Popcorn, Vanilla and Caramel Pecan Entremet (Cara’pop)

Rehydrate the gelatine in a large bowl of cold water.

Break the white chocolate into pieces in a bowl (you can melt it slightly in a double boiler or in the microwave).

Heat the 60 g (2.1 oz) of cream with the popcorn and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cover. Leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes.

Blend the cream with the popcorn for a few moments then pass through a sieve to remove the popcorn residue. Press firmly to extract as much cream as possible. Top up to 60 g (2.1 oz) of cream and reheat.

Off the heat, add the squeezed gelatine and mix.

Pour one third of the cream over the white chocolate and stir with a spatula to create an emulsion. Then pour in a second third, then a third, until the mixture is perfectly smooth.

Add the 133 g (4.7 oz) of very cold cream and mix again. Blend for a few seconds with an immersion blender to thoroughly emulsify everything.

Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, the 50 g (1.8 oz) of sugar (1) and the seeds from the vanilla pod. The mixture will increase in volume and become slightly foamy.

At the same time, whip the egg whites and add the 25 g (0.9 oz) of sugar (2) in 3 additions.

Pour half the whipped egg whites into the first egg-based mixture. Fold in gently with a spatula.

Add the remaining egg whites and the sifted flour then fold in gently again.

Spread the batter onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper to form a 30 x 40 cm (15.7 in) rectangle.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes until a light colour appears on the surface of the sponge.

Leave the sponge to cool then peel it off and cut out 2 circles of 16 cm (6.3 in) diameter. Set aside. You will have leftover sponge. This can be used for future individual entremets (keep them in the freezer after cutting with a cutter) or eat it — it is delicious 😉

Toast the pecans in the oven for approximately 15 minutes at 150°C / 300°F. Leave to cool.

Soak the gelatine sheet in very cold water.

Make a dry caramel. Deglaze with the previously heated cream (watch out for splashing).

Add the butter and fleur de sel. Mix well then add the well-squeezed gelatine.

Roughly chop the pecans and add to the caramel. Set aside at room temperature while you prepare the assembly.

Place one of the 2 vanilla sponge discs in a 16 cm (6.3 in) diameter ring that has been covered with plastic wrap.

Pour the pecan caramel over the sponge (about a centimetre thick… bear in mind, the more you add the sweeter it will be). Spread evenly with a small offset spatula then place the second vanilla sponge on top and press down gently.

Refrigerate until needed.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.

In a saucepan, heat the cream, the seeds from the half vanilla pod and the popcorn. Remove from the heat and cover. Leave to infuse for one hour.

Rehydrate the gelatine in the water.

After one hour, remove the half vanilla pod. Blend the cream with the popcorn then pass through a sieve to remove the popcorn residue. Press firmly to extract as much cream as possible. Top up to 180 g (6.3 oz). Reheat the cream then pour over the egg yolk and sugar mixture, mix well and return everything to a low heat.

Cook to a temperature of 83°C / 181°F, stirring constantly with a spatula. Take care not to boil the cream.

Off the heat, add the rehydrated gelatine. Leave to cool slightly.

Retrieve the pecan caramel insert from the refrigerator and pour the popcorn crémeux over it (on top of the second vanilla sponge). Place in the freezer for at least 12 hours.

The day before, make a cold infusion: infuse 50 g (1.8 oz) of popcorn in the 300 g (10.6 oz) of heavy cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The following day, make the bavaroise mousse. In a saucepan, heat the milk, the seeds from the half vanilla pod and the other half of the popcorn. Remove from the heat and cover. Leave to infuse for one hour.

Rehydrate the gelatine in the water.

After one hour, remove the half vanilla pod. Blend the milk with the popcorn until roughly homogeneous, then pass through a sieve to remove the popcorn residue. Press firmly to extract as much milk as possible.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.

Reheat the popcorn-infused milk then pour it over the egg yolk and sugar mixture, mix well and return everything to a low heat.

Cook to a temperature of 83°C / 181°F, stirring constantly with a spatula. Take care not to boil the cream.

Off the heat, add the rehydrated gelatine. Leave to cool. You can pass this crème anglaise through a fine sieve or blend it with an immersion blender to eliminate any lumps. Retrieve the cream that has been infusing overnight from the refrigerator and pass through a sieve to remove the popcorn. Press firmly to extract as much cream as possible. Top up to 300 g (10.6 oz).

Whip the cream but do not overwhip — it should be light and airy.

When the crème anglaise has cooled to 30°C / 86°F, gently fold in the whipped cream then set aside.

Cover a 18 cm (7.1 in) diameter ring with plastic wrap.

Place a strip of acetate inside the lined ring and pour in the popcorn bavaroise mousse to three-quarters of the way up the mold, running a spatula up the sides for a clean assembly. Do not hesitate to put the mousse in the freezer for a few minutes or leave it a little longer in the fridge to prevent the insert from sinking to the bottom. Then place the vanilla sponge/pecan caramel/popcorn crémeux insert right in the centre (popcorn crémeux side against the mousse). You should reach the top of the mold.

Add a little more popcorn mousse if needed then smooth with an offset spatula, cover with plastic wrap and place the entremet in the freezer overnight.

Make a dry caramel by placing the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Melt the sugar over a low heat.

When the caramel has a lovely amber colour, remove from the heat and add the butter in pieces along with the fleur de sel. Allow to melt, swirling the pan.

Add the popcorn and the roughly crushed pecans. Mix well with a spatula to coat everything in the caramel.

Turn out onto a sheet of baking paper and leave to cool. If needed, break the popcorn and pecans apart, being careful not to burn yourself.

Melt the white chocolate and cocoa butter in a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir with a spatula.

Strain then pour the mixture into the reservoir of your spray gun (ideally using a smaller container like a jam jar placed inside the main reservoir).

Remove the entremet from the freezer, unmold carefully and place on a wire rack. Do not forget to protect your work area well. Personally, I stopped spraying inside my dishwasher as it still left traces after washing. And since we have a new dishwasher, I want to take care of it. I use whatever I have to hand to protect the work surface (cardboard, packaging, a plastic bag or baking paper…) Spray the velvet effect from a distance of 30-40 cm (15.7 in).

Using an offset spatula, carefully place the entremet on a serving dish.

Whip the popcorn ganache with a mixer until firm enough to pipe but not overwhipped to the point of splitting. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain 14 mm nozzle.

Pipe balls of whipped ganache in a circle, then hollow out each ball using a melon baller that has been warmed (with a blowtorch or under very hot water) and pipe a little caramel inside (I hollowed out every other ball).

Fill the centre of the entremet with the caramelised popcorn and pecan mixture and place pieces of popcorn and pecans on a few ganache balls.

Leave to defrost for 6-7 hours in the refrigerator before serving.