A cake entirely made of chocolate, dedicated to lovers of its intense bitterness: a play on textures and temperatures, between the soft, the smooth, and the crunchy.
Melted chocolate biscuit
Silky chocolate cream
Dark chocolate praline
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) unsalted butter
- 1 oz (20 g) Extra Valhrona cocoa paste (100% cocoa)
- 1 1/2 oz (40 g) almond praline 40/60 (Valrhona)
- 1 1/2 oz (40 g) pure hazelnut paste (hazelnut purée)
- 1 oz (25 g) crumbled Gavottes Crispy Lace Crepes
- 1 oz (20 g) cocoa nibs
Chocolate mousse
- 6 oz (170 g) 70% cocoa Guanaja chocolate from Valrhona
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh milk
- 1 egg yolk (1/2 oz/20 g)
- 4 egg whites (4 1/4 oz/120 g)
- 1 oz (20 g) superfine sugar
Chocolate sauce
- 4 3/4 oz (130 g) 70% cocoa Guanaja chocolate from Valrhona
- 1 cup (250 ml) mineral water
- 3 1/4 oz (90 g) superfine sugar
- 4 1/2 oz (125 g) heavy cream
Chocolate icing
Thin sheet of crispy chocolate
Instructions
Step 1: Melted chocolate biscuit
Butter and flour a tin or an 7-inch (18-cm) square dish, 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) deep. Chop then melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. Mix the ingredients in the order given, then add the melted chocolate. Pour into the tin. Cook at 350°F (180°C) for 25 minutes—it should look undercooked. Turn it out onto a cooling rack and remove the tin; leave to cool.
Sifting flour eliminates lumps and gives a fine, regular powder.
Step 2: Silky chocolate cream
Whip the yolks and sugar in bowl; boil the milk and cream; pour the liquid little by little on to the egg mixture while continuing to whip. Pour into a saucepan and cook as a custard to 183/185°F (84/85°C). Put the chopped chocolate into a second bowl. Pour on half of the custard, then mix. Pour on the remaining custard and mix.
This recipe was originally published in "My Best Pierre Hermé" (Éditions Alain Ducasse). See all credits
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