Ingredients
Gold dust (optional)
Chocolate Shell
250 gms 70 per cent dark chocolate
Chocolate Mousse
200 ml water
2 gms vanilla powder
13 gms gelatin
280 gms jivara chocolate
180 gms egg whites
100 gms glucose liquid
Passion Fruit Caramel
162 gms sugar
120 gms glucose
132 gms cream
40 gms butter
0.7 gms sea salt
50 gms passionfruit puree
100 ml water
Crunchy Layer
180 gms hazelnut praline (can be store bought)
70 gms milk chocolate
125 gms feuilletine
10 gms cocoa nibs
Chocolate Crumble
200 gms butter
200 gms almond powder
170 gms flour
30 gms cocoa powder
200 gms brown sugar
Method
Chocolate Shell
1. Melt the chocolate to a 42°C in the microwave. Take it out and stir with a spatula, and if there are still lumps, put it back to heat. Take care to not use a steel bowl in regular microwaves as shown in the video, Chef Carmen's microwave is a professional kitchen one that allows the direct use of steel bowls. At home, use a microwave friendly bowl.
2. Pour 2/3rd of the chocolate over a flat surface and cool it down to 26.5 - 27 C. Pour it back into the bowl and mix very well with a brush.
3. Either pour into the mould and turn it upside side to remove excess chocolate, or paint the chocolate into the mould with a brush. Let them rest in the same direction over a wire rack to maintain a nice, thin layer, and later scrape the layer off the shell mould.
3. Once the chocolate sets, reserve it for later use.
Chocolate Mousse
1. Place the gelatin sheets in ice-cold water to pre-soak.
2. In a pot, add water and vanilla powder. Bring to a boil.
3. Once it starts boiling, add gelatin. Take off the heat.
4. Place the chocolate in a jar. Add the gelatin water to the chocolate.
5. Rest for 1 minute, then blend very well to get a smooth mixture. Transfer to a bowl.
6. At the same time, start whipping the egg whites with the glucose in a mixer.
7. Whisk until the meringue makes medium peaks and is shiny. Then, fold into the ganache and whisk until a smooth homogeneous mixture is obtained.
8. Place in a piping bag and pipe onto half of the moulds, and set it in the chiller.
Passion Fruit Caramel
1. Heat the glucose and sugar until it caramelises. Keep stirring with a spatula while heating, and remember to turn off the heat before adding any other ingredients as the mixture is very hot.
2. Deglaze with hot cream.
3. Add in the butter and sea salt and blend. You may find some lumps – keep stirring, and you can also briefly use a hand blender to smoothen the mixture.
4. Emulsify with the water and passion puree. Once the passionfruit caramel is smooth, fill it into a piping bag.
5. Fill half of the cocoa shell moulds with passionfruit caramel, leaving around one centimeter of space for the upcoming crunchy layer which will go on top.
Crunchy Layer
1. Melt the milk chocolate along with the hazelnut praline.
2. Add in the feuilletine and cocoa nibs and mix well.
3. Use a spoon to pack the crunchy layer in a thin layer on top of the passionfruit caramel in the chocolate moulds.
Chocolate Crumble
1. Combine all the ingredients until it forms into a dough.
2. Grate it through a cheese grater.
3. Place it on a silicone tray and bake it at 150°C for 18 minutes.
4. Take it out of the oven and let it cool down.
5. After it's cooled, break it to form small crumbles.
Plating
1. Bring both halves of the shell. One side is filled with chocolate mousse and the other with caramel and the crunchy layer.
2. Freeze them separately.
3. On a hot metal surface, melt the rims of both shells briefly and stick them together to enclose them. If needed, cover the holes around the rim with melted chocolate.
4. Paint the shell with gold dust.
5. Place the chocolate crumble at the base of the dessert
6. Place the cocoa bean on top.
