A miniature entremet inspired by the viral “Dubai Chocolate,” featuring a crunchy Kadaif pistachio filling, smooth milk chocolate mousse, and a snappy milk chocolate shell, presented on a delicate cocoa sablée base.
Yields: 8 Petit Gâteaux (Small Cakes)
Target Mold Size: Silikomart “Stone 85” (Mousse, 6.5 cm diameter) and Silikomart “Petit Fours” (Insert, 4 cm diameter)
DAY ONE: Component Preparation & Internal Insert
1. Milk Chocolate Shell (Insert)
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Milk Chocolate (30-35% cocoa solids) | 210 g | Tempered |
| Neutral Oil (e.g., grapeseed, sunflower) | 10 g | For a snappier shell |
Method
- Temper and Combine: Temper the milk chocolate according to your preferred method. Stir in the 10 g of neutral oil until fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag.
- Fill Mold: Pipe the chocolate into eight 4 cm diameter silicone insert molds (e.g., Silikomart Petit Fours), filling each cavity completely and ensuring all edges are covered.
- Coat Mold: Tap the mold gently on the workbench to release any air bubbles. Turn the mold upside down to remove the excess chocolate, creating a thin shell.
- Clean Edge: When the drainage slows, tilt the mold and run a palette knife or dough scraper across the surface to clean the rim.
- Set: Place the mold in the refrigerator until the chocolate shells are fully set.
2. Kadaif Pistachio Filling (Insert Core 1)
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roasted Pistachio Nuts | 50 g | (For paste sub-recipe) |
| Icing Sugar (for paste) | 4.5 g | Equivalent of 1 tsp |
| Neutral Oil (for paste) | 4.5 g – 7 g | Equivalent of 1 to 1.5 tsp |
| Kadaif (shredded phyllo) | 50 g | |
| Unsalted Butter | 20 g | Melted, for toasting kadaif |
| Pistachio Cream (Spread/Crema) | 70 g | |
| Tahini (sesame paste) | 5 g | |
| Fine Salt | Pinch |
Method (Homemade Pistachio Paste Sub-recipe)
- Blend the 50 g of roasted pistachio nuts with the icing sugar and neutral oil in a mini chopper until a thick, smooth nut butter is formed.
Method (Kadaif Filling)
- Toast Kadaif: Melt the 20 g of butter on a pan. Add the kadaif and toast over medium heat, stirring constantly until all strands are golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat and cool.
- Combine Filling: In a bowl, mix the toasted kadaif, homemade pistachio paste, pistachio cream, tahini, and salt.
- Fill Mold: Use a teaspoon to fill each of the eight 4 cm chocolate shell molds approximately 70% full with the kadaif pistachio filling. Gently level the surface.
- Set: Place the mold in the freezer while preparing the next layer.
3. Pistachio Ganache (Insert Core 2)
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White Chocolate (30-35% cocoa butter) | 40 g | Finely chopped |
| Pistachio Cream (Spread/Crema) | 40 g | |
| Heavy Cream (35% fat) | 36 g | Equivalent of 35 ml |
| Lime Juice (freshly strained) | 10 g | Equivalent of 10 ml |
Note: This recipe yields more than needed for 8 inserts, but the batch size is necessary for proper emulsification.
Method
- Melt Base: Gently melt the white chocolate and pistachio cream together in a saucepan. Reserve in a bowl.
- Infuse Cream: Heat the heavy cream and lime juice in a separate saucepan almost to a boil.
- Emulsify: Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate/pistachio base. Stir firmly in the center with a rubber spatula until the ganache becomes glossy.
- Blend and Fill: Pour the ganache into a plastic jug and blend with an immersion blender. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Layer: Fill the remaining space in the 4 cm molds completely with the Pistachio Ganache. Level the surface with a palette knife.
- Freeze: Freeze the inserts for a minimum of 3 hours, or overnight, until completely solid.
DAY TWO: Mousse Preparation
4. Milk Chocolate Mousse
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gelatin Sheet (240 Bloom) | 3.5 g | 2 sheets, Extra Gold, bloomed |
| Milk Chocolate (30-35% cocoa solids) | 200 g | Finely chopped |
| Heavy Cream (for heating) | 103 g | Equivalent of 100 ml |
| Heavy Cream (for whipping) | 206 g | Equivalent of 200 ml, chilled |
Method
- Bloom and Melt: Soak the gelatin in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. Gently melt the milk chocolate and reserve it in a mixing bowl.
- Infuse Cream: Heat the 103 g of heavy cream almost to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved.
- Emulsify Base: Pour the hot cream over the melted chocolate while stirring gently from the center outwards with a rubber spatula until the base is glossy and smooth.
- Cool: Allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm (approx 28°C).
- Whip and Fold: Whip the remaining 206 g of chilled heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the lukewarm chocolate mixture in three additions.
- Set: Pour the chocolate mousse into eight 6.5 cm diameter silicone molds (e.g., Silikomart Stone 85), filling each mold approximately 80% full.
- Partial Set: If the mousse is very liquid, place the molds in the refrigerator until they have set slightly (when a spoon dip forms a soft peak). This prevents the insert from sinking.
- Insert Core: Retrieve the frozen kadaif/ganache inserts from the freezer and demold them. Place one insert into the center of each chocolate mousse cavity, with the chocolate shell facing downwards.
- Freeze: Freeze the cakes overnight until completely solid.
DAY THREE: Finishing & Decoration
5. Cocoa Shortcrust Pastry Cookie Bases (Tart Base)
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 140 g | |
| Almond Flour | 30 g | |
| Icing Sugar (powdered) | 55 g | Sifted |
| Cold Unsalted Butter | 90 g | Cut into cubes |
| Cocoa Powder (unsweetened) | 20 g | Sifted |
| Large Egg (Whole) | 25 g | Equivalent of 1/2 a medium egg |
| Fine Salt | Pinch |
Method
- Prepare Dough: Combine the flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, icing sugar, salt, and cold cubed butter in a food processor and pulse briefly until crumbly.
- Bind: Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the 25 g of egg and quickly bring the dough together by hand. Caution: Do not knead excessively.
- Chill and Shape: Roll out the dough evenly between two pieces of parchment paper. Refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze for approximately 45 minutes until very cold.
- Bake Bases: Use a 9 cm diameter cookie cutter with a flower pattern to cut out 8 bases. Bake the bases at 175°C for approximately 10 to 12 minutes (baking on a silicone mat gives a checkered pattern, if available).
- Cool: Allow the bases to cool completely on a baking rack. Store them in a cake tin until assembly.
6. Milk Chocolate Glaze (Glaçage Miroir)
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gelatin Sheet (240 Bloom) | 10.5 g | 6 sheets, Extra Gold, bloomed |
| Milk Chocolate (30-35% cocoa solids) | 150 g | Finely chopped |
| Heavy Cream (35% fat) | 103 g | Equivalent of 100 ml |
| Water | 50 g | Equivalent of 50 ml |
| Caster Sugar | 150 g | |
| Glucose Syrup | 150 g |
Method
- Bloom and Chop: Soak the gelatin in cold water. Chop the milk chocolate finely and place it in a large plastic pitcher.
- Prepare Syrup: In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, heavy cream, and glucose syrup. Heat almost to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin.
- Emulsify Glaze: Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate. Blend with an immersion blender (holding it at an angle to avoid air bubbles) until perfectly smooth.
- Cool and Temper: Cover the surface directly with cling film and cool the glaze to its working temperature of 34°C to 35°C.
- Glaze Cakes: Retrieve the frozen cakes from the freezer and demold them. Place them on a baking rack over parchment paper. Pour the glaze over the frozen cakes. Use a small palette knife to remove the glaze excess from the bottom edge.
- Assemble: Carefully place each glazed cake on top of a Cocoa Shortcrust Pastry Cookie Base.
7. Chocolate Decoration & Final Assembly
| Material | Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White Chocolate | 500 g | Tempered (for swirls) |
| Pearl Spray (Edible) | – | |
| Silver Dust (Edible) | – | |
| White/Pearl Pearls | – | Approximately 1 mm to 3 mm diameter |
Dimensions (Swirls from Tempered White Chocolate)
- Swirl Sheet: 5.5 cm x 22 cm (for 7 cm or 7.5 cm diameter shape)
Method
- Prepare Swirls: Temper the white chocolate. Spread it thinly onto an acetate sheet cut to the specified dimensions. Allow to set until flexible, then wrap it around a 7 cm or 7.5 cm diameter form (like a pastry ring) to set the curve. Once hard, carefully break the chocolate into 8 pieces suitable for decorating the cakes.
- Embellish Swirls: Use a small, warm round pastry tip to melt holes in the chocolate spirals. Quickly place a pearl into each hole before the chocolate sets. Repeat this pattern as desired across the spirals.
- Color Swirls: Spray the spirals with pearl spray and lightly dust with silver dust.
- Final Assembly: Gently place one chocolate spiral around the base of each glazed petit gâteau.
- Garnish: Finish the cakes by scattering additional white/pearl pearls onto the top and base of the cakes for a festive finish.
I’m Chef Mimo, a passionate pastry chef with over 17 years of experience in the world of fine desserts. I specialize in French-style entremets, refined cakes, and creative chocolate work. Pastry is not just my profession—it’s my lifelong passion. Through PastryCrafted.com, I love sharing my recipes, techniques, and inspirations with anyone who dreams of mastering the art of pastry. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned pro, you’re welcome in my sweet world.