I know full well that red berries have arrived en masse on our market stalls and that more and more summery recipes are appearing in the blogosphere. That said, there’s no season for eating chocolate, and it lifts the spirits. Not bad, is it? So if you’re looking for an ultra-indulgent recipe and you’re a dark chocolate lover, this chocolate caramel entremets is made for you.
It’s the recipe by Ludo Pastry Freak, which I quite simply reproduced identically, right down to the decoration. I’d never made crumpled chocolate before and I must say I love the effect. It’s dead easy to do, too, provided you know how to temper chocolate, of course. Personally, I’m no chocolate pro — I’ve always found tempering a pain… I tried again this year, to make Easter chocolates, and I finally succeeded with the tempering step and then my little chocolate bonbons. I was rather proud! So I’m not yet in a position to give you advice, but you can head over to Maxime’s blog, Empreinte Sucrée, which tells you everything about chocolate!
Tasting verdict: the chocolate is too strong for me (but then I’m a milk chocolate lover). However, I let a friend who adores dark chocolate taste it, and he found it excellent!!! So this dessert is really reserved for dark chocolate lovers, who will appreciate it as it deserves.
Ingredients & method
7 components · Full recipe
Mirror glaze (can be made ahead)
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) caster sugar
- 150 g (5.3 oz) glucose
- 80 g (2.8 oz) water
- 100 g (3.5 oz) unsweetened condensed milk
- 75 g (2.6 oz) white chocolate
- 75 g (2.6 oz) milk chocolate
- 9 g (0.3 oz) powdered gelatine
- 54 g (1.9 oz) water (to rehydrate the gelatine)
Method
1
Begin by hydrating the 200-bloom gelatine in the 54 g (1.9 oz) of cold water.
2
In a saucepan, bring the sugar, glucose and 80 g (2.8 oz) of water to 103°C / 217°F.
3
Pour this hot mixture over the condensed milk and immediately add the 2 chocolates, the hydrated gelatine and the food colourings.
4
Mix thoroughly and blend with a hand blender.
5
Cover with cling film pressed directly against the surface and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
Caramel cremeux (make the day before)
Ingredients
- 180 g (6.3 oz) sugar
- 60 g (2.1 oz) water
- 25 g (0.9 oz) glucose
- 90 g (3.2 oz) egg yolks (about 5 yolks)
- 60 g (2.1 oz) + 285 g (10.1 oz) full-fat whipping cream
- 1 vanilla pod
- 4 g (0.1 oz) gelatine
- 24 g (0.8 oz) water (to rehydrate the gelatine)
Method
1
Rehydrate the gelatine in the water.
2
Warm the 60 g (2.1 oz) of cream in a small saucepan.
3
Make a caramel by cooking the sugar, glucose and water in a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan.
4
Off the heat, deglaze the caramel by gradually adding the hot cream. Watch out for spattering!
5
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the vanilla seeds and the 285 g (10.1 oz) of cream, then pour this mixture into the saucepan containing the caramel.
6
Cook very gently, as for a crème anglaise, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until it reaches 83°C / 181°F. Be careful not to let the cream boil.
7
Strain through a sieve, add the rehydrated gelatine and stir to dissolve it, then blend with a hand blender until smooth.
8
Cover a 20 cm (7.9 in) ring with cling film and pour the caramel cremeux inside to a depth of 1.5 cm (0.6 in).
9
Leave to cool slightly, then freeze overnight.
Sacher sponge
Ingredients
- 120 g (4.2 oz) 50% marzipan
- 35 g (1.2 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 40 g (1.4 oz) icing sugar
- 35 g (1.2 oz) plain flour
- 5 eggs
- 40 g (1.4 oz) melted butter
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F.
2
Melt the butter in the microwave and leave to cool.
3
In a jug, crumble the marzipan as finely as possible and add one egg. Blend with a hand blender to loosen it first.
4
Separate the remaining 4 eggs into yolks and whites.
5
Add the egg yolks one at a time, blending after each addition. The marzipan will incorporate more easily each time. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk at full speed until the batter increases in volume.
6
Add the cooled melted butter and continue whisking.
7
Add the sifted flour and cocoa mixture and fold gently until fully incorporated.
8
Whisk the egg whites with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on low speed to incorporate as much air as possible. They will begin to foam. Gradually add the icing sugar once they have started to build up a little, then continue whisking to firm them up.
9
Fold the egg whites into the previous batter using a rubber spatula.
10
Pour the batter into a 26 cm (10.2 in) silicone mould (or onto a baking sheet to a depth of 5 mm).
11
Bake for 15–20 minutes. Leave to cool completely, then cut out a 20 cm (7.9 in) disc using a ring.
Praline crunch
Ingredients
- 55 g (1.9 oz) milk chocolate
- 60 g (2.1 oz) praline
- 25 g (0.9 oz) feuilletine (crêpes dentelles)
- 1 g (0 oz) fleur de sel
Method
1
Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave, then add the praline and stir with a spatula.
2
Add the crushed feuilletine and fleur de sel, then stir again.
3
Spread the praline crunch in a thin layer over the entire surface of the Sacher sponge using a small offset spatula, then refrigerate until assembly.
Chocolate mousse
Ingredients
- 240 g (8.5 oz) dark chocolate
- 225 g (7.9 oz) whole milk
- 75 g (2.6 oz) egg yolks
- 45 g (1.6 oz) caster sugar
- 330 g (11.6 oz) full-fat whipping cream
Method
1
Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, then set aside.
2
Heat the milk in a saucepan.
3
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.
4
Pour the hot milk over the yolk and sugar mixture, stir well and return to low heat.
5
Cook to 82°C / 180°F, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to let it boil.
6
Strain the still-hot crème anglaise and pour it over the melted chocolate. Stir, then blend with a hand blender. Set aside at room temperature.
7
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the cream until lightly whipped — it should be mousse-like, not stiff.
8
Fold the whipped cream gently into the chocolate and set aside until assembly.
Assembly of the chocolate caramel entremet
Ingredients
- None
Assembly
1
Cover a 22 cm (8.7 in) ring with cling film. Place it on a cardboard disc or, as I do, on a chopping board so you can move the entremet easily.
2
Line the inside of the ring with an acetate strip (if you don’t have one it’s not the end of the world, but you’ll probably need to warm the ring to remove it later).
3
Pour three-quarters of the dark chocolate mousse and bring it up the sides for a clean finish. If the mousse seems a little too liquid and you’re worried the insert might sink to the bottom, you can chill the ring for 5–10 minutes to let it set slightly before pressing in the insert. Remove the insert from the freezer and gently press it into the mousse, centring it carefully.
4
Cover with another layer of mousse (leaving about 1 cm (0.4 in)).
5
Finish with the Sacher sponge and crunch base (crunch side facing the mousse). Press down gently and smooth the surface with a spatula.
6
Cover with cling film and freeze for a minimum of 3 hours — ideally overnight.
Decoration of the chocolate caramel entremet
Ingredients
- gilded chocolate shards
- pralin (caramelised nut crumble)
Method
1
Warm the mirror glaze to approximately 30°C / 86°F.
2
Remove the entremet from the freezer and carefully unmould it, removing the ring and acetate strip.
3
Place the frozen entremet on a rack set over a plate or tray to catch the excess glaze.
4
Carefully pour the mirror glaze over the entremet to coat it completely.
5
Hold the entremet in one hand and, with the other, press pralin onto the lower sides.
6
Place the entremet on a serving platter.
7
Finally, add the gilded chocolate shards once the entremet has defrosted slightly (otherwise you won’t be able to press them in).
8
Leave to defrost in the refrigerator. Allow a minimum of 5–6 hours for thawing.
Gallery
