Apple, Caramel and Dulcey Entremet

Peel and cut 2 of the apples into a brunoise (very small cubes).

Peel and cut the remaining apples into larger pieces, then cook them down gently with the vanilla and sugar for about 15 minutes, until they are soft and melting.

At the end of cooking, stir in the raw apple brunoise and mix.

Pour into a 16 cm (6.3 in) ring lined with cling film and press down firmly with a large spoon. Freeze.

Rehydrate the gelatine in the water.

Warm the 34 g (1.2 oz) of cream (1) in a small saucepan.

Make a caramel by cooking the sugar, glucose and water in a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Off the heat, deglaze the caramel by gradually adding the warm cream. Be careful of splashes!

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the 164 g (5.8 oz) of cold cream (2), then pour this mixture into the saucepan containing the caramel.

Heat very gently, as for a crème anglaise. Cook to 83°C / 181°F, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Take care not to let the cream boil.

Strain through a fine sieve, then add the rehydrated gelatine and fleur de sel. Stir to dissolve the gelatine, then blend with a stick blender until smooth and homogeneous.

Pour the cremeux over the apples to a depth of 1.5 cm (0.6 in). Return to the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 165°C / 325°F fan-assisted/convection.

Make the brown butter: melt the butter over a low heat in a saucepan, then once melted it will start to foam on the surface. Watch carefully until it takes on a beautiful golden colour and gives off a nutty aroma. Off the heat, add the honey and stir, then leave to cool.

In a bowl, mix together the toasted and cooled ground hazelnuts, half the muscovado sugar, the sifted flour, baking powder and pinch of fleur de sel.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they start to foam, then incorporate the remaining muscovado sugar in 3 additions. You should achieve a meringue that forms a bird’s beak peak.

Fold in the dry ingredients into the meringue in several additions. Mix well using a rubber spatula, lifting the mass from the centre to the edges.

Take a very small amount of this mixture and add it to the saucepan containing the butter. The mixture may look a little unusual but this is simply to help incorporate the butter into the main batter.

Now add the butter mixture to the batter and fold in one final time with the spatula.

Place an 18 cm (7.1 in) ring on a sheet of baking paper, itself resting on a baking tray. Pour the batter into the ring and level it with a small offset spatula.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Check by inserting a knife in the centre — the blade should come out clean.

Leave to cool before unmoulding by running a small knife around the edge of the ring. Cut out a 16 cm (6.3 in) disc and coat it with melted Dulcey chocolate using a pastry brush. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.

Gently place this sponge on top of the caramel cremeux (Dulcey-coated side facing down). Press lightly to adhere and return to the freezer overnight.

Rehydrate the gelatine in the water.

In a bowl, break the chocolate into pieces and melt gently in the microwave.

Bring the milk to the boil then, off the heat, add the rehydrated gelatine.

Pour the milk over the melted Dulcey chocolate in three additions, stirring with a spatula to create an emulsion.

Whip the cream to a soft chantilly — do not over-whip; it should be light and foamy.

Once the chocolate has cooled to 20°C / 68°F, gently fold in the whipped cream and set aside.

Set aside until assembly.

Pour the Dulcey mousse into an 18 cm (7.1 in) silicone mould, filling it three-quarters full. Push the mousse up the sides of the mould with a spatula for a clean finish. Freeze for 5 minutes if needed, just until the mousse firms up slightly.

Remove the insert from the freezer and gently press it into the mousse right in the centre (apples facing the mousse), pushing the mousse up the sides.

Smooth the surface with a spatula.

Cover with cling film and freeze overnight.

Place the bowl and electric whisk attachments in the freezer for at least 15 minutes (you can make the glaze during this time).

Pour the cream and mascarpone into a small bowl and begin whisking at medium speed, then once the cream starts to thicken a little, increase the speed.

Add the icing sugar and vanilla (if using) when the cream is almost fully whipped.

Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 14 mm plain nozzle and refrigerate until needed.

Rehydrate the gelatine in cold water.

Make a dry caramel by gradually caramelising the sugar.

Lower the heat and deglaze the caramel by gradually adding the (warmed) water, stirring constantly (be careful of splashes). Set aside a little of the water to mix with the cornstarch.

Return to a medium heat, stirring to melt any pieces of caramel that may have solidified.

Add the cornstarch and water mixture and bring to the boil for about 30 seconds, whisking continuously.

Add the cream and stir, then add the rehydrated gelatine.

Set aside until the glaze reaches 30°C / 86°F (if using the same day, otherwise cover and refrigerate). You can watch this video for full guidance.

Remove the entremet from the freezer and unmould it.

Place the frozen entremet on a wire rack, with the rack resting on a plate or dish to catch the excess glaze.

When the caramel glaze is at the right temperature, pour it gently over the entremet.

Remove the entremet from the rack and place on a serving dish.

Pipe balls of chantilly in the centre of the entremet, then arrange a few apple batons (brushed with a little lemon juice to prevent browning).

Leave to defrost in the refrigerator. Allow at least 6 to 7 hours of defrosting time.