It was seeing Julien’s recipe (Rêve de pâtissier) that got me started on this dessert. An incredibly indulgent dessert made up of a praline crunchy layer, a hazelnut dacquoise, a dark chocolate and bergamot black tea crémeux and a gianduja whipped ganache.
I discovered the dark chocolate and bergamot tea combination thanks to Nina Métayer, head pastry chef at Jean-François Piège’s gourmet restaurant. She’d given a superb demo at the Sugar Paris show. I didn’t get the chance to taste it, but the pairing caught my attention. And I really liked it — it’s quite surprising (and new) but well balanced, it’s really very good! As for the gianduja, I used Valrhona’s. Nothing like the one I’d made at home! The hazelnut flavour is just crazy!!! If you make this recipe, don’t do as I did — be reasonable with the praline crunchy layer 😉
As for the presentation, I wanted to make spheres (like Julien) and then at the last minute I changed my mind and got out the Saint-Honoré nozzle, which I love! A little anecdote: when I was taking the photos, a gust of wind knocked the reflector onto the dessert. I was livid!!! Only one dessert out of 4 was really damaged. As for the others… let’s say the hazelnuts placed on top were in no danger of falling off ^_^
Ingredients & Method
5 components · Full recipe
Whipped Gianduja Ganache (make the day before)
Ingredients
- 50 g (1.8 oz) whole cream
- 5 g (0.2 oz) glucose
- 85 g (3 oz) milk gianduja
- ½ gelatine sheet
- 145 g (5.1 oz) very cold whole cream
Method
1
Soak the gelatine sheet in cold water to soften.
2
Cut the gianduja into small pieces and place in a bowl.
3
Heat the 50 g (1.8 oz) of cream with the glucose in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the drained gelatine.
4
As soon as the cream begins to simmer, pour one third over the gianduja and stir to create an emulsion. Add the second third, then the third, until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
5
Add the remaining cold cream and fold in gently.
6
Cover with cling film pressed directly onto the surface and refrigerate for several hours (ideally overnight).
Hazelnut Dacquoise
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) egg whites
- 100 g (3.5 oz) ground hazelnuts
- 25 g (0.9 oz) sugar
- 100 g (3.5 oz) icing sugar
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F.
2
Toast the ground hazelnuts for 10 minutes.
3
Sift the icing sugar and mix in the toasted hazelnut powder.
4
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks with the caster sugar until they reach a meringue-like consistency.
5
Fold in the sifted powders gently.
6
Pour the mixture into a rectangular frame approximately 24×18 cm (7.1 in).
7
Bake for about 15 minutes (the dacquoise should be dry to the touch and lightly golden).
8
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Praline Crunch
Ingredients
- 9 small packets of gavottes (feuilletine)
- 200 g (7.1 oz) pralinoise chocolate
- 40 g (1.4 oz) pralin
Method
1
Melt the pralinoise chocolate in the microwave or in a bain-marie.
2
Crumble the gavottes and mix with the pralin.
3
Stir in the melted chocolate until well combined.
4
Spread a thin layer of praline crunch over the dacquoise (keeping the rectangular frame in place helps). Refrigerate.
Bergamot Black Tea and Dark Chocolate Cream
Ingredients
- 125 g (4.4 oz) whole cream
- 125 g (4.4 oz) whole milk
- 50 g (1.8 oz) egg yolks
- 25 g (0.9 oz) sugar
- 8 g (0.3 oz) bergamot black tea
- 120 g (4.2 oz) dark chocolate 66%
Method
1
Place the cream, milk and tea in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave to infuse uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the intensity you prefer).
2
Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the mixture turns pale.
3
When the cream-milk-tea mixture is hot, pour it through a sieve into the bowl, pressing down on the tea bags. Stir to combine, then return everything to the saucepan.
4
Cook gently, stirring constantly, without boiling — this is the “nappé” stage (do not exceed 85°C / 185°F).
5
Break the dark chocolate into pieces and place in a tall container (a jug works well).
6
Pour the custard through a sieve over the chocolate. Blend with a stick blender until smooth and homogeneous.
7
Remove the dacquoise–crunch base from the fridge. Flip it over so the crunch is at the bottom. Replace the frame and pour the chocolate cream over the hazelnut dacquoise.
8
Refrigerate.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Method
1
Remove the gianduja ganache from the fridge and whip it like a chantilly.
2
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a Saint-Honoré nozzle.
3
Remove the rectangular frame from the fridge and carefully unmould using a knife. You will have one large rectangle.
4
Trim the edges for a neater result, then cut into 6 smaller rectangles.
5
Pipe the whipped gianduja ganache in a zigzag pattern over each rectangle.
6
Finish with a few caramelised hazelnuts and some bergamot lemon zest.
Gallery
