Gold-Coated Easter Eggs

Before starting this Gold-Coated Easter Eggs recipe, make sure you have organised the necessary ingredients for the mango insert.

Pour the mango purée and sugar in a saucepan...

... and heat the ingredients.

Soak the gelatine sheets in a big bowl filled with cold water.

Whisk the sugar and fruit purée until the sugar has dissolved completely.

Strain the soft gelatine sheets and add to the preparation. Combine carefully with a whisk until the gelatine has completely dissolved.

Pour the mango preparation into a large dish so it cools down faster.

Stir until the temperature goes down to 30-35°C. The use of a laser thermometer is recommended for this operation.

Transfer the mango purée in a bowl (it should not be jellied yet).

Add a little orange colouring powder with the tip of a knife (if you want to intensify the colour). Add 1/3 of the whipped cream...

... and combine with a whisk.

Add the rest of the whipped cream...

... and fold gently with a rubber spatula, making sure the preparation doesn't collapse.

Transfer the preparation in a piping bag. The use of a nozzle is not necessary.

Pipe the preparation into the cavities of a half sphere silicone mould...

... and even the surface with a metallic cranked spatula.

Cover with cling film and store in the freezer. Up to this stage, the mango insert can be made in advance and stored in the freezer.

When the mango inserts are frozen, remove the cling film.

Release the mango half spheres from the mould...

... and assemble two together to create a whole sphere.

Slide your thumb around the seal to even it. Reserve in the freezer.

For the crème anglaise: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Pour the milk and whipping cream in a saucepan.

Add half of the sugar...

... and bring to a boil.

Add vanilla seeds with the tip of a knife (or split a vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds out).

Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl...

... and add the remaining castor sugar.

Using a whisk, blanch the preparation for a couple of minutes.

When the milk starts boiling...

... pour over the blanched egg yolks.

Gently combine with a whisk.

Transfer the preparation into the saucepan used to boil the milk.

Cook 'à la nappe' (i.e. until the consistency is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon), making 8-shaped motions at the bottom of the recipient to prevent the eggs from coagulating.

Pass the preparation through a fine sieve.

For the white chocolate mousse: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Hydrate the gelatine with 22 grams of water at room temperature.

Add the white chocolate pistoles to the hot custard. Wait for the chocolate to melt a little before stirring.

Whisk well until homogeneous.

Melt the rehydrated gelatin in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add to the white chocolate preparation.

Combine well with a whisk until incorporated.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook until you get a brown butter...

... then add to the white chocolate preparation and whisk. Leave to cool at room temperature.

Prepare the necessary ingredients for the white chocolate mousse.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the white chocolate preparation...

... and combine with a whisk.

Add the rest of the whipped cream...

... and fold gently with a rubber spatula.

The white chocolate mousse is ready.

Transfer the preparation into a piping bag.

Fill the cavities of the 3D egg silicon mould up to 3/4 with white chocolate mousse.

Take the frozen mango spheres out of the freezer and bury them in the white chocolate mousse.

Assemble the upper part of the mould on top.

Make sure both parts are properly sealed.

Fill the rest of the cavity with chocolate mousse.

Even the surface with the cranked metallic spatula. Place in the freezer. Up to this stage, this recipe can be prepared several days in advance.

For the white chocolate icing: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, in periods of 30 seconds to make sure the chocolate does not burn. Combine well every time.

Add the grape seed oil...

... and combine. The oil should make the icing fluid and smooth. Set aside to cool. The temperature should go down to 35°C.

Make the nougatine or use some left over from a previous recipe.

Pour the nougatine between two Silpat baking mats and spread to a thin layer with a rolling pin.

Using a Exoglass pastry cutter Ø 3cm, cut the nougatine into 5 discs. Set aside.

Using a gilder's brush (found in specialised stores), gently lift a gold leaf sheet. You can also use a wide brush and slightly humidity the bristles.

In a bowl filled with cold water, place the gold leaf on the surface of the water.

The gold leaf should float completely flat on the surface.

Remove the frozen eggs from the freezer and remove the top part of the mould.

Insert a needle in the centre of the egg. This is convenient to handle the egg without touching it.

Gently release the eggs from the mould, pushing from the underside.

Dip the egg in the white chocolate icing (make sure you're using a container that is deep enough to immerse the egg).

When immersed, move the egg in the icing with vertical motions.

Gently lift the egg...

... and leave at room temperature to set. By coming into contact with the frozen egg, the icing will set within seconds. The liquid, glossy icing will become solid and satin smooth.

Place the egg over the gold leaf sheet floating in the bowl...

... and immerse the egg in the water. This operation will make the gold leaf stick to the surface of the egg.

With the egg haft immersed, the gold leaf should be totally under water. Carefully remove the egg from the water.

The top of the egg should now be coated with gold sheet.

Repeat the operation with another egg...

... and place another gold leaf on the surface of the water.

Immerse the egg and coat the top part with gold leaf. Repeat the same operation with the remaining eggs.

When the eggs are set, lift them from the bottom and dip the base in white chocolate icing.

Place the egg on top of a nougatine disc to create a flat base.

The gold-coated Easter eggs are now ready.

Garnish the eggs with a fresh flower on top, using a drop of icing to make it stick. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!