Chestnut Tartelette
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This beautiful layered dessert by chef Didier Casaguana lets chestnuts and walnuts take centre stage, with a nutty sponge, smooth mousse and delicate crumble
Chestnut Tartelette
Dark chocolate mousse
- 1 sheet of gelatine (soaked in cold water)
- 75 g milk (warmed to 40°C)
- 90 g 66% dark chocolate (melted)
- 150 g whipped cream
Sugared walnuts
- 180 g sugar
- 50 g water
- 240 g ground walnuts
Walnut mousse
- 200 g milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 60 g sugar
- 4 sheets of gelatine (soaked in cold water)
- 80 g walnut liqueur
- 250 g whipped cream
Walnut sponge cake
- 100 g egg whites
- 90 g sugar
- 60 g egg yolks
- 90 g sifted flour
- 25 g walnut powder
Walnut tuile
- 50 g sugar
- 15 g flour
- 40 g egg whites
- 50 g chopped walnuts
- 10 g melted butter
- To make the tuile, mix the sugar and flour, then add the egg whites, chopped walnuts and melted butter. Spread thinly on a baking tray and bake at 160°C for 12 minutes. Let cool.
- Prepare the chocolate mousse by squeezing out the gelatine and stirring it into the warm milk. Pour over the melted chocolate and mix until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream gently. Refrigerate.
- In a saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil to make a syrup for the sugared walnuts. Add the ground walnuts and stir until the mixture becomes sandy in texture. Let cool.
- For the walnut mousse, prepare a custard with the milk, yolks and sugar (cook over gentle heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). Stir in the softened gelatine and the walnut liqueur. Let cool, then fold in the whipped cream.
- To make the walnut sponge, whisk the egg whites with the sugar to stiff peaks. Gently fold in the yolks, then the flour and walnut powder. Pour into 4 ring moulds (8-10 cm in diameter) and bake at 180°C (350°F, Gas 4) for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Make the walnut crumble by combining sugar and flour in a bowl. Add the egg whites, chopped walnuts and melted butter. Spread onto a tray and bake for 8 minutes at 180°C. Let cool, then crumble.
- Assemble the tartelettes by placing the walnut sponge at the base. Add a layer of walnut mousse, followed by the chocolate mousse. Top with the sugared walnuts, a few pieces of the walnut tuile and finish with a sprinkle of walnut crumble. Serve chilled, with a sweet Bergerac wine that highlights the richness of the nuts and the depth of the chocolate.
Recipe courtesy of Didier Casaguana, executive chef at Michelin-starred Les Fresques at Château des Vigiers, and l’Interprofession des Vins de Bergerac et Duras
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