Caramel Passion Fruit Cake with Hazelnut Base and Gold Chocolate Glaze
1. A refined caramel mousse cake with passion fruit crémeux, hazelnut base, and shiny gold caramel glaze – a perfect celebration dessert.2. Layers of caramel mousse, tangy passion fruit cream, and toasted hazelnut cake wrapped in gold chocolate glaze and elegant chocolate decor.This Caramel Passion Fruit Cake is a beautifully balanced dessert combining rich caramel, tangy fruit, and nutty depth. Each bite brings together a silky caramel mousse, a vibrant passion fruit crémeux and insert, and a tender hazelnut sponge base made with roasted nuts for maximum flavor. Finished with a glossy gold chocolate glaze and elegant tempered chocolate decorations, this entremet is both a visual and gustatory showstopper. Though it takes 2–3 days to prepare, the steps are straightforward and mostly done in advance, allowing you to assemble and decorate stress-free on the final day. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any moment you want to impress – this cake is worth every step.
Ingredients
🍈 Passion Fruit Crémeux
- ½ sheet gelatin
- 140 g quality white chocolate
- 2 egg yolks
- 15 g sugar
- 80 ml heavy cream
- Juice from 6 passion fruits
🌰 Hazelnut Sponge Base
- 120 g hazelnuts
- 120 g sugar
- 70 g egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour
🍈 Passion Fruit Insert
- ½ sheet gelatin
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Juice from 3 passion fruits
🍯 Caramel Mousse
- 3 sheets gelatin
- 300 g caramelized white chocolate Callebaut Gold
- 150 ml milk
- 300 ml heavy cream
✨ Gold Caramel Mirror Glaze
- 6 sheets gelatin
- 150 g caramelized white chocolate Callebaut Gold
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 50 ml water
- 150 g glucose syrup
- 150 g sugar
🍫 Decoration
- 200 g caramelized white chocolate
- Red wood sorrel or edible flowers
- Chocolate pearls
- 2 acetate strips 1 x 2 cm height for sides, 1 x 14–16 cm round for top
Instructions
Passion Fruit Crémeux (Day 1)
- Soak gelatin in cold water.
- Melt white chocolate over a bain-marie.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar briefly.
- Heat cream and passion fruit juice until just below boiling.
- Pour over egg mixture, whisk, return to pan and heat to 83°C while stirring.
- Strain into a clean bowl. Add gelatin and stir. Pour over melted chocolate and combine.
- Pour into a 16 cm silicone mold or lined springform. Freeze for 3 hours.
Hazelnut Base
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Roast hazelnuts on parchment for 8 minutes. Let cool slightly and rub off skins in a tea towel.
- Coarsely blend hazelnuts.
- In a bowl, mix sugar, vanilla, and hazelnuts. Gradually add egg whites while whisking.
- Fold in flour. Pour into a 16 cm pan lined with parchment.
- Bake ~20 minutes. Cool completely. Freeze with parchment underneath.
Passion Fruit Insert
- Soak gelatin in cold water.
- Heat passion fruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan until hot (not boiling).
- Stir in gelatin. Let cool for 5–10 minutes.
- Remove frozen crémeux, pour insert mixture on top, and return to freezer overnight.
Caramel Mousse (Day 2)
- Soak gelatin in cold water.
- Melt caramelized chocolate over bain-marie.
- Heat milk to just under boiling, dissolve gelatin, and stir into melted chocolate.
- Whip cream to soft peaks. Gently fold into chocolate mixture in batches.
- Pour ⅓ of the mousse into an 18 cm silicone mold.
- Add frozen crémeux + insert center (insert side down). Pour remaining mousse.
- Remove hazelnut base from freezer, peel off parchment, and press gently into mousse.
- Freeze overnight.
Gold Caramel Glaze (Day 3)
- Soak gelatin in cold water.
- Place chopped gold chocolate in a tall container.
- In a saucepan, heat cream, water, glucose, and sugar to boiling.
- Add gelatin to hot mixture and pour over chocolate.
- Blend with immersion blender, avoid air bubbles.
- Cover with plastic wrap in contact and cool to 36°C.
Assembly & Glazing
- Unmold frozen cake and place on a rack or cup.
- Pour glaze evenly over cake.
- Remove glaze drips from base and transfer to serving dish.
- Let thaw in fridge for a few hours or overnight.
Chocolate Decoration
- Cut two acetate strips:
- One long (height: ~2 cm, length: to wrap cake)
- One round (~14–16 cm diameter) for the top decor
- Temper caramelized white chocolate (to ~29°C).
- Spread over acetate, then comb through the top piece for texture.
- Wrap acetate around 18 cm and 14/16 cm rings. Chill or freeze 10+ minutes.
- Remove acetate and place chocolate band around cake.
- Decorate top with chocolate ring, chocolate pearls, and red wood sorrel.
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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.