the Hazelnut » dessert chef Cyril Lignac

METHOD

• 1)

  Hazelnut shortbread: to prepare the day before

  Preheat the oven to 165C.
  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the butter until is soft. Add the hazelnut powder and the icing sugar, mix until the mixture is smooth, then add the flour little by little.  Don’t over work the dough.

  

  Roll it out between two baking paper 3mm thick and cut a rectangle of 20 * 12 cm.

  

  Place it on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and bake for 25 minutes.  Let it cool.

   

  

  The cooking time is given as an indication, you must watch your oven or adapt the temperature according to your oven.

• 2)

  Joconde biscuit : to prepare the day before
  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, put the almond powder and icing sugar, pour in the beaten whole eggs.

  

  Whisk until the mixture rises and triples in volume.

  

  Place it in another bowl. Clean the bowl of the stand mixer, whisk the egg whites in it, incorporate the caster sugar in three batches increasing the speed every time you add the sugar. Continue until the egg whites form a firm peaks.

  

  Add the melted butter to the first powder mixture with the whole eggs, then add the sifted flour and gently fold it in, using the spatula.  Finish by adding the egg whites delicately with the spatula.

  

  Preheat the oven to 210C.
  Spread on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.  Bake for 7 minutes. Let it cool.

  

• 3)

  Gianduja mousse: to prepare the day before

  Start by making a custard.  Soak the gelatin sheet in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes to soften.
  In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil with the 1/2 split and scraped vanilla pod. Cover and let infuse for a few minutes. Bring to the boil again.

  In a bowl, whisk the yolk egg with the sugar. Add the infused milk over the mixture, whisk, then return everything to the saucepan and cook the curd over low heat. Stirring continuously until the custard thickens (at about 82C) take offfrom the heat squeeze the excess water from the gelatine and then stir the gelatine into the curd until completely dissolved.
  Add the hot custard in three batches over the melted gianduja (or just cut into small pieces), until is melted and everything is completely incorporated. Blend using a hand blender, cover it with a cling film and press it to the surface of the curd so that it is touching it, to prevent any skin forming. Place the curd in the fridge to set.

  

  Whip the liquid crème fraîche with a whisk until you obtain a soft texture (like shaving foam texture). Using a spatula gradually and gently fold it into the Gianduja custard. keep it in the fridge. (I forgot to take a picture).

• 4)

  The day before. Cut a 20 * 12cm rectangle using a stainless steel mold (3 mold for me of 12 * 4cm and 3cm high, if you want a use a 18*18 cm mold dont forget to double the quantity of the mousse). Cover the bottom of your mold with a cling film, in that way the mousse will not spread outside. Use a Rhodoïd ribbon if you have, it will be easy to take off the dessert from the mold.
  Place the hazelnut shortbread.

  

  Pour a little of gianduja mousse (for me it was 35g for each layer).

  

  Then add the rectangle of the Joconde biscuit also cut into 20*12 cm.

  

  Then pour the second layer of gianduja mousse. Set aside in the freezer.

  

  Once frozen, remove the circle (use a torch to lightly heat the mold so you can easily remove it if you have not used a rhodoid ribbon), don’t heat it to much, or the mousse willmelt. Place your entremets on a baking sheet lined with a baking paper and return to the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting out 6 rectangles of 12 * 3cm. Keep in the freezer overnight.

  

• 5)

  Gianduja ganache: prepare the day before
  Soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes.
  In a saucepan, bring 70g of cream to the boil with the glucose. Turn off the heat, add the gelatin. Pour the hot cream in 3 batches over the melted gianduja (or cut into small pieces), making an emulsion. Add the rest of the cold cream (190g). Blend everything using a hand blender without making bubbles, to obtain a shiny and smooth texture.
  Leave it at least 12 hours in the refrigerator.

• 6)

  The next day:

  Milk chocolate – almond glaze:
  Preheat your oven to 210C.
  Spread the almonds on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, then roast them in the oven for 5 minutes, until they get a nice golden color.
  Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof mixing bowl « bain-marie /double boiler » and melt the chocolate until the temperature reaches 45C. Then add the sunflower oil (or grape seed oil) and the roasted almonds (or hazelnuts). Set aside  at room temperature.

  

  Place your desserts on a rack and coat them with milk chocolate (30C), using a spatula remove the excess chocolate from the surface of the dessert. Allow to set at room temperature.

  

  In a bowl, whisk the Gianduja ganache.  On each dessert, pipe wavy patterns of Gianduja ganache over the top, using a pastry bag fitted with a saint honoré tip.
  Decorate with gold leaf, otherwise whole roasted hazelnuts.

  

   

  

  

  

  Enjoy !!