Chocolate Terrine with Caramelized Hazelnuts
Molded chocolate mousse-like dessert
Adapted from Bistronomy by Jane Sigal
Prepared ahead and simple enough for rookie cooks, this dense, decadent mousse from Les Enfants Rouges chef Daï Shinozuka is perfect for entertaining. Note: The egg-rich vanilla custard sauce plays a crucial supporting role; it balances the bittersweet chocolate.
This is one of my favourite desserts. The hazlenuts are essential though
Ingredients
Chocolate Terrine
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 4 tablespoons (50 g) sugar
- 8 tablespoons (125 g) unsalted butter, sliced
- 8 ounces (250 g) bittersweet chocolate chips (60 to 70 percent cocoa
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
Caramelized Hazelnuts
- ½ cup (50 g) toasted skinned hazelnuts (for toasting, see page 105, Step 1)
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Vanilla custard sauce
- 3/4 cup (185 ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 Tbls (20g) sugar
Instructions
Chocolate Terrine
- Dampen a 4-cup (1-L) terrine mold with water and line the bottom and sides with plastic wrap, leaving a 1-inch (2.5-cm) overhang on the long sides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons (25 g) of the sugar just until the sugar dissolves.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over high heat.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate chips; let stand until melted, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk the butter with the chocolate until smooth.
- Whisk in the egg mixture.
- In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt at low speed until foamy, then whip at high speed until they hold a medium peak.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (25 g) of sugar and whip until glossy.
- Beat one-fourth of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten the mixture.
- Gently fold in the remaining whites.
- Scrape the chocolate mixture into the prepared terrine. Smooth the top.
- Refrigerate the terrine for 24 hours.
Vanilla custard sauce
- In a small saucepan, bring the milk, cream and vanilla (pod and seeds) to a simmer over medium heat
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites with the sugar just until the sugar dissolves
- Slowly whisk 1/3 of the warm milk into the egg yolks to temper, then whisk this back into the remaining warm milk in the saucepan
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it lightly coats the back of a spoon, or reaches 175F (80C). This should take 2-3 minutes
- Strain the sauce into a container and refrigerate until cold
Caramelized Hazelnuts
- Line a plate with parchment paper.
- In a medium skillet, stir the hazelnuts with the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook over high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the nuts have caramelized and all the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes.
- Transfer the nuts to the prepared plate to cool, spreading them in a single layer. Very coarsely chop.
Assembly
- Dust dessert plates with the cocoa powder.
- Turn out the terrine onto a cutting board and remove the plastic.
- Slice the terrine crosswise and arrange the chocolate slices on the plates.
- Sprinkle with the caramelized hazelnuts and serve with the vanilla custard sauce.
Notes
- Please note that the eggs in this recipe are not cooked.
- To make neat slices, warm your knife in hot water and wipe it dry before slicing the terrine.
- In the book, they have a line of cocoa powder down the middle of the plate, with a slice of terrine crosswise over that, vanilla sauce to one side and nuts sprinkled over the top.
- The terrine can be served once it's set, after 2 or 3 hours, but it's more delicious left to chill overnight and can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.