Yin Yang Entremets

Before starting this Yin Yang Entremets recipe, make sure you have organised all the necessary ingredients for the Joconde biscuit.

Pour the eggs in the stand mixer recipient.

Add the tant pour tant.

Place the recipient in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk accessory...

... and beat for a few minutes...

... until pale and doubled in volume. The consistency should be foamy. Nous appelons cette opération "monter au ruban".

The result should look like this.

Place the egg whites (at room temperature) in a separate bowl...

.. and start beating at medium speed...

... then gradually increase the speed until the egg whites are foamy. Make sure they are not too firm.

Using a fine sieve, sift the flour over the first preparation.

Stir gently with a rubber spatula, making to go right down the bottom of the bowl to avoid clusters of flour.

Add the melted butter...

... and combine gently, making sure the preparation does not collapse.

Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites. Fold gently...

... and incorporate the remaining egg whites...

... until homogeneous. Make sure there are no clusters of egg whites. La préparation doit être homogène.

Place a Silpat baking mat on a Silichef XL perforated baking sheet.

Pour the preparation over the silicone mat...

... and spread with a cranked metallic spatula...

... to create a regular layer to a thickness of 0.5 cm.

Bake in a fan assisted oven preheated at 175°C (gas 4) for 15 minutes, on the middle rack.

When cooked... .... remove from the oven.

Leave to cool at room temperature.

For the custard: Organise all the necessary ingredients. The custard will serve as a component of the white chocolate and coconut cream and the dark chocolate and Timut pepper cream.

Pour the milk and whipping cream in a saucepan.

Add half of the castor sugar.

Bring to a boil.

Add the vanilla seeds (or split the vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds out).

In a mixing bowl, tip the egg yolks...

... add the castor sugar...

... and beat vigorously with a whisk.

When the milk starts boiling...

... pour over the blanched eggs...

... and combine with a whisk until homogeneous.

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

... and cook over medium heat until thick ('à la nappe'). Stir constantly, making 8-shaped motions at the bottom of the recipient to prevent the eggs from coagulating. Eggs start to coagulate at 65°C, so I recommend using a cooking thermometer to monitor the temperature.

When cooked, pass the custard through a fine sieve to remove any seeds.

Divide the custard into 2 bowls, i.e. 250 grams in each bowl. The custard should be warm during the preparation of the two Bavarian creams that follow.

For the white chocolate and coconut Bavarian cream: Organise the necessary ingredients.

Hydrate the powder gelatine with 45 grams of water. Combine and set aside.

All the Zéphyr white chocolate to the warm custard...

... and combine gently with a whisk until completely melted.

Melt the hydrated gelatin in the microwave and add to the preparation.

Combine well with a whisk.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan to obtain a brown butter...

... and add to the preparation.

Add a few drops of coconut flavouring. The amount of colouring varies according to the desired flavour intensity. Set aside to cool at room temperature.

For the dark chocolate & Timut pepper Bavarian cream: Organise the necessary ingredients.

Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, in periods of 30 seconds to make sure the chocolate does not burn.

Add the melted dark chocolate to the warm custard...

... and combine vigorously with a whisk until homogeneous.

Add the gelatine (rehydrated with water and melted in the microwave beforehand).

Gently combine with a whisk.

Grind the Timut peppercorns in a mortar, pepper mill or hand mixer.

The amount of pepper varies according to the desired flavour intensity (between 2 and 3 grams should be enough). Taste and add more if needed.

Combine well.

Beat the whipping cream until you obtain a whipped cream.

Add 1/4 of the whipped cream to the chocolate preparation at room temperature.

Combine well with a whisk.

Pour the chocolate preparation over the rest of the whipped cream.

Fold gently with a rubber spatula until homogeneous, making sure the preparation doesn't collapse.

Place one part of the Yin Yang silicone mould on a baking sheet. Fill with dark chocolate Bavarian cream...

... up to the top. Create vertical motions with the spatula to get rid of air bubbles.

At this stage, the result should look like this. Set aside.

Repeat the operation with the white chocolate chocolate and incorporate 1/4 of the whipped cream at room temperature.

Combine well with a whisk.

Pour the preparation over the remaining whipped cream.

Fold gently with a rubber spatula until homogeneous, making sure the preparation doesn't collapse.

Place the second part of the Yin Yang silicone mould on a baking sheet and fill with white chocolate Bavarian cream...

... up to the top. Create vertical motions with the spatula to get rid of air bubbles.

Cut two chunks from the Joconde biscuit to the shape of the silicone moulds...

... and arrange the biscuit base over the cream in each mould.

Cover with cling film...

... and store in the freezer overnight. Up to this stage, this recipe can be prepared in advance.

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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a big bowl filled with cold water. Make sure you add the gelatin sheets one at a time. Wait for 10 or 15 minutes.

Pour the water in a saucepan.

Add the castor sugar. Bring to a boil.

In the meantime, sift the cocoa powder over a separate bowl.

When the syrup starts boiling and the sugar is completely melted, strain the gelatine with your hands...

... and add to the boiling syrup. Remove the pan from the heat.

Pour the syrup over the cocoa powder and whisk...

... until smooth and homogeneous.

Pour the cream into the saucepan used to boil the syrup...

... and bring to a boil.

When the cream starts boiling, pour it over the chocolate preparation...

... and whisk until homogeneous.

Transfer into a deep, narrow dispenser jug. Mix the chocolate icing with a Bamix hand blender to get rid of air bubbles. When the icing cools down to 30°C...

... remove the dark chocolate entremets from the freezer. Arrange the cake on a rack placed on top of a deep tray.

Gently release the cake from the soft silicone mould.

Pour the chocolate icing over the cake, starting from the edges and working your way towards the centre.

Let the icing excess drip off into the tray.

Rotate the cake on the rack a little to get rid of any drops of icing, then arrange the dark chocolate cake on a serving plate. Set aside.

Remove the white chocolate and coconut cake from the freezer. Transfer the cake on a rack, placed on top of a deep tray.

Gently release the cake from the soft silicone mould.

Using a pastry brush, coat the whole surface of the frozen cake with clear mirror glaze (melted in the microwave beforehand). Make sure the glaze is at room temperature when you apply it (not warm in order not to melt the chocolate cake).

Apply the glaze over the whole surface and edges.

Sprinkle the cake with desiccated coconut until the whole surface and sides are coated.

The result should look like this.

Gently lift the cake with a cranked spatula...

... and assemble it with the other half on the serving plate.

Brush a chocolate disc with gold colouring powder...

... then arrange it carefully on the dark chocolate half.

Carefully arrange a dark chocolate disc on the white chocolate half.

The Yin Yang entremets is now finished. Refrigerate until completely defrosted. This should take between 4 and 6 hours before serving. Enjoy!