Vanilla/Hazelnut/White Chocolate/Maple by Yann Le Coz

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

Pastry Chef Instructor
Le Cordon Bleu, Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute

Yield: 1 entremet

Special equipment: Silikomart 7ʺ (18 cm) eclipse mold; 2.5ʺ (6.5 cm) globe mold; 1.37ʺ (3.5 cm) half-sphere mold 

Maple Syrup Biscuit

• 85 g almond powder
• 65 g maple sugar
• 110 g egg whites, divided
• 35 g egg yolks
• Seeds from 2 vanilla beans
• 20 g heavy cream, 35%
• 20 g granulated sugar
• 35 g all-purpose flour
• 2 g baking powder
• 15 g unsalted butter, melted
• 35 g extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a Thermomixer, mix together the almond powder, maple sugar, 20 g of the egg whites, the egg yolks, vanilla bean seeds and cream – mix for 2 minutes.

2. Whip the remaining 90 g egg whites with the 20 g sugar to a meringue and fold into the almond mixture. Sift together the flour and baking powder and fold into mixture with the melted butter and olive oil. Spread batter 3/4ʺ (2 cm) thick over silicone baking mat-lined sheet pan and bake at 350˚F (175˚C) for 12 minutes.

3. Cut 1 sponge out with 6.3ʺ (16 cm) diameter metal ring for the entremet and 6 sponges with 1.37ʺ (3.5 cm) diameter for the monoportion.

Sablé

• 100 g unsalted butter
• 90 g maple sugar
• 1 g salt
• 90 g almond powder

1. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and the salt. Mix in the almond powder. Roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and let set in refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. Cut in 2.4ʺ (6 cm) and 6.3ʺ (16 cm) rounds and some extra different sizes for decoration and bake at 320˚F (160˚C) for 12 minutes. Set aside on wire rack to cool.

Vanilla Crem

• 250 g heavy cream, 35%
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 60 g egg yolk
• 45 g granulated sugar
• 50 g Cacao Barry Zéphyr white chocolate 34%
• 4 g gelatin, bloomed with 20 g water
• 50 g unsalted butter

1. In a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil; add the vanilla bean, remove from heat, cover, and allow to infuse.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and sugar. Temper into the cream and cook to anglaise stage, 185˚F (85˚C). Pour over the chocolate and emulsify. Whisk in bloomed gelatin and butter.

3. Make the insert: place biscuit in the bottom of a 6.3ʺ (16 cm) ring. Pour over Vanilla Cremeux to a height of 78ʺ (2 cm). Blast freeze for 15 minutes.

Hazelnut Jelly

• 8 g granulated sugar
• 2 g pectin X58
• 115 g milk
• 30 g hazelnut paste 50%
• 5 g cocoa butter

1. Mix the sugar and pectin together.

2. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer, then add the sugar mixture and boil for a few seconds. Pour over the hazelnut paste and cocoa butter and emulsify. Pour over frozen cremeux layer to a height of 0.39ʺ (1 cm) and blast-freeze for 15 minutes.

White Chocolate Crème Legere Zephyr Mousse

• 150 g whole milk
• 40 g egg yolks
• 15 g granulated sugar
• 15 g cornstarch
• 6 g gelatin sheets, bloomed with 30 g water
• 150 g Cacao Barry Zephyr white chocolate
• 375 g heavy cream, whipped

1. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Temper into the milk, then cook until thickened. Whisk in the gelatin. Pour over the white chocolate and emulsify.

3. At 72˚F (22˚C), fold in the whipped cream. Set aside for assembly.

Glaze

• 300 g granulated sugar
• 200 g glucose
• 120 g water
• 72 g water
• 2 vanilla beans, split
• Grated zest of ½ lime
• 12 g powdered fish gelatin (200 bloom), rehydrated

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, glucose, water, vanilla beans and lime zest and bring to a boil.

2. Remove from heat and whisk in the gelatin and strain. Set aside and use at 95˚F (35˚C).

Milk Chantilly

• 200 g heavy cream
• 10 g invert sugar
• 100 g milk chocolate

1. In a saucepan, bring the cream and invert sugar to a boil. Pour over the chocolate and emulsify.

2. Pour onto tray and chill for 2 hours.

Assembly

• Milk chocolate ring (5.5ʺ x 1.5ʺ high/14 cm x 4 cm high)
• Chocolate feathers
• 24K gold leaf
• Edible gold dust

1. Make the insert for the monoportion: Have ready a 1.37ʺ (3.5 cm) half-sphere mold. Pour in Hazelnut Jelly to a height of 0.39ʺ (1 cm) and blast-freeze for 15 minutes.

2. Pour Vanilla Cremeux to a height of 0.6ʺ (1.5 cm) over Hazelnut Jelly in mold and then top with the 1.37ʺ (3.5 cm) biscuit round; blast-freeze.

3. Pipe the Zephyr Mousse into the entremets mold, filling it 70% of the way. Press the insert in and then blast-freeze for 2 hours. Unmold and glaze with neutral glaze at 95˚F (35˚C). Place entremet on top of sable.

4. Whip the Chantilly to soft peaks and transfer to a pastry bag fitted with #20 plain tip. Transfer the milk chocolate ring decoration on top of the entremet and pipe some balls inside the ring. Use a melon baller dipped in warm water to make a well in each ball, then pipe in some of the leftover Vanilla Cremeux. Garnish with chocolate feathers and gold leaf and some sablé crumbs mixed with gold dust.