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HomeRecipesLe Cube Grenadine by Chef Nicolas Houchet

Le Cube Grenadine by Chef Nicolas Houchet

(This recipe appeared in the Winter 2020 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)

Sponsored by Le Cordon Bleu

My concept behind Le Cube Grenadine was turning a simple concept and design into something outstanding. The dessert is striking, but constructed using traditional components. Classic desserts can stay classic, or they can be interpreted in an original way, and that is what I have striven to accomplish with Le Cube Grenadine.

Yield: 8 servings


Special equipment:

  • 7 cm-square entremets ring
  • 6 cm-square entremets ring
  • 3 cm-square silicone mold

Cocoa Pâte Sablée 

  • 200 g T55 flour
  • 95 g confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 g salt
  • 10 g cocoa powder
  • 40 g ground almonds
  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • 40 g whole eggs, beaten
  1. Preheat the oven to 330˚F and line the 7 cm-square entremets ring.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt, cocoa powder and ground almonds. Rub in the butter until a sand-like texture is achieved, then stir the eggs into the mixture until combined.
  3. Fraiser the dough on a lightly floured work surface until well combined.
  4. Between two sheets of baking paper, roll the dough out to 2 mm thick. Leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  5. Drape the dough into the square ring and bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes.

Strawberry and Pomegranate Jelly

  • 5 g powdered gelatin
  • 30 g water
  • 50 g strawberry purée
  • 100 g pomegranate purée
  • 10 g lemon juice
  • 20 g superfine granulated sugar
  1. In a bowl, add the gelatin to the water and let stand until it swells.
  2. Bring the purées, juice and sugar to a boil. Add the gelatin mass and mold into square silicone mold, then freeze.

Vanilla Crème Brûlée 

  • 300 g heavy whipping cream
  • 2 vanilla beans, seeds scraped
  • 5 g pectin X58 (heat reversible)
  • 50 g superfine granulated sugar
  • 90 g egg yolks
  1. Preheat oven to 180˚F.
  2. In a pan on low heat, warm the cream and vanilla beans and seeds and allow to infuse.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the pectin and sugar, then add the egg yolks. Whisk for 1 minute, until pale and somewhat fluffy.
  4. Blanch and temper with the hot, infused cream, stirring with a wire whisk as you pour in the cream. Return to the heat and cook.

Pour the mixture into the square silicone mold that contains the frozen strawberry and pomegranate jelly, then freeze well.


Pistachio and Almond Cream Biscuit

  • 60 g unsalted butter
  • 50 g superfine granulated sugar
  • 10 g pistachio paste
  • 50 g eggs
  • 30 g ground almonds, sifted
  • 10 g flour, sifted
  • 30 g ground pistachios, sifted
  • ½ lemon, zested
  1. Preheat the oven to 340˚F and grease the 6 cm-square entremets ring.
  2. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the pistachio paste and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed. Add the eggs to the mixture gradually, then incorporate the sifted dry ingredients and whisk until fully combined.
  3. Pipe into the square entremets ring and bake for 8 minutes.

Strawberry Mousse 

  • 6 g powdered gelatin
  • 60 g water, divided
  • 80 g superfine granulated sugar
  • 50 g egg yolks
  • 200 g strawberry purée, divided
  • 200 g heavy whipping cream 35%
  1. In a bowl, add the gelatin to 30 g water and leave until it swells.
  2. In a pan, cook the sugar and the remaining 30 g water to 250˚F and whisk in the egg yolks to make a sabayon.
  3. In a pan, heat 50 g of the strawberry purée until it reaches 176˚F, then add the gelatin. Mix well into the remaining 150 g of purée, then add the cooled sabayon.
  4. Whisk the cream to until it forms soft peaks, then fold into the strawberry mousse.

Pomegranate Gel

  • 100 g pomegranate purée
  • 2 g agar agar
  • 10 g superfine granulated sugar
  1. In a pan, bring the pomegranate purée to a boil.
  2. In a bowl, mix the agar agar with the sugar and gradually whisk into the purée. Cook for 1minute and pour onto a plate to 1 mm thick.
  3. Once cooled, cut the gel into small squares.

Plating

  • 200 g Valrhona Inspiration Strawberry Fraise, tempered
  1. Coat the inside of the pâte sablée case with a very thin layer of the tempered Valrhona chocolate.
  2. Pipe the Strawberry Mousse inside the cube.
  3. Gently fit the Strawberry and Pomegranate Jelly and Vanilla Crème Bruée inside the cube.
  4. Pipe a little more mousse, then finish with a square of Pistachio and Almond Cream Biscuit.
  5. Freeze well and decorate by layering the gel squares on one side on the cube, using some of the tempered chocolate to hold in place.

Photos courtesy of Le Cordon Bleu

Staff
Staff
Pastry Arts Magazine is the new resource for pastry & baking professionals designed to inspire, educate and connect the pastry community as an informational conduit spotlighting the trade.

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