Peach & Apricot Mousse Cake

Before starting this Peach and Apricot Moon Cake recipe, organise the necessary ingredients for the mascarpone chantilly cream.

For the mascarpone chantilly cream: Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl filled with cold water.

In a saucepan, place 30 grams of whipping cream, castor sugar and seeds from the vanilla pod (scraped with the tip of a knife beforehand).

Combine with a whisk and bring to a boil.

When the gelatine sheets are soft, take them out and strain.

When the cream starts boiling...

... add the soft gelatine sheets.

Gently whisk until the gelatine is completely dissolved. Set aside.

Combine the mascarpone with 170 grams of whipping cream.

Combine well with a whisk.

Add the cream and gelatine preparation.

Using a hand blender, beat for 2-3 minutes.

Cover the bowl with cling film.

Refrigerate overnight.

For the choux pastry: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Place the butter, salt and water in a saucepan on the heat.

Bring to a boil.

Remove from the heat and pour all the flour at once.

Stir with a wooden spatula until there are no more lumps.

The resulting dough is called 'panada'. Dry off the panada on the heat, stirring with a wooden spatula, until the paste comes away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a ball.

Transfer to a cold recipient and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. You can also place the panada into the stand mixer recipient, and beat for a brief moment with the flat beater to let it cool down.

One by one, add the eggs and combine with a wooden spatula (or in the stand mixer a low speed).

As you can notice, it is difficult to incorporate the egg at the start, but it will combine well after a while.

Repeat for the remaining eggs.

The choux paste is ready to use. It should be used immediately. Scoop the preparation into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (diameter 1cm).

Pipe the choux buns on a baking sheet, slightly greased with butter or cooking spray...

... and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (gas 3)...

... until golden and hollow.

For the peach and apricot mousse: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl filled with cold water. Make sure you do not soak all 6 gelatin sheets together. Place 3 sheets in one bowl, and the 3 remaining ones in a separate bowl.

Pour the apricot purée in a small saucepan.

Pour the white peach purée in a separate saucepan.

Cook both preparations over medium heat.

Strain the gelatine sheets from the first bowl...

... and add them to the hot apricot purée. Combine until fully dissolved.

When the peach purée is hot...

... strain the remaining 3 gelatin sheets...

... and add to the hot purée. Combine until fully dissolved.

Pour both preparations into two separate deep trays to speed up the cooling process. Do not refrigerate; the preparation should not jellify.

When cold, pour one purée into a large bowl.

Add the meringue...

... and fold gently.

Add the whipped cream...

... and fold gently, using a rubber spatula...

... until homogeneous.

Repeat the operation with the second preparation. Add the meringue...

... and fold gently. Add the whipped cream and combine until homogeneous.

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

Fill the moon curve silicone mould up to 1/3 with peach mousse.

Transfer the apricot preparation into a second piping bag. The use of a nozzle is not necessary.

Pipe a layer of apricot mousse. For an even layer, pipe the preparation into curves.

Pipe another layer of peach preparation...

... and fill the mould up to the rim. Gently tap the mould onto your workbench to knock out any air bubbles.

Even the surface with a spatula. Cover with cling film...

... and store in the freezer for a few hours. Ideally, freeze the cake overnight.

The next day, gently detach the mould...

... to release the cake.

Reserve in the freezer.

For the velvet pearl orange icing: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Melt the white chocolate couverture in the microwave.

Repeat the operation to melt the Mycryo cocoa butter, then add it to the melted chocolate.

Combine with a rubber spatula.

Mix with a Bamix hand blender until homogeneous.

Add some orange colouring powder with the tip of the knife. Start with a small quantity, then adjust the colour by adding more powder if needed.

Mix until completely dissolved.

Transfer the orange preparation into a spray gun.

Screw the bottle on the spray.

Take the cake out of the freezer.

Spray the cake with the orange preparation...

... to apply a velvet coating. It is essential that the cake is frozen for this operation.

The orange icing is sprayed into micro drops on the frozen cake. The micro drops will set instantly when coming into contact with the frozen surface, which causes this velvety texture.

For the caramelised apricots: In a non-stick frying pan, tip the sugar and cook...

... until you obtain a pale blonde caramel. When the colour starts turning blonde...

... add the fresh apricot halves (when not in season, use frozen apricots) and caramelise slowly on both sides.

For the apricot jelly: Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water.

In a small saucepan, heat the Capfruit apricot purée.

Strain the soft gelatine...

... and add to the hot apricot purée. Combine well.

Transfer into a small funnel with piston and let cool at room temperature.

Cut the top third part of each choux bun with a serrated knife. Set aside.

Pour the mascarpone cream (it should be slightly jellified) into the stand mixer recipient.

Beat on high speed for a few minutes...

... until you obtain the consistency of a chantilly cream. The cream is now ready to be served.

Transfer the mascarpone cream into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (1cm diameter). Fill the choux puffs...

... with a generous amount of cream. Reserve in the fridge.

When the apricot jelly has cooled down, remove the cake from the freezer, fill the top hollow part with the jelly preparation. A funnel dispenser is recommended for perfect results.

Let set in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Place one caramelised apricot half on top of each cream choux bun. Arrange a few choux puffs over the jelly.

Sprinkle gold flakes over the apricot choux.

Place the cake on a serving plate, then store the cake in the fridge to let it defrost.
Make sure you arrange on the serving plate before defrosting, as it will be impossible to handle the cake afterwards.
Enjoy! This mousse entremets is extremely light and refreshing. It will make the perfect end to a long meal.