Dirty Dani
MAKES 12
You will need
12 bronze chocolate ball decorations
CARAMEL CRÈME CHANTILLY
4 g (1/8 oz) gold-strength gelatine leaves
24 g (7/8 oz) cold water
175 g (6 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
590 g (1 lb 4¾ oz) pure cream (35% fat)
seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Cut the gelatine leaves into small squares, put them in a bowl with the cold water and set aside to soak.
Dry caramelise the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns a dark amber colour. Heat the cream in a microwave or in another saucepan with the vanilla seeds and use the cream to deglaze the caramelised sugar.
Let the mixture cool to 70°C (160°F), then add the gelatine and the soaking liquid. Stir well to dissolve, then pour into a container and cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the plastic is touching the surface. Set aside to cool and set.
PASSIONFRUIT CRÈME
3 g (1/8 oz) gold-strength gelatine leaves
18 g (5/8 oz) cold water
150 g (5½ oz) passionfruit juice or strained pulp
200 g (7 oz) eggs
160 g (5¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
15 g (½ oz) lemon juice
300 g (10½ oz) butter
Cut the gelatine leaves into small squares, put them in a bowl with the cold water and set aside to soak. Put the passionfruit juice, eggs, caster sugar and lemon juice into a saucepan and heat to 85°C (185°F), stirring constantly. Add the gelatine and soaking liquid and stir to dissolve. Strain and cool to 50°C (120°F).
Add the butter and use a hand blender to process for 2–3 minutes until well emulsified and shiny. Put the crème into a container and cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the plastic is touching the surface. Refrigerate until assembly.
SALTED CARAMEL MOU
4 g (1/8 oz) gold-strength gelatine leaves
24 g (7/8 oz) cold water
120 g (4¼ oz) water, extra
60 g (2¼ oz) liquid glucose
300 g (10½ oz) sugar
220 g (7¾ oz) pure cream (35% fat)
200 g (7 oz) butter
2 g (1/16 oz) sea salt
Cut the gelatine leaves into small squares, put them in a bowl with the cold water and set aside to soak. Heat the extra water, glucose and sugar in a saucepan until it is dark amber in colour. Heat the cream in a microwave or a saucepan and use it to deglaze the caramelised sugar.
Continue heating until the mixture reaches 125°C (257°F). Remove from heat and let the caramel cool slightly. Put the butter, gelatine and soaking liquid in a food processor. Pour the caramel over the top and blend until smooth and well emulsified, then add the sea salt. Pour the mou onto a baking tray and put it into the refrigerator to set. Cut out twelve 7 cm (2¾ inch) discs.
HAZELNUT DACQUOISE
135 g (4¾ oz) hazelnut meal
150 g (5½ oz) pure icing (confectioners’) sugar, plus extra for dusting
150 g (5½ oz) eggwhite
50 g (1¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
100 g (3½ oz) hazelnuts, toasted, chopped
Preheat the oven to 175°C (345°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside. Combine the hazelnut meal and icing sugar in a bowl.
Put the eggwhite and caster sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk together on medium speed until firm and shiny. Gently fold the meringue through the icing sugar mixture. Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared baking tray to make a layer 8 mm (5/16 inch) thick. Sprinkle with the chopped hazelnut, dust lightly with icing sugar and bake for 13–15 minutes until golden.
CRUSHED CARAMEL PIECES
100 g (3½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
Dry caramelise the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns a dark amber colour. Pour it onto a silicone mat or baking paper and allow to cool and harden. Once cool, smash the caramel into small pieces and store in an airtight container until ready to use.
CARAMEL CRUNCH
170 g (6 oz) Cacao Barry Cara Crakine
115 g (4 oz) Hazelnut Paste
25 g (1 oz) butter, melted
25 g (1 oz) crushed caramel pieces
25 g (1 oz) rice puffs
Put the Cara Crakine in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well and then spread evenly over the hazelnut dacquoise. Put the dacquoise in the refrigerator to set.
CHOCOLATE PLAQUES
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) milk couverture chocolate (38%), tempered
Use a palette knife to spread the chocolate in a 1–2 mm (1/32–1/16 inch) layer on guitar sheets. Let the chocolate set slightly, then cut out 36 circles with a diameter of 7 cm (2¾ inches): you need 3 per cake. Turn the sheets over and set aside for 3–4 hours to crystallise.
TO ASSEMBLE
Put the caramel crème chantilly into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk to firm peaks. Transfer the whipped chantilly into a piping (icing) bag fitted with an 11 mm (7/16 inch) plain nozzle. Put the passionfruit crème into another piping bag fitted with an 11 mm plain piping nozzle.
Put the dacquoise with its crunch topping on a baking tray lined with baking paper and cut out twelve 7 cm (2¾ inch) discs. Place a disc of the salted caramel mou on top. Place a disc of the milk chocolate on each, then pipe a ball of the passionfruit crème on top. Top with another disc of milk chocolate and push down gently to even out. Pipe a ball of caramel crème chantilly and place the final chocolate disc on top. Decorate with a bronze chocolate ball decoration. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, within 1 hour.