You’re probably looking for your Easter dessert. How about this adorable hen with the golden eggs? It’s an Easter tart-entremets made up of a pâte sucrée, a smooth caramel, a dark chocolate crémeux, a peanut crunchy layer, a peanut whipped ganache and a cocoa mirror glaze.
And for the decoration, we go all out and make a pretty little chocolate nest containing a hen and her little eggs (which I bought from the shops, but if you’ve mastered chocolate tempering and moulding, treat yourself!). Perfect for Easter, isn’t it?
This dessert may ring a bell if you watched the show “Les rois du gâteau” on M6 (minus the Easter decoration, of course). It’s the famous Cracahuète presented by Dominique which the chefs had absolutely loved. I was lucky enough to discover this recipe before everyone else and to test it for Easter last year. But the result was visually disappointing (I hadn’t properly respected the balance between the chocolate crémeux and the peanut ganache), the glaze wasn’t a success, and neither was the chocolate nest. In short, I’d promised myself I’d make up for it the following year, and now it’s done. I simply allowed myself a small departure from the recipe by offering you a peanut crunchy layer instead of a praline crunchy layer and by removing the step where the peanuts infuse in the milk when preparing the whipped ganache.
This entremets is a real delight. It was a treat for all my colleagues a few days ago. I really like using peanuts in desserts (even though I don’t like them as a snack with drinks). They bring a super indulgent, nostalgic touch and pair really well with chocolate and caramel. It’s not as sweet as you might think, but it’s really indulgent; a small slice may be enough to satisfy you. I can already hear you saying that this recipe looks long and/or difficult. Of course, it requires a bit of work and organisation. I suggest you follow my schedule to succeed with this dessert every time without being overwhelmed (it’s only a suggestion, you can of course organise yourself differently). I promise you’ll impress your guests next weekend.
- One week before: prepare the peanut praline (keep it in a cool, dry place) and the smooth caramel (keep it in the fridge)
- D-5: prepare the cocoa mirror glaze (cover it with cling film touching the surface and keep it in the fridge)
- D-4: prepare the peanut whipped ganache (cover it with cling film touching the surface and keep it in the fridge)
- D-3: whip the peanut whipped ganache like a chantilly (pour it into the mould, cover with cling film touching the surface and freeze)
- D-2: prepare the peanut crunchy layer, spread it thinly over the disc of whipped ganache (freeze again); also prepare the pâte sucrée (wrap it in cling film as a flattened ball and keep it in the fridge)
- D-1: line the ring with the pâte sucrée and bake it 6 hours later; also prepare the chocolate crémeux. Start assembling the tart (caramel on the bottom + crémeux), cover with cling film touching the surface and put it in the fridge until the next day
- D-Day: glaze the disc of whipped ganache, finish assembling the cake and decorate
- D-Day + 3 hours of defrosting: enjoy ????
Ingredients & method
9 components · Full recipe
Peanut Praline (make ahead, there will be some left over)
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) unsalted peanuts
- 200 g (7.1 oz) sugar
- 50 g (1.8 oz) water
- 1 pinch fleur de sel
Method
1
Toast the peanuts in the oven at 150°C / 300°F for about 10–15 minutes.
2
In a saucepan, bring the water and sugar to 118°C / 244°F. Remove from the heat and add the toasted peanuts. Stir until the sugar turns sandy and white, then return to medium heat, stirring until the sugar melts and caramelizes around the peanuts.
3
Spread on baking paper and leave to cool. Add a pinch of fleur de sel and blend to a smooth praline paste. Store in an airtight jar.
Smooth Caramel (can be made a week ahead, there will be some left over)
Ingredients
- 200 g (7.1 oz) sugar
- 100 g (3.5 oz) heavy whipping cream
- 90 g (3.2 oz) salted butter
- 1 pinch fleur de sel
Method
1
Make a dry caramel: place the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir, just swirl occasionally until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber colour.
2
Meanwhile, heat the cream separately. When the caramel is ready, carefully pour in the warm cream — it will bubble vigorously. Stir with a spatula.
3
Add the salted butter cut into pieces and the fleur de sel. Stir until completely smooth. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the caramel thickens slightly.
4
Pour into a jar and refrigerate. The caramel will keep for up to a week.
Sweet Pastry (for two 22 cm (8.7 in) tarts, start 2 days ahead or the day before)
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) butter
- 95 g (3.4 oz) icing sugar
- 30 g (1.1 oz) almond flour
- 60 g (2.1 oz) egg
- 250 g (8.8 oz) flour
- a pinch of fleur de sel
- a knife-tip of vanilla powder
Method
1
Mix the softened butter with the icing sugar, almond flour, vanilla powder and fleur de sel. Add the beaten egg, then the flour, and work briefly until a smooth dough forms. Divide in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
2
Roll out to 2–3 mm and line a 22 cm (8.7 in) tart ring. Refrigerate overnight. (Freeze the second portion for another use.)
Mirror Glaze (can be made ahead)
Ingredients
- 37 g (1.3 oz) water
- 37 g (1.3 oz) sugar
- 75 g (2.6 oz) glucose syrup
- 50 g (1.8 oz) unsweetened condensed milk
- 75 g (2.6 oz) 70% dark chocolate
- 5 g (0.2 oz) powdered gelatine
- 30 g (1.1 oz) water (to rehydrate the gelatine)
Method
1
Rehydrate the gelatine in the water. In a saucepan, heat the water, sugar and glucose to 103°C / 217°F.
2
Place the dark chocolate (cut into pieces), condensed milk and rehydrated gelatine in a tall jug. Pour the hot syrup over and blend with a hand blender, taking care not to incorporate air bubbles. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate.
3
To use: reheat the glaze gently to 28–30°C / 83–86°F and pour over the frozen entremet.
Peanut Whipped Ganache (start the day before)
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) 70% dark chocolate
- 135 g (4.8 oz) heavy whipping cream
- 3 g (0.1 oz) powdered gelatine
- 18 g (0.6 oz) water (to rehydrate the gelatine)
- 265 g (9.3 oz) heavy whipping cream (2)
Method
1
Rehydrate the gelatine in the water. Melt the dark chocolate. Heat the 135 g (4.8 oz) of cream and pour over the chocolate in three additions to form an emulsion. Add the rehydrated gelatine, stir, then add the 265 g (9.3 oz) of cold cream. Blend with a hand blender.
2
Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate overnight. The next day, whip to a firm, pipeable consistency.
Praline Crunch
Ingredients
- 40 g (1.4 oz) peanut praline paste (recipe above)
- 30 g (1.1 oz) Jivara milk chocolate (Valrhona)
- 35 g (1.2 oz) feuilletine (crispy wafer crumbs)
Method
1
Melt the milk chocolate. Mix with the peanut praline paste, then fold in the feuilletine.
2
Spread a thin, even layer over the baked and cooled tart base. Refrigerate until set.
Chocolate Cremeux
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) 70% dark chocolate
- 50 g (1.8 oz) whole milk
- 2 g (0.1 oz) powdered gelatine
- 12 g (0.4 oz) water (to rehydrate the gelatine)
- 80 g (2.8 oz) heavy whipping cream
Method
1
Rehydrate the gelatine in the water. Melt the dark chocolate.
2
Heat the milk to 82°C / 180°F, add the gelatine and stir to dissolve. Pour over the melted chocolate in three additions to form an emulsion. Add the cream and blend with a hand blender.
3
Pour into the tart shell (over the praline crunch layer), smooth the surface and freeze for at least 2 hours.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Method
1
Remove the baked tart shell from the fridge. Spread a generous layer of smooth caramel over the praline crunch base.
2
Pour the chocolate cremeux over the caramel layer. Smooth the surface and freeze until fully set (at least 2 hours).
3
Reheat the mirror glaze to 28–30°C / 83–86°F. Place the frozen tart on a wire rack and pour the glaze over the top, spreading gently if needed. Leave to set for a few minutes.
4
Transfer the tart to its serving plate. Pipe the peanut whipped ganache in rosettes around the edge of the tart. Place the chocolate nest in the centre and arrange the chocolate eggs inside. Refrigerate until fully defrosted before serving (at least 3–4 hours).
Chocolate Nest
Ingredients
- tempered dark chocolate
- chocolate Easter eggs to decorate
Method
1
To make the chocolate nest, temper the dark chocolate. Using a fork or a piping bag with a very fine tip, drizzle thin strands of chocolate in a circular, nest-like pattern over a curved mould (such as the outside of a bowl lined with a small plastic bag). Leave to set at room temperature.
2
Once set, carefully unmould the nest and place on the assembled tart. Fill with chocolate Easter eggs.
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