30 g softened butter
35 g caster sugar
1 g vanilla powder
80 g chestnut paste
20 g 50% almond paste
50 g whole eggs
15 g whole milk
30 g flour
1,5 g baking powder
Step
Beat the butter with the caster sugar, vanilla, chestnut paste
and almond paste. Gradually mix in the egg and the milk. Fold
in the flour and baking powder. Spread in a 5 mm layer in a
small frame or on a Silpat® sheet. Bake in a convection oven at
200°C for around 10 minutes, making sure that it remains soft
and fluffy. When cooled use a cutter to make discs the same
diameter as the verrines.
2. LYCHEE AND CHESTNUT COMPOTE WITH ST-RÉMY® BRANDY
Ingredients
80 g lychee pulp
200 g diced lychees in syrup
80 g caster sugar
6 g NH pectin
235 g chopped chestnuts in syrup
30 g St-Rémy® brandy 60%
21 g gelatine mass*
Step
In a saucepan, heat the lychee pulp, diced lychees and sugar
mixed with NH pectin over a high heat. Add the chopped
chestnuts and heat for another 2 minutes. Add the gelatine
mass and St-Rémy® brandy. Refrigerate. Whilst the compote is
cooling, stir it with a rubber spatula to stop it from jellifying
completely – you are aiming for a slightly runnier consistency.
3. LIGHT VANILLA CREAM WITH ST-RÉMY® BRANDY
Ingredients
160 g whipping cream (35% fat)
100 g whole milk
2 slices and deseeded vanilla pods
90 g egg yolks
150 g caster sugar
49 g gelatine mass*
55 g St-Rémy® brandy 60%
810 g whipped cream
Step
In a saucepan, bring the whipping cream and whole milk to
the boil and let the split and scraped vanilla pods infuse in
the mixture. Strain. Gently cream the egg yolks and the caster
sugar, then add the hot vanilla infusion and heat to 85°C. Add
the gelatine mass, sieve using a fine strainer and blend. Cool the
mixture to 40/45°C, then add the St-Rémy® brandy and gently
fold in the smooth whipped cream. Set aside for assembly.
4. ST-RÉMY® SOAKING SYRUP
Ingredients
50 g 30° Baumé syrup
30 g water
30 g St-Rémy® brandy 60%
Step
Mix all the ingredients together.
5. CHESTNUT AND CARAMEL SAUCE
Ingredients
1 vanilla pod
80 g caster sugar
250 g whipping cream
90 g chestnut cream
14 g gelatine mass*
Step
In a saucepan, heat the caster sugar with the split and scraped vanilla pod to form a dry, amber caramel. Deglaze with the boiling whipping cream. Heat the caramel sauce to 102°C, then add the chestnut cream and the gelatine. Strain and set aside
* Gelatine mass: For every 100g of 200 bloom gelatine powder, use six
times as much water (600g) to create 700g of gelatine mass. The simplest
method is to weigh out quantities of the prepared gelatine mass and
melt it in the microwave. Once prepared, store in the refrigerator and
use within 5 days.
6. ASSEMBLY AND FINISHING
Ingredients
No ingredients.
Step
Insert around 20 g of light vanilla cream with St-Rémy® brandy
into each verrine. On top, place a disc of about 9 g of fondant
sponge soaked in a little St-Rémy® syrup. Then add around 30
g of lychee and chestnut compote. Pipe a little more (around 10
g) light vanilla cream with St-Rémy® brandy on top, and place
the verrines in the refrigerator. Top each verrine with about 15 g
of chestnut and caramel sauce. Garnish with a small chestnut
in syrup, a sprig of fresh rosemary and milk chocolate and gold
leaf decorations.
