Dark Chocolate & Vanilla Pecan Praline Entremets

To make this dark chocolate & vanilla pecan praline entremets, start by preparing all the ingredients for the chocolate sable.

Chocolate shortbread: Chop the dark chocolate into small, uniform pieces.

Place the softened butter in the bowl of the stand mixer and knead it using the paddle attachment...

...until it becomes completely pliable.

Add the cassonade...

...the granulated sugar...

...the fleur de sel...

...and the Tahiti vanilla flavour...

...as well as the chopped dark chocolate.

Mix all these ingredients together.

Add the flour...

...the baking powder and the cocoa powder.

Knead until a dough is formed.

Once the chocolate shortbread dough is ready, stop the mixer.

You will obtain a dough with chocolate chunks.

Place this chocolate dough on a sheet of parchment paper...

...and flatten it slightly with the palm of your hand...

...covering it with a second sheet of parchment paper.

Roll out the dough between the two sheets using a rolling pin pastry, to a uniform thickness of 0.5 cm.

To achieve a perfectly even dough, you can use leveling sticks.

Then remove the top sheet of parchment paper.

Cut a disc of chocolate shortbread dough using a mousse ring Ø 20cm.

Press against the stainless steel ring to cut the dough...

...to obtain this result.

Remove the excess dough.

You should have a chocolate disc 0.5 cm thick. Slide it onto a baking sheet and place it in the freezer. The dough must be very cold and firm.

When the chocolate disc is chilled, bake it in a ventilated oven preheated to 165°C for 11 minutes, noting that cooking time may vary depending on the oven. It is important to bake it cold or frozen, not at room temperature.

After baking, remove the chocolate biscuit from the oven...

...and let it cool to room temperature.

Vanilla pecan praline: Prepare all the ingredients.

Melt the Mycryo cocoa butter in the microwave in 20-30 second intervals to avoid burning.

Place the pecan praline in a pastry bowl.

Add the powdered vanilla...

...the melted Mycryo cocoa butter...

...and the previously chopped pecans.

Mix all these ingredients with a spatula until obtaining a smooth vanilla pecan praline. Set aside.

Chocolate and pecan biscuit: Prepare all the ingredients.

Place the small quantity of chopped pecans in a food processor...

...and grind finely until a powder is obtained.

The powder should have a grainy texture, similar to almond powder.

Spread the pecan powder and almond powder on a sheet of parchment paper.

Place the large quantity of whole pecans on a perforated baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake the two powders and whole pecans in a ventilated oven preheated to 160°C and toast for 15 minutes.

After toasting, the powders will have slightly browned...

...and the skin of the pecans will have slightly cracked, which is normal...

...like this.

Pour the toasted powders into a mixing bowl.

Add the large quantity of cassonade...

...the powdered sugar...

...fleur de sel...

...as well as the egg yolk...

...and the small amount of egg white previously weighed.

Mix all these ingredients using a whisk...

...until a homogeneous mixture is obtained, as shown in the photo.

Place the butter in a small saucepan...

...and melt it until it becomes brown butter.

Partially melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, in 20-30 second intervals, stirring every time to avoid burning.

Then add the brown butter to the partially melted chocolate...

...and mix with a spatula to finish melting the chocolate and obtain a smooth mixture.

Add the flour...

...and the baking powder...

...and mix carefully with the spatula...

...until a smooth and homogeneous mixture is obtained.

Pour this chocolate mixture over the previously prepared mixture...

...and whisk vigorously...

...until homogeneous.

Add the large quantity of egg whites...

...and the small quantity of cassonade into the mixing bowl while stirring with the whisk attachment.

Whip the egg whites...

...until stiff.

Add the toasted pecans, previously chopped, into the chocolate mixture...

...as well as half of the whipped egg whites.

Mix with a maryse spatula until homogeneous.

Then add the remaining egg whites and fold gently with the spatula until obtaining our mixture for the chocolate and pecan biscuit.

Place a mousse ring Ø 18 cm on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Pour the chocolate and pecan biscuit batter into the mousse ring without greasing...

...and spread it evenly with a palette knife.

Bake in a ventilated oven preheated to 165°C for about 12 minutes, depending on the oven.

After baking, check if the biscuit is fully cooked by inserting a knife in the centre...

...if the knife comes out clean, the biscuit is cooked.

Remove the chocolate and pecan biscuit from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.

Take the cooled chocolate shortbread (room temperature) and cut a disc using the mousse ring Ø 18 cm...

...cutting around the stainless steel ring used as a guide (the ring does not cut the disc). The shortbread is fragile and may crumble. Cutting with the mousse ring risks breaking the biscuit in two.

You get this result.

Once the chocolate and pecan biscuit is cooled (room temperature)...

...release it from the ring by sliding a knife between the biscuit and the ring sides.

Our chocolate and pecan biscuit is out of the mould.

Using a mousse ring Ø 16 cm, cut a disc in the centre...

...to remove the edge that has a slight crust.

Place the 16 cm mousse ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper...

...and line the inside of the ring with acetate roll (4.5cm high) to facilitate the release.

Remove the crust from the top of the chocolate and pecan biscuit with a sponge cake knife, removing only the surface part...

...like this.

Place the chocolate and pecan biscuit disc inside the mousse ring lined with the acetate roll.

Adjust the biscuit so there are no crumbs sticking out.

Pour the vanilla pecan praline into the mousse ring...

...directly in contact with the chocolate and pecan biscuit.

Spread the praline with the mini angled spatula, bringing it to the edges of the ring to ensure an even surface.

Cover the mousse ring with a sheet of plastic film...

...and place in the freezer.

Soft pecan cream: Prepare all ingredients. Mix the powdered gelatin with the hydration water (tap or mineral water) and let it hydrate for 15 minutes.

Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the first half of the cassonade.

Whisk to dissolve the sugar in the milk and bring to a boil.

Pour the egg yolk into a mixing bowl...

...along with the other half of the cassonade. Don't rely on the photo quantities; that day, I made two entremets.

Whisk the mixture until pale and creamy.

Then add the cornstarch (Maïzena)...

...and whisk vigorously...

...until a smooth and homogeneous mixture is obtained.

When the milk reaches a boil...

...pour it over the yolk, sugar, and cornstarch mixture while whisking.

Once homogeneous, transfer the mixture back to the milk saucepan...

...and cook over medium heat like a pastry cream, until thickened.

Once the cream has thickened and is boiling...

...remove the saucepan from the heat and add the hydrated gelatin.

Whisk vigorously to fully incorporate the gelatin into the hot cream.

Add the pecan praline...

...and mix thoroughly with a whisk or spatula...

...until smooth and homogeneous.

Transfer the pecan pastry cream into a food-safe container...

...and cover with plastic film directly on the surface. Chill. This cream can be used at room temperature (as in the next photo) or after refrigeration (it will be firmer).

Once cooled (here, just at room temperature, slightly set), pour the cream into the mixing bowl...

...and whip at high speed. Once smooth...

...add the softened butter...

...and continue mixing at high speed until fully incorporated. At this stage, the butter may be slow to blend and form small grains.

Continue whipping while scraping the bowl edges to ensure the cream is evenly mixed.

Gradually, the butter will incorporate, producing a smooth cream with good texture...

...as shown in the photo.

Place a piping bag into a piping bag holder.

Fill the disposable piping bag with the soft pecan cream, which is a mousseline cream. A tip: no nozzle is needed.

Push all the cream to the bottom of the bag, toward the tip, using a scraper.

Remove the mousse ring from the freezer and take off the plastic film.

Remove the stainless steel ring. This is easy thanks to the acetate roll.

Also remove the acetate roll.

From a side view, you can see the frozen layers: chocolate and pecan biscuit with vanilla pecan praline.

Place the mousse ring back on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and reinsert the acetate roll inside the ring.

Invert the frozen preparation so that the praline is at the bottom and the biscuit on top...

...pressing everything down gently.

Pipe the soft pecan cream into the mousse ring in a spiral, directly in contact with the chocolate and pecan biscuit.

This is the result.

Smooth the surface with the mini angled spatula. The total height of this insert must be a maximum of 3cm; otherwise, there will be issues when assembling the entremets.

Cover the stainless-steel ring with plastic film and place in the freezer.

Chocolate whipped cream: Prepare the ingredients.

Pour the small amount of whole cream into a saucepan and heat.

Meanwhile, partially melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, in 20-30 second intervals, stirring every time.

When the cream boils, pour it over the partially melted chocolate while stirring with a spatula...

...to form an emulsion. The chocolate will continue melting from the heat of the hot cream.

You can also whisk briefly to obtain a smooth and homogeneous chocolate mixture.

Pour the large amount of whole cream into the mixing bowl and whip with the whisk attachment...

...until a soft whipped cream is obtained. (A soft consistency makes moulding easier.)

Add a spatula's worth of whipped cream to the chocolate mixture (temperature should not exceed 40°C)...

...and whisk vigorously. This first addition loosens the chocolate mixture and lowers its temperature.

Immediately add the remaining whipped cream (to avoid premature chocolate crystallization) and fold gently with a spatula...

...until smooth and homogeneous. Optionally, whisk briefly for perfect incorporation.

Transfer this chocolate whipped cream into a piping bag (no nozzle).

Place the Aura silicone mould on a baking sheet. Work quickly to avoid chocolate crystallization.

Pipe the chocolate whipped cream into the silicone mould.

Bring the whipped cream up along the edges with the mini angled spatula to avoid air bubbles.

Spread the cream evenly at the bottom of the mould, ensuring full contact with the silicone mould.

This is the result.

Remove the insert from the freezer and remove the plastic film.

Gently release the insert by sliding the stainless steel ring upward.

Remove the acetate roll...

...to reveal the three-layer insert (vanilla pecan praline + chocolate and pecan biscuit + soft pecan cream).

Place this insert in the centre of the silicone mould, with the soft pecan cream side down in contact with the chocolate whipped cream, and the vanilla pecan praline on top.

Press the insert gently with your fingers into the chocolate whipped cream. The insert should sit below the mould rim, leaving at least 0.5cm of space.

Fill the edges with chocolate whipped cream.

Pipe a lace of chocolate whipped cream directly on the vanilla pecan praline...

...and spread with the mini angled spatula.

Then place the chocolate shortbread disc on top, with its top in direct contact with the chocolate whipped cream (this side will become the bottom when unmoulded).

Press gently so the shortbread aligns with the silicone mould. A slight overhang of 1-2 mm is acceptable.

Smooth the edges with the mini angled spatula, removing excess cream.

Cover the assembly with plastic film and place in the freezer. This entremets can be prepared days or even weeks in advance.

Finish: On the day, remove the silicone mould from the freezer...

...and remove the plastic film. The entremets should be fully frozen and unmoulded at the last moment for optimal results.

Flip the silicone mould and fold back to release the cake.

This is the unmoulded entremets.

Place the still-frozen entremets on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put it on a rotating tray.

Shake the velvet chocolate spray before use until the bead rattles (indicating the spray is homogeneous), then spray the entremets from 30-40 cm. Rotate the tray while spraying to coat all sides evenly.

The entremets now has a velvet finish.

Carefully lift the entremets with two angled metal spatulas...

...and place on the serving plate.

Take a whole pecan and colour it...

...with the metallic gold spray to create a base layer.

This is what the result should look like.

Then sprinkle shimmering gold powder on the pecan for extra sparkle. The powder adheres well thanks to the metallic spray.

Here is the pecan, fully golden and sparkling!

Place this golden pecan in the centre of the entremets using tweezers.

The dark chocolate & vanilla pecan praline entremets is complete. Let it defrost in the fridge for 4-5 hours before serving. Enjoy!