousse.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Roasted Rhubarb, Strawberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio

We finally got a glimpse of sunshine here today. It has been stormy for the last few days, which always seems to put a damper on all my Spring plans. However, rhubarb is abundant on the produce shelves and that is always a reminder that Spring is here. It has such a short season that I feel I have to take full advantage of it while I can.

I made these pistachio, roasted rhubarb, strawberry and white chocolate petits gateaux about a week ago, but had not had a chance to enjoy them until last night.




I always seem to poach rhubarb in a simple syrup and then eat it with plain yogurt. That is for some reason encrusted in my brain, but this time I decided to roast it. Roasted fruit is one of my favorite things indeed.

I didn't notice that much of a difference between poaching and roasting as far as texture and flavor. The rhubarb didn't completely caramelize because of the amount of water in it but it did maintain a very vibrant color which seems to dissipate when poached.



Jill was of course first to taste them. She was honest and seemed to like the different components, but said it lacked texture, so that's when the macarons came into play. I had these leftover in the freezer from when I made the strawberry and vanilla bean macarons. Always good to have them handy.

And then there are these ranunculus. My friend M. is the florist at Whole Foods and always seems to bring the best ones out for me from the back. Love her.



Pistachio Joconde

makes quarter sheetpan

52 grams almond flour
53 grams pistachio flour
75 grams powdered sugar
25 grams flour
125 grams eggs
92 grams egg whites
37 grams sugar
17 grams butter

Place this first five ingredients in a bowl of an electric mixer. With a whip attachment, whip this mixture until a thick ribbon forms, about 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and wash the electric mixer bowl and whip attachment.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of the electric mixer and whip until a light meringue starts to form. Slowly, sprinkle in the sugar and whip until semi-stiff peaks form.

Mix a third of the meringue into the first mixture. Add the rest of the meringue and fold gently. Add the melted butter and fold until it is all incorporated.

Pour the batter into a quarter sheetpan lined with parchment paper and spread the batter into an even layer. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until it starts to form a light color on top. Let it cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut disks of cake that are the same diameter of the ring mold you will be using. About 8 3-inch rings.

Roasted Rhubarb

300 grams rhubarb, cut into 2 inch strips
40 grams sugar

Toss the rhubarb with the sugar and place on a baking pan. Bake at 375F for about 15 minutes or until it is soft and slightly caramelized.

Process it into a fine puree while hot. Let it cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Roasted Rhubarb Mousse

250 grams roasted rhubarb puree
20 grams sugar
5 grams gelatin sheets
250 grams heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Warm half of the puree with the sugar until sugar dissolves. In the meantime, soak the gelatin in ice water to soften it. Add the softed gelatin to the warm puree. Add the rest of the cold puree and mix.

Fold in the whipped cream into the puree base until well combined.

Place the mousse in a piping bag and pipe on top of the pistachio joconde and freeze until set.

Strawberry Gelee

300 grams strawberry puree
60 grams sugar
5 grams gelatin sheets

Warm half of the puree with sugar. In the meantime, soak gelatin in ice water to soften it. Add the softened gelatin to the warm puree. Add the rest of the cold puree and mix well.

Pour a thin layer on top of the frozen rhubarb mousse and freeze until set.

White Chocolate Chantilly

200 grams heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
100 grams white chocolate, melted and slightly cool

Add a third of the whipped cream into the bowl with the melted and cooled chocolate. Whisk vigorously. Then add the remaining cream and now, fold gently with a spatula.

Place chantilly in a piping bag and top the ring mold with it. Using an offset spatula, level the tops. Freeze or refrigerate depending on when it will be eaten.

Top with a quenelle of sweetened vanilla whipped cream, chopped pistachios and macarons.

Post Title

→

Roasted Rhubarb, Strawberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2009/04/roasted-rhubarb-strawberry-white.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Pavlova, Berries and Spring

My good friend B. always says I tend to speak of the past too much, that I am too nostalgic. He might be right. Not that I don't enjoy the present or that I don't look forward to the future. Not at all, but nostalgia is a sweet place I go to when I miss my family.

I remember the first time I ever made pavlova out of a recipe I found in a British magazine clipping. It was one of those early Spring days with cool temperatures, but sunny blue skies. Later that day, I had plans to go see one of my good friends who I secretly had a crush on. He and I would have tea, go for a walk and listen to music. Nothing special, but for some reason that day really has stuck in my memory.



After last week's craziness, I really needed some time to walk and get fresh air. I took my time and reflected on the things that are important to me and really started paying attention to my surroundings. I realized why people love to come to Florida this time of year. It is just perfect. So green and lush with perfect temperature.

I thought of that Spring morning about 13 years ago when I made my first pavlova and decided I needed to make it one more time. It had been a while.



I made some milk chocolate chantilly to go with the pavlova. Our strawberries are so sweet right now and with the slightly sour raspberries, this was a real treat. I hope you had a good weekend too.



Pavlova

120 grams egg whites (about 4 egg whites)
pinch of salt
100 grams granulated sugar or superfine sugar
100 grams powdered sugar, sifted
15 grams cornstarch, sifted

Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip on medium speed until they are whipped to about soft peaks. Slowly sprinkle in the granulated sugar while continuing to whip. Whip to medium peaks.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the sifted powdered sugar and cornstarch.

Place the meringue in a piping bag and pipe rounds or spoon some of the meringue on to a sheetpan lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a 250F oven for about 45 minutes. You should be able to gently lift the meringues from the parchment without sticking. Turn the oven off and let them sit in there for another 10 minutes or so.

Store them in an airtight container until ready to assemble the dessert.

Serve the meringues with a dollop of milk chocolate chantilly and fresh berries.

Milk Chocolate Chantilly

adapted from Stephane Glacier's "Verrines et Petits Gateaux"

250 grams heavy cream
90 grams milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Boil the cream and pour over the milk chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Let this ganache rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then whip it as whipped cream.

Post Title

→

Pavlova, Berries and Spring

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2009/03/pavlova-berries-and-spring.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

A Flourless Chocolate Cake and Endless Possibilities

February has flown by and it's time again for another Daring Bakers challenge. This time, we were asked to make a chocolate Valentino, which is essentially a flourless chocolate cake. Dense, fudgy and super moist flourless chocolate cake. We were given free range on this one except for one rule, we had to make an ice cream to go with it.

How could I settle on one dessert when the possibilities are endless?



I actually made the recipe twice because I really wanted to see what the batter would do while baking, how it would hold its shape and how much it would rise and deflate. I always think of the characteristics and structure of a recipe before I decide on how to bake it or plate it. I decided a sheet cake would be best and would allow me to build cakes or any other dessert best.



My ice cream of choice was pecan craquelin and vanilla bean ice cream. This cake is so moist, almost brownie-like, that I thought ice cream sandwiches would be perfect. I spread the softened ice cream on a frozen sheetpan, let it get hard again and cut it with the same square cookie cutters that I used to cut the cake.

I also baked some of the first batch of cake batter in some ramekins for a little souffle-type action.

I used the rest of the cake to build petits gateaux with layers of cardamom chocolate truffle mousse and almond nougatine crunch. I wrapped them in strips of tempered dark chocolate and made some tempered chocolate swirls.



Finally, thank you to this month's hosts Wendy and Dharm and the words that I am required to mention for this challenge...

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Chocolate Valentino
adapted from Sweet Treats by Chef Wan

16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.

Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}

Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C

Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.

Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Salted Pecan Craquelin

80 grams pecan pieces
60 grams sugar
2 grams salt
20 grams water

Place the sugar, water and salt in a small saucepan and cook to 121C (around 250F). Add the chopped pecans and stir. Continue cooking over the heart until the nuts start to toast and the sugar turns to a caramel color.

Pour over a silpat and spread evenly and as thinly as possible. Let it cool completely.

Crush in a food processor and reserve in an airtight container.

Salted Pecan Craquelin Ice Cream

500 grams whole milk
130 grams heavy cream
40 grams glucose
150 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped and seeded
160 grams egg yolks
pecan craquelin, crushed

Place the milk, heavy cream, glucose, half of the sugar and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar. Temper the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Return custard to saucepan and cook for a couple of minutes until the base coats the back of the spoon or 84C.

Strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and let it cool over an ice bath. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, churn in ice cream machine and add the crushed craquelin at the end. Freeze.

Short but sweet. Have a great weekend!

Post Title

→

A Flourless Chocolate Cake and Endless Possibilities

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2009/02/flourless-chocolate-cake-and-endless.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Strawberry Picking

As I have mentioned before, we are in the middle of strawberry season here in Florida. This past Saturday, a friend and I took the boys up to Palm City to go strawberry picking for some Valentine's Day fun. Sometimes, I forget what ripe, freshly picked strawberries are supposed to taste like. Pure sweetness that brings me back to the times we used to pick strawberries from my grandparents' farm.

It's amazing to watch boys at play, digging in the dirt, pulling weeds, looking for bugs. I have never been particularly physical and have always been very tidy, clean and organized, so I am now discovering a new side of me thanks to my little boy. It took several good scrubbings to get those hands, feet and faces clean.



We picked two large baskets of strawberries, which is definitely more than what we can consume in a couple of days. We shared some with neighbors, froze some for later consumption and I have been baking away with the rest. I am also planning on making some more strawberry pate de fruit, strawberry sorbet, strawberry shortcakes and strawberry jam, which I will share with you later.




Here is one of C's favorite desserts, which is yogurt panna cotta with layers of strawberry mousse and strawberry gelee topped with meringue sticks. And then one of my favorites, which is an apple and strawberry galette. I know I said we really don't celebrate Valentine's Day, but maybe I lied... just a little. Hope you had a great weekend too!



Yogurt Panna Cotta

I used homemade yogurt for this, which is a bit thinner than commercial yogurt. You can also use buttermilk or creme fraiche. The bit of acidity is really nice.

200 grams heavy cream
45 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 grams sheet gelatin
100 grams plain yogurt

In a small saucepan, cook the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla bean until it comes to a boil. In the meantime, soak the gelatin in ice water. When the cream has come to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the softened gelatin. Whisk to dissolve it. Pour this into a clean bowl and let it cool to about body temperature. Add the yogurt and whisk well.

Pour the panna cotta into your molds or jars and let it set in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Mousse

100 grams strawberry puree
10 grams sugar
2 grams sheet gelatin
75 grams heavy cream, soft peaks

Warm half of the strawberry puree with the sugar. In the meantime, soak the sheet gelatin in ice water. Add the softened gelatin to the warm strawberry puree. Add the rest of the puree and let it cool.

Fold in the whipped cream into the puree base. Pour this mousse on top of the yogurt panna cotta and let it set in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Gelee

150 grams strawberry puree
30 grams sugar
2 gram sheet gelatin

Warm half of the strawberry puree with the sugar. In the meantime, soak the sheet gelatin in ice water. Add the softened gelatin to the warm strawberry puree. Add the rest of the puree and let it cool.

Pour this gelee on top of the strawberry mousse and let it set in the refrigerator.

Post Title

→

Strawberry Picking

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2009/02/strawberry-picking.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Chocolate and Meyer Lemon Love

I hope you had a lovely weekend. The weather was so beautiful here that we spent most of our time outdoors. I did manage, however, to finish this mousse cake I had started last week. Here I am once again with meyer lemons, which I cannot get enough of.

This cake was inspired by a yet another childhood memory. Growing up, in the summer time, we used to eat popsicles that were shaped like rocketships. I never really knew whether it was ice cream or sorbet because the texture was somewhere in between, but I do remember the flavors clearly, lemon and chocolate. It had three distinct layers of this unknown frozen texture, topped by a thin layer of dipped, crunchy chocolate top. I cannot remember whether it was "Miko" or "Frigo" who made them, but it was my favorite.




I would say generally, I am not a big fan of fruit and chocolate flavor combinations unless we are talking about citrus, raspberries, passion fruit... Fruits that are tart and sour really balance out chocolate, particularly in recipes that might be overly sweet.



This cake has many components and it might seem like it's a bit time consuming, but in reality, it is fairly simple. It has a chocolate biscuit or cake base and layers of dark chocolate mousse, meyer lemon cream and milk chocolate cream.

The meyer lemon cream is an adaptation of a lemon emulsion recipe we used to use at work, but with extra butter added to it to make it thicker and hold its shape better. It is painfully delicious.



I also used some of the extra mousse and cream to make these little verrines. Same components, just a different presentation.

Chocolate Biscuit

adapted from Stephane Glacier's "Verrines et Petits Gateaux"

makes 2 half sheetpans

285 grams egg yolks
240 grams sugar
275 grams egg whites
2 grams cream of tartar
55 grams sugar
95 grams cocoa powder
135 grams flour
95 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Whip the egg yolks and the sugar to a thick ribbon.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until almost fully whipped. Sprinkle in the sugar and whip until a firm peak forms.

Lighten the egg yolk base with a fourth of the meringue. Sift the dry ingredients into this base and fold gently. Fold in the remainder of the meringue.

Add the melted and cooled butter and fold.

Divide the batter between two half sheetpans lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 375F for about 10 minutes.

Limoncello Simple Syrup

50 grams water
50 grams sugar
limoncello or any liquer to taste (optional)

Cook the sugar and water together until sugar is dissolved. Let the syrup cool and then add the liquer, if desired.

Dark Chocolate Mousse

adapted from Florilege Gourmand

2.5 sheets gelatin
40 grams granulated sugar
10 grams glucose
15 grams water
50 grams egg yolks (about 3 medium)
175 grams dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
350 grams heavy cream

Soften the gelatin in cold water.

Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white). Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.

Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer. Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.

In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 30 grams of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.

Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir 100 grams of whipped cream to temper. Add the pate a bombe. Add in the rest of the whipped cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Meyer Lemon Cream

215 grams eggs
75 grams sugar
215 grams meyer lemon juice
Zest of 3 meyer lemons
300 grams butter, cut into small pieces and at room temperature

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, juice and zest. Place this bowl over a double boiler and cook while whisking until the custard thickens (about 84C).

Immediately, strain the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Let the custard cool to about 55C. It will be warm to the touch but not too hot that when we add the butter, it will melt right away. We want to create an emulsion with the butter that's why the temperature it's very important.

Once the custard has cooled, start adding the butter and using a hand held immersion mixer or blender, blend the cream. Continue blending until all the butter has been incorporated.

Milk Chocolate Chantilly

adapted from Stephane Glacier's "Verrines et Petits Gateaux"

250 grams heavy cream
90 grams milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Boil the cream and pour over the milk chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Let this ganache rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then whip it as whipped cream.

Assemble the Cake

Turn over one of the chocolate biscuit sheets. Peel off the parchment paper. Flip it over again and place it on a clean sheet of parchment on a sheetpan.

Make the chocolate mousse right when you are ready to start building the cake. Place a 14"x14"x3" square frame on top of the chocolate biscuit. Press down so that the frame cuts all the way to the bottom. Save the scraps for something else. This is where we will build the cake.

Soak the cake with the limoncello simple syrup. Spread the chocolate mousse evenly on top of the biscuit. Let this harden in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

In the meantime, make the lemon cream. When the chocolate mousse has harden, spread the lemon cream evenly on top of it. Freeze the cake overnight.

To remove the frame, make sure the cake is frozen so the layers stay intact. Cut around the cake with a knife (close to the edge) and lift the frame up.

Cut the cake when it is semi frozen. Pipe the milk chocolate chantilly over the lemon cream and top with a tempered chocolate rectangle and a macaron.

Post Title

→

Chocolate and Meyer Lemon Love

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2009/01/chocolate-and-meyer-lemon-love.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Daring Bakers and A Buche de Noel

This will be a short post as we have just arrived home from a week long vacation in Mexico, where I had the most relaxing time in years. Our friends Paul and Robyn were kind enough to share their vacation house Casa Lagarto outside of Puerto Vallarta. Lots of food, sun, peace and great conversation. I will share some photos from our trip soon, but first it is time for December's Daring Bakers challenge.

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux. They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.

I made this yule log before we left for our trip during a very busy month full of other commitments and parties. It all seems like a blur now, but I can tell you this yule log was delicious and it was devoured in one day, in one seating. A layer of lemon crème brulee with gianduja praline feullentine, dark chocolate ganache, hazelnut dacquoise, dark chocolate mousse and covered in dark chocolate glaze.



Here are the recipes for it and please visit other Daring Bakers for other fabulous interpretations. Now I am off to bed...

Hazelnut Dacquoise

2.8 oz (3/4cup + 1Tbsp / 80g) almond meal
1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner’s sugar
2Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour
3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

Finely mix the almond meal and the confectioner's sugar. (If you have a mixer, you can use it by pulsing the ingredients together for no longer than 30 seconds). Sift the flour into the mix.

Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.

Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.

Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it. Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc...) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).

Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden. Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Dark Chocolate Mousse

2.5 sheets gelatin
1.5 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp (10g) glucose or thick corn syrup
0.5 oz (15g) water
50g egg yolks (about 3 medium)
6.2 oz (175g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1.5 cups (350g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

Soften the gelatin in cold water.

Make a Pate a Bombe: Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white). Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.
Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer. Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.

In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.

Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in ½ cup (100g) of WHIPPED cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe. Add in the rest of the WHIPPED cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).

While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.

Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.

Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Praline Feuillete Insert

3.5 oz (100g) gianduja
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter
2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline
2.1oz (60g) lace crepes(gavottes) or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

Melt the gianduja and butter in a double boiler.

Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.

Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Lemon Creme Brulee Insert

1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
½ cup (115g) whole milk
4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks
0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar
Zest of half a lemon

Heat the milk, cream and lemon zest to just boiling.

Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white). Pour the milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.

Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.

Dark Chocolate Glaze

4g or 2 sheets gelatin
¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)
2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) water
1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder

Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.

Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling. Add gelatin to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.
Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

Assemble the Yule Log

Pipe one third of the Mousse component into the mold.

Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.

Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.

Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.

Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.

Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight edge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.

Close with the Dacquoise.

Freeze until the next day.

Post Title

→

Daring Bakers and A Buche de Noel

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/12/daring-bakers-and-buche-de-noel.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Goodbye to Autumn with a Green Apple, Caramel and Milk Chocolate Mousse

Even though I live in an area where the changes in season are very mild and rarely apparent, I love to celebrate it and reflect it in whatever I am doing. We will be entering the winter season in a couple of days and I am having visions of white snow, branches and icicles just like all these flickr favorites that I have been bookmarking lately... I dream of one day spending winter solstice in Iceland.




My parents left this week leaving me a bit in shambles. It always takes me a few days to get adjusted to not having them around. It is always bittersweet. I made these bavarian mousse cakes for their going away dinner with some caramel cake and layers of green apple, caramel and milk chocolate bavarian. I promise to give you the recipe soon, but with all the holiday prep and organizing for our coming trip, I misplaced the sheet of paper where I wrote it all down. Soon, I promise.

In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying the last days of autumn before winter arrives. Have a great weekend everybody!

Post Title

→

Goodbye to Autumn with a Green Apple, Caramel and Milk Chocolate Mousse

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/12/goodbye-to-autumn-with-green-apple.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

How to Explain Cranberries

This will be the first year since I have been living in the US that my parents will get to spend Thanksgiving with us. It's very exciting to be able to share a holiday meal with them. I grew up in a large family where holidays and gatherings revolved around food. We always had at least thirty people around the table. Space was always an issue but it never stopped us. Improvised tables, mismatched silverware, borrowed chairs. It was all fine as long as we could all be together, elbow to elbow. So this year, I am really going to sit at the Thanksgiving table, take time to enjoy the moment and be thankful for their company.

As my mom and I sat down to write down the Thanksgiving dinner menu, I realized how most of the traditional American holiday dishes are foreign to my parents' palates. Roasted turkey, stuffing, yams with marshmallows or cranberries. They have never tasted any of those. I have to admit I am not very fond of the cranberry jellies and compotes served at many dinner tables, but I really wanted my mom to try a new berry, something she had never had before.



Warm fruit crisps are always a comforting dessert and my mom happens to love cooked apples in any way, shape or form. So I combined sweet apples with tart cranberries and spicy candied ginger and topped it all with pistachio and almond crumble. And because us Europeans really enjoy fruit compotes in jars (check out these lovely ladies here and here), I made her a little cranberry and orange compote to go with a quick white chocolate mousse. I am not much of a white chocolate fan unless it is accompanied by something tart and sour to balance out the sweetness so I barely added any sugar to the cranberry compote.

Cranberry, Apple and Candied Ginger Crumble

100 grams fresh cranberries
2 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and medium diced
100 grams sugar
5 grams candied ginger, small dice
Zest of an orange
Juice of half an orange
Pistachio and almond crumble (use half ground pistachios and half ground almonds)

In a bowl, combine the fresh cranberries, diced apples, diced ginger, sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Mix gently and let the fruit sit in the bowl for a few minutes until the sugar starts to lightly dissolve with the juices.

Place 4 small ramekins on a sheetpan. Spoon the fruit filling into the ramekins and top with some pistachio and almond crumble. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until the fruit starts to bubble over and the crumble is golden brown. If the topping starts to get dark but the fruit is not cooked yet, cover the ramekins with aluminum foil so it doesn't burn and continue cooking.

Cranberry Orange Compote

100 grams fresh cranberries
20 grams sugar
Zest of half an orange

Combine the cranberries, sugar and orange zest in a small saucepan and cook for about 10 minutes until cranberries pop open. You can serve it like this or puree it with a hand blended or food processor (which I did). Spoon the compote into the glass jars and let it cool.

Quick White Chocolate Mousse

150 grams heavy cream, soft peak
75 grams white chocolate, chopped

Place the white chocolate in a bowl and melt it over a double boiler. Remove the bowl from the heat when the chocolate is melted and let it cool slightly.

In the meantime, whip the cream to soft peak. Pour a third of the whipped cream into the chocolate and whisk. Pour this mixture over the rest of the whipped cream and gently fold not to overmix it.

Place the mousse in a pastry bag and pipe into the glass jars on top of the cooled cranberry compote. Return jars to refrigerator to cool completely and until the mousse hardens a bit more. Serve with white chocolate shavings.

Post Title

→

How to Explain Cranberries

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-explain-cranberries.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Montblanc and the First Chestnuts of the Season

This week we roasted the first chestnuts of the season. I have been feeling a bit under the weather and I needed something comforting and nothing says comfort like roasted chestnuts do. Besides, now that my parents are here, any excuse is a good one to cook, bake and snack. We are a bunch of non-stop grazers.




Montblancs are popular in France, but I had never tasted one until my French chef asked me to make some for Christmas brunch a few years ago. I fell in love with the chestnut cream and ever since, I have made them every holiday season. Buttery and not overly sweet cream. I even eat it on bread as a snack when no one is looking.

I built these on sable breton and inserted a mini chocolate mousse bombe in the center. Then the chestnut cream is piped on top with a special tip creating that spaghetti effect. How fun is that right?



Chestnut Cream

100 grams unsweetened chestnut puree
100 grams chestnut paste or chestnut cream
200 grams unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs dark rum

Cream together the chestnut puree and chestnut paste until smooth. Add the softened butter, vanilla extract and rum and mix. Press the cream through a fine sieve to remove any large chestnut puree chunks. Place the cream in a piping bag with a "spaghetti" tip and pipe the cream on top of the breton and chocolate mousse dome.

This is best served slightly at room temperature so the chestnut cream doesn't harden too much.

On another note, I am very flattered that Ez of Creature Comforts wanted to feature an interview with me in her blog. She is such an inspiration. Thank you Ez!

Post Title

→

Montblanc and the First Chestnuts of the Season

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/11/montblanc-and-first-chestnuts-of-season.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Triple Chocolate Mousse... Three Ways

I should have titled this post "Triple Chocolate Mousse... Three Times Over". Remember when I posted about cleaning the freezer and making tarts with leftover doughs? It was perfect timing because a week later, I found myself with a freezer full of soggy, thawed out desserts and these mousses were some of them.

One of the reason why I cleaned out the freezer was so I could make more room for new desserts such as this one. I made a large batch of triple chocolate mousse last week and wanted to play with different presentations. Until I was ready to photograph them, I decided to store them in the freezer. Sunday morning, when I went out to the garage to pull them out, I was shocked to see that I had left the freezer door slightly open the night before. It doesn't take much to thaw out a freezer in a hot garage in Florida in the middle of summer. Everything that was on the bottom shelf was covered with water. I was able to salvage the shot glasses which were on the top shelf, but everything else was ruined.

I must admit it took me an entire day to get over the disaster, but the next day, I decided to make the mousses again. This is a recipe that is simple but requires getting messy in the kitchen and dishes are not my favorite chore, that's for sure. But I did it and here it is.

I made the mini spheres by sticking two half spheres together, after the mousse is frozen, and then rolling them in chopped pistachios and grated white and dark chocolate.



Pate a Bombe

4 oz sugar
1 oz glucose
2 oz water
3 egg yolks

Cook the sugar, corn syrup and water to 240 degrees Farenheit. In the meantime, whip the yolks until they turn fluffy and pale. Add the cooked sugar to the yolks while the mixer is on low speed. Pour the sugar on the side of the bowl so you don't create spun sugar while doing this. Turn the mixer back to high and continue beating until light, thick and the bowl has cooled.

Dark Chocolate Mousse

1 oz pate a bombe
2 grams gelatin leaves
1.5 oz 70% chocolate, melted and cooled
4 oz heavy cream, soft peaks

Soften the gelatin in ice water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and mix with 2 Tbs of the heavy cream (it's ok if it's already whipped to soft peaks). Melt them together in the microwave for about 7 seconds. Add this mixture to the soft peak whipped cream and whisk together until mixed. But be careful not to overmix. Add the cream to the pate a bombe and fold. Add the melted and cooled chocolate to the base and fold. Place the mousse in a pastry bag and pipe into molds.

Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate Mousse

Same amounts and same procedure as before but use milk chocolate and white chocolate instead.

Post Script: For all of you bloggers out there... Martha Stewart is having a blog contest. For more info, please visit her blog "The Martha Blog".

Post Title

→

Triple Chocolate Mousse... Three Ways

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/09/triple-chocolate-mousse-three-ways.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

"Snickers" Bar... Salted Peanuts, Nougat, Milk Chocolate and Caramel

I have been feeling as if I am in an "inspiration transition" period. I suppose it is very much like how I feel about my wardrobe in between seasons. Eager to wear sweaters and coats at the end of summer, although the weather is not quite cool enough yet. The same happens to me with food. There are still plenty of apricots, plums and currants to bake with, yet I am dreaming of chestnuts, quince, pears, apple cider and figs. In cases like these, I always turn to chocolate and nuts. So versatile and timeless.

This is a rendition to one of C's favorite candy bars, the Snickers bar. Poor thing has been working non-stop for the last two weeks on a project away from home and I really wanted to make something comforting for him. He really deserves a little break and a little treat.

It is a crunchy, chewy and creamy bar with milk chocolate, peanut butter and rice krispies crust, a layer of salted peanut nougat, milk chocolate bavarian and topped with caramel cream. I knew the nougat would start to melt after being in the freezer, but in a way that made this easier to eat since a hard nougat would have made it difficult to bite into.



Milk Chocolate Feuilletine Crust

135 grams feuilletine or corn flakes or rice krispies
300 grams creamy peanut butter
155 grams milk chocolate, melted

Cream together the feuilletine and the peanut butter for about 3 minutes until it starts to turn into a paste. Add the melted milk chocolate and mix until combined. Spread this on the bottom of a half sheetpan lined with parchment and topped with a square frame.

Salted Peanut Nougat

50 grams egg whites
5 grams powdered sugar, sifted
110 grams honey
400 grams sugar
85 grams glucose
150 grams water
200 grams salted and roasted peanuts, chopped

Start by combining the sugar, glucose and water in a medium saucepan. Cook to 144C.

In the meantime, start whipping the egg whites. When they are foaming, add the sifted powdered sugar and continue whipping. Quickly heat the honey to boiling point and pout the boiling honey into the bowl where the egg whites are whipping. Continue to whip on high speed.

When the sugar reaches the desired temperature, turn the mixer speed to low and add the sugar to the egg whites pouring slowly on the side of the bowl. When all the sugar has been added, turn the mixer speed to high and continue to whip until it slightly cools. We don't want it to completely cool because we want to be able to spread it easily.

Turn the mixer off and fold in the chopped peanuts. Spread the nougat evenly into the metal frame over the milk chocolate crust.

Milk Chocolate Bavarian

120 grams half and half
10 grams sugar
2 egg yolk
4 grams gelatin
250 grams milk chocolate, finely chopped
200 grams heavy cream, soft peaks

In a small saucepan, bring the half and half to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. Temper the hot half and half into the egg yolks and whisk. Pour this mixture back in the pan and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the softened gelatin.

Strain the custard over the milk chocolate that we have finely chopped into a clean bowl. Let the custard melt the chocolate for a minute and then gently whisk until a cream is formed and all the chocolate has melted.

When the chocolate mixture has cooled to the touch, fold in the whipped cream. Immediatly pour the bavarian over the nougat and freeze.

Salted Caramel Cream

360 grams heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split
90 grams sugar
120 grams egg yolks
3 grams gelatin
1 grams fleur de sel

Bring the cream and the vanilla bean to a boil. Reserve.

In the meantime, make a dry caramel with the sugar. Deglaze the cooked sugar with the heated cream. Be careful because it will bubble overif all the cream is added at once. Whisk so all crystalized sugar has dissolved. Pour this caramel over the egg yolks and whisk. Return this to the pan and cook for 1 minute.

Add the softened gelatin and strain through a fine sieve. When it is cool to the touch, pour over the milk chocolate bavarian layer and freeze.

Post Title

→

"Snickers" Bar... Salted Peanuts, Nougat, Milk Chocolate and Caramel

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/09/bar-salted-peanuts-nougat-milk.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Stèphane Glacier's Delice D'Ete

I bought pastry chef Stèphane Glacier's latest book a couple of months ago and I am fascinated with all the amazing verrines and petits gateaux that are featured in it. This gateau, with pistachio joconde layers soaked with lemon simple syrup, jellyfied raspberry coulis and vanilla bavarian cream, holds true to its name, Delice D'Ete (Summer Treat). Light, spongy and perfect for the season.

Although the recipes I used for the different gateau components are all from my archives, this cake was inspired by chef Glacier, which brings up a question that always roams around in my head... What makes a chef own a recipe? We all borrow ideas from others, so when can we call a recipe our own?

In this case, although the recipes are mine, the idea, look and combination of flavors are chef Glacier's, so would you say this cake is mine or his? It's hard to claim ownership of recipes sometimes. In this case, it is clear that all credit should go to him. Composition, combination, styling... They are all his.



Pistachio Joconde

105 grams almond flour
105 grams raw pistachios
150 grams powdered sugar
50 grams all purpose flour
250 grams eggs
185 grams egg whites
75 grams sugar
35 grams butter, melted and cooled

In a food processor, finely chop the pistachios. Add the powdered sugar and almond flour and process until a fine meal forms. Place this mixture in a bowl of an electric mixer and add the all purpose flour and the whole eggs to it. With a whip attachment, whip this mixture until a thick ribbon forms, about 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and wash the electric mixer bowl and whip attachment.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of the electric mixer and whip until a light meringue starts to form. Slowly, sprinkle in the sugar and whip until semi-stiff peaks form.

Mix a third of the meringue into the first mixture. Add the rest of the meringue and fold gently. Add the melted butter and fold until it is all incorporated.

Divide this batter into two half sheetpans and spread the batter into an even layer so when the cake bakes, it is even. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until it starts to form a light color on top. We don't want it to be too dark. Cool the cakes and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to assemble the cake.

Lemon Simple Syrup

100 grams sugar
100 grams water
Zest of half a lemon

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off as soon as sugar has dissolved. Cool.

Jellyfied Raspberry Coulis

800 grams raspberry puree
160 grams sugar
7 gelatin sheets

Place the raspberry puree and the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. In the meantime, soften the gelatin in ice water. When the puree comes to a boil, turn the heat off and add the gelatin to it. Whisk so it dissolves evenly.

Pour this coulis into two flat sheetpans and freeze until they are solid.

Vanilla Bean Bavarian Cream

500 grams half and half
1 vanilla bean, scraped and seeded
125 grams sugar
120 grams yolks
7 gelatin sheets
500 grams heavy cream, soft peaks

In a medim saucepan, place the half and half, the vanilla bean and half of the sugar and bring to a boil. In the meantime, whisk the yolks and the other half of the sugar in a bowl. Also, start softening the gelatin in ice water. When the half and half comes to a boil, temper into the yolks and whisk. Add this custard back to the pan and cook until it slightly thicken and coats the back of the spoon (about 84C).

Strain this custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Add the softened gelatin to it and whisk. Place this bowl over an ice bath so it cools faster. When it's cool to the touch, add the whipped cream and fold gently until it is all incorporated.

Once the bavarian is made, the cake must be built so have all your other components ready.

Assemble the Gateau

I used a square frame to build the gateau. The frame is about 14 x 14 x 2 inches.

First, remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the joconde. Do so by inverting the cake onto your work surface and peel off the paper gently, pressing the cake down as you peel the paper off. Then cut the joconde to fit the square frame. Also cut the gelified raspberry coulis to fit the frame.

Place the square frame on top of a half sheetpan lined with parchment. Place the first sheet of joconde in the frame. Soak it with the lemon simple syrup. Pour some of the bavarian cream on top and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Place the first sheet of frozen gelified coulis on top and gently press down. Pour a very thin layer of bavarian on top and spread evenly. Place the second sheet of joconde on top. Brush with simple syrup. Pour another very thin layer of bavarian on top and spread evenly. Place the second sheet of frozen coulis and finish with the bavarian cream all the way to the top. Flatten the top with your offset spatula. Freeze the entire cake.

When ready to serve, remove the cake from freezer and let it thaw out a bit before cutting it. Glaze the top with a neutral glaze and serve with berries.

I think the best part about building a cake like this are the scraps, don't you think?

Post Title

→

Stèphane Glacier's Delice D'Ete

Post URL

→

https://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/08/stephane-glacier-delice-d.html

Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection