Millefeuille of Calissons de Provence by Laura Ann Chalupa

Executive Pastry Chef, The Rittenhouse Hotel

This dessert is inspired by the French confection calisson, highlighting the intense almond flavor and the background flavors of candied cantaloupe and orange.

Yield: Approx. 6-8 portions

Candied Cantaloupe

• 350 g cantaloupe, sliced 1″ thick
• 250 g sugar
• 500 g water

1. Put the melon in a pot with cold water. Bring to a boil and shock it in an ice bath.
2. Once cool, bring the water and sugar to a boil and pour over the melon. Wrap and let rest overnight.
3. The next day, strain the melon. Bring the syrup to a boil and pour over the melon. Repeat this process for 5 days.
4. On day 6, strain and let the syrup reduce by half, pour over the melon and allow it to rest overnight.
5. Drain the melon, then place it in a dehydrator for 2-3 days.

Cantaloupe Gel

• 75 g sugar
• 90 g water
• 7 g agar
• 157 g cantaloupe juice

1. Bring all ingredients except the cantaloupe juice to a boil and pour over the juice. Let rest overnight.
2. Blend in a Vitamix until smooth.

Orange Shortbread

• 225 g unsalted butter
• 150 g sugar
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 1 egg
• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 1 g salt
• Cream the butter, sugar and zest.
• Add the egg, then the dry ingredients and let rest in the walk-in.
• Sheet the shortbread down to 1.5 mm and cut using an oval cutter. Bake some without sheeting (this will be used for the crumble).
• Bake all of the shortbread for 5-7 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
• Process the unsheeted shortbread for crumble. Set the shortbread ovals aside until needed.

Orange Anglaise

• 226 g heavy cream
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 35 g sugar
• 1 egg
• 13 g yolks

1. Warm the milk and zest.
2. Temper in eggs and sugar, and cook to nappe.
3. Strain and let cool.

Dehydrated Meringue Sheets

• 2 parts sugar
• 1 part egg whites

1. Over a double boiler, whisk the sugar and egg whites until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk until medium peaks form.
3. Thinly spread the meringue onto parchment paper.
4. Place in a dehydrator overnight.

Almond Namelaka

• 1.5 gelatin sheets
• 12 g almond butter
• 75 g almond paste
• 300 g heavy cream
• 150 g milk
• 250 g white chocolate

1. Bloom the gelatin. Steep the almond butter and paste with the cream and burr mix.
2. Add the milk and bloomed gelatin, strain over the chocolate, and let set overnight.
3. Whip to medium peaks.

Almond Cream

• 226 g heavy cream
• 75 g almond paste

1. Steep together, burr mix, and strain. Let cool overnight.

Almond Mousse

• 7 g gelatin sheets
• Almond Cream (from previous recipe)
• 56 g yolks
• 56 g confectioner’s sugar
• 7 g almond liqueur

1. Bloom the gelatin and whip the Almond Cream to soft/medium peaks, and set aside.
2. Over a double boiler, whisk the yolks, confectioner’s sugar and almond liqueur until warm and the sugar is dissolved. Whip until light in color.
3. Melt the gelatin and temper it into the yolks, then fold in the Almond Cream.
4. Pipe into skinny oval molds and freeze.

Almond Ice Cream

• 75 g almond paste
• 250 g milk
• 250 g almond milk
• 50 g yolks
• 150 g sugar
• 125 g heavy cream

1. Steep the almond paste with the milks and burr mix. Whisk together the yolks and sugar.
2. Temper the milk into the yolks and cook the ice cream base to nappe, then strain over the cream.
3. Pour into Pacojet containers and freeze overnight before spinning.

Calisson

• 100 g almond flour
• 75 g confectioner’s sugar
• 80 g candied cantaloupe
• 20 g candied apricot
• 2 g orange blossom water

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until it becomes a smooth paste.
2. Spread the mixture onto wafer paper and roll to 0.5 cm thick. Let dry at room temperature.
3. When using a calisson cutter, ice with royal icing after cutting.

Royal Icing:

• 1 egg white
• 150 g confectioner’s sugar
• 4 g vanilla paste

1. Whisk together until smooth.

Assembly

• Almond cotton candy sugar
• 2 pieces of thin puff pastry (1×2 inches each)
• Candied orange segments

1. With a rose piping tip, pipe the namelaka on top of 1 piece of puff pastry, stack another piece of puff pastry on top and repeat piping. Place in the center of the plate.
2. In the center, place 1 piece of the candied orange segment and a small piece of the Candied Cantaloupe.
3. Place dots of the Cantaloupe Gel on the top, bottom right, and left.
4. On the top and bottom left, place the Almond Mousse on the shortbread at an angle. On top of each mousse, place 1 piece of the Candied Cantaloupe and a Meringue Shard.
5. Place the Orange Shortbread Crumble at the top right at an angle.
6. Place one Calisson on the top mousse and one near the bottom gel.
7. Quenelle the Almond Ice Cream and place it on top of the crumble.
8. Pour the anglaise at the bottom of the millefeuille.
9. Spin two small bundles of cotton candy and place one over the ice cream and one near the bottom Almond Mousse.

Photo Credits: Mike Prince

(This recipe appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)