Chocolate Brandy by Manuel Bouillet

(This recipe appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)      

This recipe is all about the intensity and the hint of smokiness from the chocolate. The goal was to have a flavorful pastry and something original at the same time. Of course, this is only for an adult palate.

Yield: 16 servings

Chocolate Pâte Sucrée

• 400 g T55 flour
• 45 g Cacao Barry Plein Arôme cocoa powder
• 227 g unsalted butter 82%
• 56 g confectioners’ sugar
• 56 g raw sugar
• 4 g sea salt
• 113 g almond flour
• 95 g whole eggs

1. Mix together the T55 flour and cocoa powder. 
2. Combine butter with the confectioners’ and raw sugar and the fleur de sel. Add the almond flour and half the cocoa powder mixture. Add the eggs, then the remaining cocoa powder mixture. Chill, then roll out to 0.07ʺ (2 mm). Cut out 2.7ʺ (7 cm) rounds and bake on a perforated silicone mat. 

Brandy Chantilly

• 207 g heavy cream 35.1%
• 1.5 vanilla beans, split and scraped
• 39 g egg yolks
• 31 g granulated sugar
• 19 gelatin mass (1:6)
• 192 mascarpone cheese
• 60 g Saint Rémy Brandy 60%

1. Heat the cream with the vanilla beans and infuse for 10 minutes. 
2. Strain the infusion and return to the saucepan. Whisk together the yolks and sugar and temper into the cream. Cook to anglaise stage (185˚F/85˚C). Add the gelatin mass and pour over the mascarpone. Burr mix with the brandy and refrigerate overnight. 
3. Right before using, whip the Chantilly. Use 35 g of the cream for each 2.3ʺ (6 cm) half-sphere. 

Dark Chocolate Crunchy Glaze

• 401 g Cacao Barry Cuba 70% chocolate
• 8 g cocoa butter
• 40 g grapeseed oil
• 52 g toasted walnut pieces

1. Melt the chocolate, cocoa butter and grapeseed oil together. Add the walnut pieces. Use glaze at 93-95˚F (34-35˚C). 

Walnut Brownie

• 136 g unsalted butter 82%, softened
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 20 g invert sugar
• 1.5 g fleur de sel
• 155 g Cacao Barry Cuba 70% chocolate, melted
• 69 g T55 flour, sifted
• 60 heavy cream 35.1%
• 100 g whole eggs, room temperature
• 110 g toasted walnuts

1. Combine the softened butter, sugar, invert sugar and fleur de sel.
2. With the chocolate at 113-122˚F (45-50˚C), add it to the butter mixture, mixing until  well blended. Mix in the sifted flour, then the cream and the whole eggs. Mix in the walnuts.
3. Portion batter into 1.5ʺ (4 cm) demi-sphere molds and bake at 320˚F (160˚C) with fan until done.

Chocolate Cremeux

• 154 g whole milk
• 16 g glucose
• 39 g gelatin mass
• 283 g Cacao Barry Cuba 70%
• 308 g heavy cream 35.1 %

1. Heat the milk, glucose and gelatin mass to 158˚F (70˚C). Pour over the chocolate and emulsify to make a ganache.
2. Add the cream and Burr-mix. Chill.

Assembly

• Walnut paste 100%
• Walnut pieces
• Thin chocolate shards

1. Pipe some walnut paste into 1.5ʺ (4 cm) round silicone molds and freeze.
2. Pipe the Brandy Chantilly into 2.4ʺ (6 cm) demi-sphere silicone molds. Insert the brownie, pushing it all the way to the bottom, then add the walnut paste insert. Smooth the top with a little more of the Chantilly, then freeze.
3. Unmold and glaze with the Chocolate Crunchy Glaze. Place a Chocolate Pâte Sucrée round on top. Pipe the Chocolate Cremeux on top and then create a cavity using a warm Parisian melon baller. Fill with some walnut paste. Garnish with a few walnut pieces and a few thin chocolate shards.