Peach Melba Entremet

Instructions

Stage 1: Raspberry Confit (Day 1)

• Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the cold water and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to bloom. It will turn thick and gel-like.
• Combine the raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, mashing gently, for about 5 minutes until juicy and slightly reduced.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the raspberry seeds, keeping all that bright raspberry flavor without the crunch.
• Return the strained puree to low heat, stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved, then stir in the lemon juice.
• Pour into small molds of your choice, about 3 to 3.5cm across (a mini hemisphere or sphere mold works well), filling each about two thirds full.
• Freeze for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

Stage 2: Joconde Biscuit (Day 1 evening or Day 2 morning)

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Whisk the eggs, almond flour, and powdered sugar together until pale and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Fold in the melted butter and almond extract, then sift in the flour and fold gently until just combined.
• In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar and whip to glossy, stiff peaks.
• Fold the whipped whites into the almond batter in two additions: add about half, fold gently just until no streaks remain, then add the rest and fold again with the same light hand.
• Spread the batter thinly, about 5mm, onto the prepared sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden and springy to the touch.
• Let cool completely, then cut out circles slightly smaller than your mold. Refrigerate until needed, not the freezer.
• How to tell the batter is right: it should look light, airy, and slightly glossy. Lift the spatula out, and if the batter falls back into the bowl in soft ribbons rather than sinking like a liquid, you have kept the air in and folded correctly.
• How to tell it is baked right: a perfect joconde should be tender enough to bend slightly without cracking. That flexibility, not dryness, is what tells you it is done.

Stage 3: Peach Mousse and Assembly (Day 2)

• Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the cold water and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to bloom.
• If you are using whole peaches, blend them until completely smooth first. If you are using a store-bought peach puree, simply measure out what you need and use it as is.
• Warm about a quarter of the peach puree in a small saucepan. Stir in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved, then combine with the remaining puree, powdered sugar, and lemon juice.
• In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks, then gently fold in the Greek yogurt.
• Once the peach mixture has cooled to room temperature, fold it into the cream and yogurt in two additions, until smooth and even.
• Pipe or spoon the mousse into your molds of choice, filling each about halfway.
• Unmold the frozen raspberry inserts and press one into the center of each mousse filled cavity.
• Top with a little more mousse, then finish with a joconde disc, pressing gently so it sits flush with the rim of the mold.
• Freeze for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, until completely solid.

Stage 4: Coating and Decorating (Day 3, or Day 2 evening if timing allows)

• Unmold the entremets while still frozen. They should feel solid, like a rock. Return them to the freezer briefly if they start to soften.
• Melt the white chocolate wafers gently over a double boiler (bain-marie), stirring until smooth. At the same time, warm the coconut oil in the microwave in short bursts until melted.
• Stir the melted coconut oil into the white chocolate while it is still over the bain-marie. This thins the coating so it goes on beautifully thin when you dip, and makes it much easier to work with at home.
• Pour the coating into a tall, narrow container, a tall glass or tumbler works well, rather than a wide bowl. This uses less chocolate overall and creates less waste, since each piece can be fully submerged with only a small amount.
• Tint the coating gradually: start with a little yellow and orange combined for the base peach tone, then add pink a touch at a time until you are happy with the shade. Do not be afraid to experiment, the color is what sells the illusion.
• Dip each frozen entremet into the tinted chocolate to coat completely, letting the excess drip off.
• If a dessert starts to soften while you are dipping, pop it back into the freezer for a few minutes to firm up again before continuing with the rest.
• Place on parchment and transfer to the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours to thaw slowly and evenly.
• Slice into the finished entremet to reveal the raspberry heart at the center, a small tribute to the dessert that inspired it. Best enjoyed the same day it thaws, while the shell is still crisp and the mousse is at its softest.