'Beneath the Oak' Autumn Pastry with Veliche

Classic Fine Foods UK is proud to partner with Gourmet Belgian Chocolate producers Veliche.

This exquisite dessert celebrates seasonal flavours and the richness of Veliche Belgian chocolate. Designed to evoke the warmth and depth of the season, this dessert layers textures and tones, using Veliche's Intense 35 milk chocolate, Obsession 30 white chocolate and Sensation 72 dark chocolate.

Equipment

Process

• Moulds: Round 6cm, disks 6cm, cylinders 4cm
• Acorn mould
• Leaf stencils

Composition

This recipe makes around 8 pastries.

Process

1. Chocolate crispy base
2. Chocolate sponge (flourless)
3. Mandarin marmalade insert
4. Chestnut mousse
5. Milk chocolate cream
6. Walnut crèmeux (acorn-shaped)
7. Milk chocolate glaze
8. Tuille leaves and decorations

Chocolate Crispy Base

Ingredients

• 100g Veliche Belgian Milk Chocolate Dots Intense 35%
• 100g Veliche Belgian White Chocolate Dots Obsession 30%
• 155g Crispy Cruchies (feuilletine)
• 75g Hazelnut Praliné
• 1.5g Salt

Process

1. Melt the white chocolate to 45°C.
2. Mix with the Hazelnut Praliné and salt.
3. Fold in the Crispy Crunchies/feuilletine.
4. Roll out the mixture between plastic sheets to a 2mm thickness.
5. Cut out 5.5cm discs of the crispy base with a round cutter.
6. Place the crispy base in the freezer and remove the plastic once the chocolate has set.

Chocolate Sponge (flourless)

Ingredients

• 120g Marzipan
• 190g Egg yolk
• 130g Butter
• 90g Veliche Belgian Milk Chocolate Dots Intense 35%
• 2g Salt
• 270g Egg white
• 90g Sugar
• 35g High Fat Cocoa Powder

Process

1. Whip the egg whites with sugar to soft peaks.
2. Separately mix marzipan, egg yolk, salt and softened butter until smooth.
3. Melt the chocolate with cocoa powder and add to the marzipan mixture.
4. Gently combine the marzipan mixture with the egg whites.
5. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C (356°F) for around 12 min.
6. Set aside and let it cool.

Mandarin Marmalade

Ingredients

• 250g Blanched mandarin
• 125g Apricot purée
• 3g Pectin NH
• 65g Sugar
• 15g Lemon juice

Process

1. Blanch the mandarins for 30-45 minutes, changing the water 3 times during the process to reduce the bitterness.
2. Once the mandarins become soft, remove from the hot water, cut into quarters, and remove the seeds and core.
3. Weigh the prepared mandarin, then blend with a blender until small chunks remain (not a fine purée).
4. Return the mixture to the pot. Add the apricot purée and the sugar mixed with pectin.
5. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
7. Pour marmalade into 4cm small cylinder moulds and freeze.

Chestnut Mousse

Ingredients

• 210g Cream 35% (1)
• 210g Milk
• 70g Egg yolk
• 40g Sugar
• 8g Gelatin powder
• 40g Cold water
• 400g Chestnut purée
• 100g Veliche Belgian Milk Chocolate Dots Intense 35%
• 285g Cream 35% (2)

Process

1. Mix gelatin powder with cold water.
2. Prepare a crème anglaise: Heat the milk, cream (1), egg yolks, and sugar together to 84°C (183°F).
3. Whip the cream (2) to a light consistency and keep cold.
4. Add the gelatin mix to the hot anglaise and pour over the chocolate and chestnut purée.
5. Let the anglaise cool to 30°C (86°F).
6. Add the whipped cream to the mixture and stir until well combined.
7. Then set aside for assembling.

Milk Chocolate Cream

Ingredients

• 750g Cream 35%
• 5g Gelatin powder
• 25g Cold Water
• 20g Glucose
• 20g Trimoline
• 220g Veliche Belgian Milk Chocolate Dots Intense 35%

Process

1. Mix the cold water and gelatin powder (gelatin mass).
2. Heat the cream with glucose and trimoline to 60°C (140°F).
3. Melt the gelatin mass (in a microwave) and bring to a simmer.
4. Add the gelatin mass to the warm cream.
5. Pour the cream mixture over the milk chocolate and blend with a hand blender until smooth.
6. Let the cream cool down in the fridge for at least 12 hours.
7. Whip the cream to the desired consistency.

Walnut Crèmeux (Acorn mould)

Ingredients

• 125g Cream 35%
• 125g Milk
• 45g Egg yolk
• 25g Sugar
• 2g Gelatin powder
• 10g Cold water
• 80g Walnut paste 100%
• 100g Veliche Belgian Milk Chocolate Dots Intense 35%

Process

1. Mix the gelatin powder with the cold water.
2. Bring cream and milk to a boil.
3. Mix the cream with the egg yolks and sugar, combine well and heat to 84°C (183°F).
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin and walnut paste.
5. Let it cool down to 50°C (122°F) and add the milk chocolate. Mix with a hand blender until smooth.
6. Pipe the crèmeux into the prepared acorn moulds.

Milk Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

• 12g Gelatin
• 60g Cold water (for gelatin)
• 105g Veliche Belgian Milk Chocolate Dots Intense 35%
• 30g Veliche Belgian Dark Chocolate Dots Sensation 72%
• 90g Condensed milk
• 135g Glucose
• 135g Sugar
• 65g Water (for syrup)

Process

1. Mix the gelatin with cold water.
2. In a pot, boil the water (for syrup) and sugar to 103°C (217°F). Add the glucose after boiling and mix.
3. Remove from heat and add the gelatin.
4. Add the condensed milk and both chocolates.
5. Mix with a hand blender until the glaze is smooth.
6. Cool down to 35°C (95°F) before using.

Tuille Leaves

Ingredients

• 87g Icing sugar
• 50g Butter
• 62g Egg white
• 75g Flour
• 1g Salt

Process

1. Mix icing sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl.
2. Add the egg white and mix well.
3. Melt the butter and combine with the batter.
4. Cover and let rest for 1 hour in the fridge before using.
5. Divide the batter and colour portions as desired.
6. Spread the tuille batter thinly with a spatula over the leaf stencils on a silicone mat or baking paper.
7. Bake at 160°C (320°F) for about 8 minutes until evenly golden.
8. Carefully remove and store in a dry place.

Assembly

Process

1. Prepare all the recipe components in advance.
2. Cut the chocolate sponge into 2.5 cm high ribbons and place them inside the 6 cm round moulds.
3. Pipe the chestnut mousse into the prepared and lined 6 cm round moulds, filling halfway, and press the mandarin marmalade insert into the centre of each. Cover with more chestnut mousse and place the chocolate crispy base on top.
4. Store the moulds in the freezer.
5. Fill 6 cm disk moulds with the remaining chestnut mousse (for glazing).
6. Whip up the milk chocolate cream until firm. Using a flat nozzle, pipe the cream around the sides of each pastry in decorative lines (refer to photos for style).
7. Spray the frozen pastries with milk chocolate velvet spray using a gun for a velvety effect.
8. Warm the milk chocolate glaze to 35°C (95°F). Unmold the mousse disks, glaze them, and place them on top of each pastry.
9. Using a small brush, paint details into the acorn moulds with melted chocolate. Fill with the walnut crémeux and freeze. When frozen, unmold and join the two halves to create 3D acorns.
10. Arrange the acorn decorations and tuille leaves on the pastries as shown in the reference images.

Discover the full range of Veliche Gourmet Belgian Chocolate.