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This entremet from Kevin Gully won "Best Entremet" at the 2018 Savour Patissier of the Year Competition
November 12th, 2018
This entremet (pronounced "on-treh-may") is a masterpiece of complex textures, flavors, and expert techniques to be attempted only by the highly skilled or very brave. An entremet is a light, airy cake typically made of a mousse filling, flavored insert, cake base, and coated in glaçage miroir (mirror glaze). This one follows the same structure but features seven different layers highlighting chocolate, vanilla, fruity, or nutty flavors.
This is an advanced recipe intended for ambitious bakers and pastry professionals. If you are new to the pastry arts, we recommend you start out with a simpler recipe such as the Milk Peach Entremet or browse the other entremets.
Tonka beans have a vanilla-like flavor that combines a wide range of aromas reminiscent of almond, nutmeg, and numberous other spices. They are revered by chefs for their unique flavor. In large quantities, tonka beans can pose a health risk, but tonka beans are usually used in moderation for a dish.
In the U.S. tonka beans are against FDA regulations to buy and possess. A recent surge in popularity, however, has allowed many sellers to sell the beans without a crackdown in enforcement. So while the beans are illegal, they are readily available and easy to purchase online. It is up to you whether you want to use tonka beans in this recipe or not. Real vanilla beans are a satisfactory substitute.
Callebaut Gold is a caramel-flavored milk chocolate from Barry Callebaut. Because Callebaut's diverse range of products can be difficult to find for non-industry professionals, Valrhona sells a similar product called Caramelia which has similar fat content and flavor.
Makes 3-4 entremet cakes
The entremet is made up of a crunchy pecan base, the layers for the insert, mousse, glaze, and chocolate decor. An entremet is prepared "inside-out" starting with the innermost ingredients and adding layers.
Prepare a caramel by heating the sugar and glucose in a small saucepan until it turns a light amber color. Remove it from the heat. Add the butter and hot water and quickly whisk together until homogenous. Allow the mixture to cool to 140°F (60°C).
Sift in the flour and the pecan powder. Whisk in the egg yolks.
Prepare a meringue by whisking the egg whites with the inverted sugar until the meringue reaches stiff peaks (the whisk drawn up forms peaks that do not collapse). Using a spatula, fold the meringue into the mixture in three batches.
Bake the sponge at 340°F (170°C) for 12 minutes until light golden brown. Allow to cool. Cut out a section the size of your insert and reserve until ready to assemble your insert.
⃰Tonka beans are not legal to buy and possess in the US, though many chefs still use them and many suppliers still sell them. You can substitute vanilla beans.
The day before infuse the tonka beans into the milk and cream in the refrigerator.
The next day scald the milk, cream and tonka beans in a saucepan until just before boiling. Strain out the tonka beans. Rinse the rice to remove any excess starches for cooking. Bring the milk to a boil with the sugar, then add the rice. Cook the rice on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until tender (not al dente). Remove the rice and milk from the heat and add the chocolate. Wait 3 minutes, then stir the chocolate in. Use about 140 grams (4.9 ounces) per insert.
Cream together the butter and rapadura sugar by beating on medium speed. Sift in the gluten free flour and the pecan powder. Roll between two silicone mats to 4 mm thick (0.15 inches).
Bake the base at 284°F (140°C) for 30 minutes.
The day before preparation, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise to expose the seeds inside. Scrape the seeds into the milk and leave the seeds and pod in the milk in the refrigerator overnight to infuse. Make a créme Anglaise with the milk and egg yolks by scalding the milk on a saucepan, and adding the hot milk to the yolks in thirds to temper them. Add the gelatin masse while hot and stir. Add the pecan paste and the chocolate.
Set the base aside to cool. Meanwhile whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. At 95°F (35°C) or below, fold in the whipped cream in thirds, being careful not to deflate.
Prepare a caramel by heating the sugar and 1/3 of the glucose in a small saucepan until it turns a light amber color. Remove it from the heat. Heat the water and remaining 2/3 of glucose to a simmer. Add it to the caramel. When smooth, add the evaporated milk and bring the mixture to a boil again. Add both the chocolate and the gelatin masse and stir. Finally add the mirror glaze.
Use the glaze at around 82°F (28°C) and pour over the frozen entremet.
Follow the instructions on the silicone mold kit to create one pecan mold. Allow the mold to fully set before using.
Temper chocolate using whichever method you prefer. Cast a chocolate pecan and allow the chocolate to fully set. Brush the chocolate pecan with copper colored luster dust.
For the striped chocolate circles, mix some tempered chocolate with gold-colored luster dust until the chocolate is fully gold. Brush the chocolate onto the acetate sheets to form streaks. Once set, pour the tempered chocolate over the brushed chocolate and spread very thin with an offset spatula.
Place another acetate sheet on top of the chocolate. Use ring cutters and press hard on top of the acetate to punch circles into the chocolate. Using the acetate on both sides of the chocolate ensures it is shiny on both sides.
For the chocolate sticks, spread the chocolate on the acetate thin as before. When the chocolate has cooled, but is still soft, slice the chocolate into strips using a paring knife or pastry cutter.
Published with permission from Kevin Gully. Photography courtesy of Richard Weinstein © 2018 and Kevin Gully © 2018.
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