Apricot Rosemary Entremets
Entremets are my first love for sure. Despite their complexity, these desserts conquered my heart for good and once hooked to this particular style of making pastry, it is difficult to ignore their deliciousness, their taste philosophy, their elegant design and their simple, yet beautiful decor. This Apricot Rosemary Entremets is an example of how good taste doesn’t need any fancy decor simply because the mirror glaze speaks for itself. The glaze shines beautifully over the complex structure of this cake: almond dacquoise, apricot compote, rosemary creme brulee and almond mousse.
I am a huge fan of using herbs in my desserts. I feel like it is a flavor profile that is worth exploring and rosemary is something I have not used before this cake. But I was impressed. At the end of the day, the rosemary infusion gives this entremets an unique aroma and a flavor that may be difficult to pinpoint at first, but it surely impresses!
The elements of this entremets are:
- Almond dacquoise
- Rosemary creme brulee
- Apricot marmalade
- Almond mousse
- Marbled mirror glaze
Flavor profile
I created this rosemary apricot entremets from pure curiosity. I am one to always challenge myself with new flavors and fresh herbs is something I used quite a lot in the past. Basil was my first love, but I tried lovage and dill as well. So rosemary was next. It felt just right to mix it with apricots and almonds because rosemary tends to be quite strong. So I chose flavors that would complement it well, not challenge it for attention. The almond dacquoise is a nice neutral base and the apricot compote next to the creme brulee flavored with rosemary make a great structural inside for a cake that impresses. The mousse is almond flavored as well and it is so delicate!
Rosemary Apricot Entremets
Ingredients
Rosemary creme brulee
- 300 g heavy cream
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 40 g white granulated sugar
- 60 g egg yolks
- 2 g gelatin + 12g water
Apricot marmalade
- 250 g apricot puree
- 100 g apricot cubes
- 45 g white granulated sugar
- 3 g pectin NH
- 1 g citric acid
Almond dacquoise
- 100 g egg whites
- 85 g white granulated sugar
- 85 g almond flour
- 50 g icing sugar
- 25 g all-purpose white flour
- 1 g salt
- 3 g fresh rosemary (chopped into small pieces)
Almond mousse
- 160 g almond milk
- 5 g vanilla extract
- 10 g gelatin + 60g water
- 260 g white chocolate
- 35 g almond flour
- 310 g heavy cream (whipped)
Mirror glaze
- 75 g water
- 150 g white sugar
- 150 g glucose syrup
- 10 g gelatin + 60g water
- 100 g sweetened condensed milk
- 150 g white chocolate
- White food coloring
- Orange food coloring
Instructions
Rosemary creme brulee
- Heat up the heavy cream then add the rosemary and infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the rosemary.
- Mix the egg yolk with the sugar then gradually pour the warm liquid over the mix.
- Bring it back to the pot and cook to 82C.
- Split the mixture equally between 2 cake rings of 14cm diametru.
- Freeze at least 2 hours.
Apricot marmalade
- Warm up the fruit puree and apricot cubes.
- Mix the pectin Nh with the sugar then add it to the fruit mix.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and add the citric acid.
- Split into 2 equal portions then pour both of them over the creme brulee insert you froze earlier.
- Freeze again for at least 4 hours.
Almond dacquoise
- Whip the egg whites until stiff, adding the sugar gradually. Whip until a shiny meringue forms.
- Sift the almond flour, icing sugar, flour and salt in a bowl. Add the chopped rosemary and mix well.
- Fold the dry ingredients in a bowl, gradually.
- Pipe the batter into 2 discs of 14cm diameter.
- Optional – sprinkle almond slices on each disc.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 170C for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Almond mousse
- Heat up the almond milk, bloomed gelatin and vanilla extract.
- Pour over the white chocolate and blend well.
- Cool down to 30C, then add the whipped cream.
To assemble the cake
- Line 2 16cm-diameter cake rings with plastic wrap on the bottom to seal it and with acetate sheets to level the sides of the cakes.
- Pour part of the mousse into each ring then arrange the creme brulee – apricot insert in the center.
- Cover with more mousse then place the sponge into the ring.
- Freeze the cake for at least 6-8 hours then remove from the cake ring.
Mirror glaze
- Mix the chocolate with the condensed milk in a jug.
- Combine the water, sugar and glucose in a pot and bring to 103C.
- Take aside then add the bloomed gelatin.
- Pour over the chocolate.
- Blend well.
- Transfer part of the glaze in a smaller jug. Color the small quantity of glaze with white and the larger quantity with orange. Blend both well.
- Chill in the fridge for 8 hours then reheat and bring to 34C – working temperature.
- Take the cake from the freezer. Pour the orange glaze first, then the white glaze and marble both with a spatula.
- Remove the excess glaze and place on a cake board.
- Decorate as you wish!
Equipment
- Mixer
- 2 16cm cake rings
- 2 14cm cake rings
- Baking oven
- Baking trays
- Baking paper
- Plastic wrap
- Acetate
- Spatulas
- Bowls
- Whisk
- Offset spatula
- Sieve
