Jingle Bell Pastry

Recipe for 12-16 Pastries

Molds:

• 7cm sphere mold
• 6cm silicone sphere mold
• Gold cocoa butter

I. Chocolate Sponge (Crumble)

• Use leftover (frozen) chocolate sponge or brownie pieces, blended until fine.
• Mix the sponge crumble with Frangelico (hazelnut) or chocolate liqueur for softness and flavor.  

II. Chocolate Mousse (72%)

• 95 g Cream (1)
• 180 g Dark chocolate Sensation 72%, Veliche
• 100 g Sugar
• 50 g Egg Yolk
• 30 g Water
• 300 g Cream (2)

Method:

1. Whip the cream (2) until soft peaks form, then refrigerate.
2. Heat the sugar with water until it reaches 120°C.
3. Whip the egg yolk until soft peaks form, then add the sugar syrup and whip until foamy (Pâte à bombe).
4. Heat cream (1) to boiling, pour over the dark chocolate, and blend until smooth (40°C).
5. Gently fold the Pâte à bombe into the chocolate mixture with a spatula.
6. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mousse.
7. Use the mousse immediately.

III. Hazelnut Praline Cremeux

• 250 g Cream
• 100 g Hazelnut praline 65%, Veliche
• 50 g Milk chocolate Intense 35%, Veliche
• 90 g Egg Yolk
• 35 g Sugar
• 3 g Gelatin Powder
• 15 g Water

Method:

1. Mix the gelatin powder with cold water.
2. Bring the cream to a boil.
3. Combine the egg yolk with sugar.
4. Add the hot cream to the egg yolk mixture, combine well, and heat to 84°C.
5. Remove from heat, add the gelatin, milk chocolate, and hazelnut praline.
6. Blend briefly with a hand blender and divide 20 g into the 6cm sphere mol

IV. Caramel Cream

• 125 g Sugar
• 750 g Cream
• 5 g Gelatin Powder
• 25 g Water
• 250 g Caramel chocolate Euphoria 31%, Veliche
• 2 g Vanilla Bean

Method:

1. Mix the cold water and gelatin powder together (gelatin mass).
2. Scrape the vanilla bean and boil half of the cream.
3. Caramelize the sugar until it reaches a nice brown color, then mix with the hot cream.
4. Add the gelatin mass and caramel chocolate to the cream, mixing briefly.
5. Add the second half of the cream.
6. Use a hand blender to mix all ingredients together.
7. Let the cream cool in the fridge for 12 hours. Whip with a kitchen mixer and whisk until medium soft.

V. Brownie Pieces

• 41 g Dark chocolate Sensation 72%, Veliche
• 105 g Butter
• 85 g Egg
• 75 g Brown Sugar
• 1.5 g Salt
• 55 g Flour
• 19 g High Fat Cocoa Powder, Veliche
• 38 g Pecan Nuts

Method:

1. Mix brown sugar, salt, and egg together in a bowl (using a kitchen mixer with a paddle on low speed).
2. Melt the butter and pour it over the chocolate drops until smooth.
3. Combine the chocolate ganache with the egg mixture and mix until smooth.
4. Combine flour and cocoa powder, then add to the mixture. Beat with the mixer for 1 minute and fold in the pecan pieces. Divide the batter into a baking mold.
5. Bake at 175°C for around 20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the brownie).
6. Once baked and cooled, cut into small cubes.

Assembling:

• Start by making the 7cm chocolate sphere with dark chocolate (58%). You need two spheres for one jingle bell. (TIP: You can also use milk chocolate 35% if preferred.)
• Cut the jingle bell with a knife and use a nozzle (13mm) to make round holes (see pictures).
• Place the half spheres on a tray and use tempered gold cocoa butter (28°C) to airbrush the spheres gold. Sprinkle some gold powder before the cocoa butter crystallizes for a shiny result.
• Begin with crumbled chocolate sponge, mixing with some liqueur until soft, and place about two large spoons in the first sphere (bottom part).
• Make the hazelnut cremeux, divide into a 6cm mold, and freeze (see recipe).
• Prepare the dark chocolate mousse. Fill the first sphere and pipe the dark chocolate mousse on top of the sponge crumble. Place the hazelnut cremeux inside the chocolate mousse and fill with mousse until the edge. Cool until the mousse is set.
• Whip the caramel cream (using a kitchen mixer and whisk) until medium soft, then pipe on top of the chocolate mousse using a round nozzle (6mm).
• Decorate the pastry with brownie pieces, caramelized hazelnuts, and soft caramel.
• Finish the pastry by placing the second half of the sphere on top!