Pear and hazelnut entremet composed of
– pear mousse,
– pear compote,
– praline crisp,
– hazelnut praline,
– pear jelly,
– a quenelle of hazelnut ice cream.
Equipment used
– Silikomart mini Dot mould
– Baking paper
– Rolling pin
– Silikomart quenelle mould
– Silikomart cherry blossom stencil
Ingredients
Hazelnut praline
✔150g hazelnuts
✔75g caster sugar
Pear mousse
✔150g puréed pears
✔80g single cream
✔2g gelatine
Pear compote
✔100g diced pears
✔Vanilla powder
Praline crisp
✔60g praline
✔50g white chocolate
✔40g crêpes dentelles
Pear jelly
✔80g puréed pear
✔1g gelatine
The recipe
For 3 entremets
Hazelnut praline
150g hazelnuts75g caster sugar
Spread the hazelnuts out on a baking tray and bake at 150°C for 15 minutes. Pour the caster sugar into a saucepan and make a caramel. Pour onto a sheet of baking paper and leave to cool. Place the hazelnuts – which you’ve rubbed to remove as much of the skin as possible – and the caramel, cut into pieces, into the bowl of a food processor and blend until you have a praline. You’ll have some praline left over to use in other recipes. It keeps very well in a sealed container. You’ll just need to give it a good stir before using it, as the oil from the hazelnuts rises to the surface.
Crunchy praline
✔60g praline
✔50g white chocolate
✔40g crêpes dentelles
Mix together the praline, melted white chocolate and crêpes dentelles. Roll out the mixture between two sheets of baking paper. Place in the freezer for a few minutes, then cut out shapes using a cutter with a diameter slightly smaller than the Silikomart Mini Dot mould. Keep in the freezer until ready to assemble.
Pear compote
✔100g diced pears
✔Vanilla powder
Dice a ripe pear into small cubes. Place them in a small saucepan with some vanilla powder. Cook gently over a low heat for a few minutes, then set aside for assembly.
Pear mousse
✔150g puréed pears
✔80g single cream
✔2g gelatine
Soak the gelatine sheet in a bowl of cold water until softened.
Heat the pear purée (made from blended ripe pears or pears in syrup) in a saucepan for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and add the drained, softened gelatine, stirring well. Set aside.
Whip the very cold single cream with an electric whisk, adding the icing sugar. Add the warmed pear purée. Assemble the dessert.
Assembly
Fill the Silikomart ùini Dot mould three-quarters full with pear mousse. Top with the praline crunch. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
Add some pear compote.
Top up with the remaining pear mousse.
Finish with the crunchy hazelnut biscuit.
Chill in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the gelatine to set.
Then place in the freezer overnight.
Pear jelly
✔80g puréed pears
✔1g gelatine
Place the gelatine sheet in a large bowl of cold water. Purée the pears, then heat them in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the drained, softened gelatine. Transfer to a small bowl. Leave to cool completely, cover with cling film and chill overnight.
The next day, turn the desserts out of their tins and keep them in the fridge whilst they defrost.
Position your stencil correctly. Apply the jelly using a spatula.
Gently lift the stencil. Rinse it and repeat the process for each plate.
Place your dessert on the plate.
Fill a piping bag with hazelnut praline and pipe a dollop onto the centre of the top of each dessert.
Just before serving, I added a quenelle of hazelnut ice cream, moulded using the Silikomart quenelle mould.
