Chef's secrets ...
Chocolate cannelloni
with elderflower parfait, chestnut mousse in a sponge-cake case, flan with marinated strawberries
Serves 4
Elderflower parfait:
Ingredients:
125 gr. - 4 ½ oz. of butter180 ml - 1/3 pint of elderflower wine
1 egg yolk
Method:
Put the pieces of butter, elderflower wine, egg yolk and sugar in a pan and stir over a gentle heat until blended. Remove from heat immediately. Whip the mixture for 10 minutes in a food mixer, place in a bowl on crushed ice and refrigerate for 12 hours. Two hours before serving, whip the elderflower mixture with a food mixer until it takes on a light, creamy consistency. Return to refrigerator.Chocolate cannelloni:
Ingredients:
200 gr. / 7 oz. of dark cooking chocolate
Method:
Cut the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Spread onto foil, roll into cannelloni and leave to cool. Fill with the elderflower parfait mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Sponge cake:
Ingredients:
3 egg yolks10 gr. - 2 tsp. of glucose syrup
12 gr. - 2 ½ tsp.of ground almonds
75 gr. - 2 ½ oz. of butter
35 gr. - 1 ¼ oz. of flour
30 gr. - 1 oz. of cornflour
3 egg whites
30 gr. - 1 oz. of sugar
100 gr. - 3 ½ oz. of apricot jam
Method:
Use a food mixer to whip the egg yolks, glucose syrup and ground almonds into a creamy foam. Melt the butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Stir the butter, sieved flour and cornflour into the whipped egg mixture. Use a hand-held mixer to whip the egg whites and sugar until the mixture forms firm peaks, fold carefully into the dough. Line a baking tin (30x10 cm / 12 x 4 in.) with ovenproof paper and grease with butter. Spread a very thin (2 mm / 1/8 in.) layer of dough in the pan. Flash-bake the dough in the oven (280 degrees C / gas mark 9), or under the grill, for about 30 seconds or until golden-brown. Stir the apricot jam over a low heat until it liquefies. Force the warm jam through a sieve. Spread a thin layer of apricot jam onto the cake base. Build up several layers of apricot purée and dough. Leave the cake to cool.
Chestnut mousse:
Ingredients:
2 pieces of gelatine50 gr. - 1 ¾ oz. of white chocolate
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
50 gr. - 1 ¾ oz. of sugar
1 sachet of vanilla sugar
2 dessert spoonfuls of rum
200 gr -7 oz. of chestnut purée
200 ml - 5 fl. oz. of cream
whipped
Method:
Soak the leaves of gelatine in cold water. Cut the chocolate into small pieces and place in a stainless-steel or glass bowl over a pan of hot water, stirring it constantly until it melts. Whip the whole egg, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla sugar into the warm mixture, and stir until cold.Melt the gelatine into the rum, warmed in another bowl over a pan of hot water. Stir together the melted chocolate, rum/gelatine mixture and foamy egg mixture to form a smooth cream. Stir in the chestnut purée. Now carefully fold in the whipped cream. Put the mousse in a suitable mould, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Biscuit dough:
Ingredients:
50 gr. - 1 ¾ oz. of butter50 gr. - 1 ¾ oz. of icing sugar
50 gr. - 1 ¾ oz. of flour
1 egg white
Method:
Cream together the butter and icing sugar. Mix in the flour and egg white. Cover the dough and leave to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the dough onto a lightly-buttered and floured backing tin or Silpat baking mat. Bake until cooked. Roll until shape for filling while still warm.Oven temperature: 180-200 degrees C / gas mark 4 - 6
Time: 2-4 minutes
Marinated strawberries:
Ingredients:
300 gr. / 10 ½ oz. of strawberries2 tsp. of icing sugar
a few drops of lemon juice
Method:
Wash the strawberries and cut into quarters, marinate in icing sugar and lemon juice and push into the shaped sponge cake.Serving:
Remove the chocolate cannelloni from the refrigerator, npeel off the foil and place on plates for serving.Remove the chestnut mousse from its mould and arrange on the plates.
Arrange the filled sponge cake on plates - can be served with chocolate sauce and wild-berry ice cream.
