Chocolate, Pear and Hazelnut Yule Log

Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for about 15 minutes at 150°C / 300°F. Once warm or cool, rub them between your hands to remove the skins (it doesn’t matter if a little remains).

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or a cast-iron pot, bring the water and sugar to a boil. At 116°C / 241°F, remove from the heat, pour the hazelnuts over the sugar syrup and stir to coat all the nuts. The mixture will turn whitish — this is normal.

Return to medium heat and stir until the sugar liquefies again and caramelises (this takes about fifteen minutes). Do not stop stirring to prevent the nut mixture from burning.

At the end of cooking, the hazelnuts are beautifully glossy and have taken on a lovely auburn colour. Spread them on parchment paper and leave to cool.

Once completely cold, break up the nut brittle and place it in a food processor with the fleur de sel.

Dice the pear into a brunoise (small cubes).

Heat the pear purée and the seeds of half a vanilla pod to 40°C / 104°F.

Add the sugar/pectin mixture and whisk (it’s important to mix the sugar and pectin together well to avoid lumps). Bring to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minute(s).

Off the heat, add the pear brunoise and lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and 75 g (2.6 oz) of sugar, then add the whole eggs little by little, mixing well. Then incorporate the hazelnut powder and sifted flour.

Whisk the egg whites with the 15 g (0.5 oz) of caster sugar until they reach the consistency of a meringue.

Gently fold the first mixture into the meringue using a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter onto a Silpat baking mat placed on a baking tray. Spread the batter with an offset spatula.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave.

Add the hazelnut praline and mix well to incorporate it into the melted chocolate.

Add the crushed feuilletine and mix carefully with a spatula.

Rehydrate the gelatin in the water.

Make a ganache: melt the dark chocolate in the microwave.

Heat the milk then, off the heat, add the rehydrated gelatin.

Pour one third of the milk over the dark chocolate and mix with a spatula to create an emulsion. Then pour a second third, then a third, to obtain a smooth, homogeneous mixture.

Whip the heavy cream but do not over-whip — it should be airy and mousse-like.

Pour three-quarters of the chocolate mousse and spread it up along the sides for a neat finish.

If the mousse is a little too liquid and to prevent the insert from sinking to the bottom of the mould, you can place the mould in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes (keep an eye on it), just until the mousse firms up slightly.

Remove the insert from the freezer and gently press it into the mousse, right in the centre.

Pipe some hazelnut praline over the insert, then cover with another layer of chocolate mousse (leaving about 2 cm (0.8 in)).

Finish with the sponge/crunch base (sponge facing out). Press lightly to embed it and smooth the surface with a spatula.

Melt the dark chocolate and cocoa butter together in a bain-marie or in the microwave. Mix with a spatula.

Strain then pour the mixture into the reservoir of your velvet spray gun (ideally use a smaller container, like a jam jar, placed inside the larger reservoir).

Remove the entremet from the freezer, unmould carefully and place it on a wire rack. Don’t forget to protect your work surface.

Spray the velvet effect from a distance of 30–40 cm (15.7 in).