Hey!
A little late, but I am finally publishing the recipe for the Vanilla Caramel Pecan Entremet; better late than never 🙂
It is an Entremet (Mousse Cake) that I love to make and eat! It takes a little time to make, so I have set up a retro-planning (schedule) for you to organize yourself and spread the preparations over 2 days.
This dessert features a Madagascar Vanilla Ganache, a luscious Caramel Creamy insert, and a crunchy Pecan Praline base. It’s the perfect luxury cake for special occasions.
Ingredients:
Madagascar Vanilla Ganache:
500g liquid cream (30% fat)
110g Valrhona Ivoire white chocolate
1 Madagascar vanilla pod
4g gelatin
Vanilla Caramel Creamy (Crémeux):
100g sugar
15g glucose
30g water
40g + 160g liquid cream (30% fat)
1/2 vanilla pod
1 pinch fleur de sel
2 egg yolks
3g gelatin
Pecan Praline:
150g Pecan nuts
75g sugar
25g water
1 pinch fleur de sel
Brown Sugar (Vergeoise) Soft Biscuit:
90g egg whites + 15g sugar
35g almond powder
50g pecan nuts reduced to powder
75g brown sugar (Vergeoise brune)
2 egg yolks
20g egg whites
20g liquid cream
1/2 Madagascar vanilla pod
70g butter
35g flour
2g baking powder
1 pinch fleur de sel
Pecan Crunch (Croustillant):
30g Pecan nuts
60g Pecan Praline (from above)
50g Crêpes dentelles (Feuilletine)
50g Valrhona Ivoire white chocolate
1 pinch fleur de sel
1 can of white velvet spray
1 ring of 18 cm & 1 ring of 20 cm
Directions:
Vanilla Whipped Ganache (to be made the day before assembly):
Place the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water.
In a saucepan, bring the liquid cream and the vanilla pod (split in two and scraped) to a boil.
Add the squeezed gelatin off the heat and stir to dissolve it.
Pour 1/3 of the cream over the chopped white chocolate, create an emulsion. Repeat the same operation for the remaining 2/3.
Cover with cling film in contact with the surface and leave the preparation in the refrigerator overnight.
Vanilla Caramel Creamy (to be made the day before assembly):
Immerse the gelatin sheets in a bowl of water.
Heat the 40g of liquid cream with the vanilla seeds, set aside.
In another saucepan, place the sugar, water, glucose and make a caramel. When the color is amber, off the heat, pour in the still-hot vanilla cream, while stirring to deglaze the caramel. Add the 160g of cream and the 2 egg yolks, mix.
Place everything back over medium heat and stir constantly until reaching 84 degrees (Celcius).
Transfer the creamy into a bowl, incorporate the squeezed gelatin and the pinch of salt. Blend with an immersion blender.
Cover with cling film in contact with the surface and leave the creamy in the refrigerator overnight.
Pecan Praline:
Roast the pecans for 10 minutes at 150 degrees.
In a saucepan, cook the sugar and water until you get a nice amber color. Pour the caramel over the pecans. Let cool for 1 hour.
Then break into pieces and blend everything for several minutes; the time may vary depending on the food processor used. Add the fleur de sel and blend again until you obtain a very creamy paste.
The praline keeps for several weeks in an airtight jar.
Brown Sugar Soft Biscuit:
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
Whip the 90g of egg whites with the 15g of sugar until stiff.
Make a Brown Butter (Beurre Noisette): Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. When the butter stops crackling and foaming, it will take on a hazelnut color and smell. Stop cooking and filter the butter through a small strainer to remove deposits. You have your brown butter! Set aside.
Mix together the brown sugar (vergeoise), almond powder, pecan powder, the 2 yolks, the 20g of egg whites, the cream, and the vanilla seeds.
Add the still-warm brown butter, mix.
Then pour in the sifted flour and baking powder and the fleur de sel, mix again.
Whip the egg whites until stiff with the 15g of sugar and incorporate them delicately into the preparation.
Spread the biscuit (1cm thick) on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for about 12 minutes.
Let your biscuit cool. Cut the biscuit using the 18cm ring.
Pecan Crunch:
Melt the white chocolate and incorporate the praline.
Then pour over the mixture of crushed crêpes dentelles, chopped pecans, and fleur de sel, mix.
Spread the crunch over the soft biscuit and reserve in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Assembly of the Entremet:
Place the caramel creamy in a piping bag and pipe it over the crunch layer.
Reserve in the freezer while you whip your vanilla ganache in the mixer like a chantilly (whipped cream).
Take the biscuit/crunch/creamy insert out of the freezer and place it in the 20 cm ring.
Cover completely with ganache and smooth everything using a spatula.
Place the entremet in the freezer overnight.
The Big Day (Day J):
Protect your work surface (the velvet spray is very volatile).
Unmold the entremet by heating the ring with a blowtorch.
Spray (flock) the entremet by positioning the spray 25 cm away.
Place your entremet, using a spatula, on a serving platter and decorate it.
Let it thaw in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before serving.
Final Thoughts & Serving Tips
This Vanilla Caramel Pecan Entremet is a masterpiece of textures, combining the softness of the brown sugar biscuit with the crispiness of the pecan crunch. The velvet spray finish gives it a professional, snowy elegance perfect for holidays or birthdays. Remember to keep the cake chilled until serving to maintain the structure of the vanilla mousse. By following this step-by-step guide, you will master the art of French Patisserie right in your own kitchen. Happy baking and enjoy your homemade gourmet dessert
