Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
Print Pin

Caramel Apple Entremet in Universo Mold – A Refined French Pastry by Chef Mimo

A Symphony of Orchard Flavors: Introduction to the "Pomme-Caramel"

In the vast repertoire of French pastry, few combinations evoke comfort quite like Apple and Caramel. This entremet elevates that rustic pairing into a sleek, professional dessert. It is a study in textures: the dense chew of the Almond Sponge, the melting softness of Fondant Apples, the luscious coating of Caramel Crémeux, and the airy lightness of Caramel Chantilly.
What makes this recipe distinctly professional is its "J-Minus" Schedule. You will notice steps labeled J-2 (Day -2) and J-1 (Day -1). This is how pastry chefs operate. By building the "Insert" (crémeux + apples) two days before, and the mousse and sponge one day before, you ensure that every element is perfectly set and frozen, making the final glazing (Day 0) stress-free and flawless.
Why make this? It is the perfect bridge between a home-style apple pie and a boutique mousse cake. It teaches the delicate art of Dry Caramel—cooking sugar to the edge of burning to achieve deep amber notes—and the technique of Potato Starch Glazing, which creates a shine that is less rubbery than pure gelatin glazes.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

Caramel Crémeux (Day -2)

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 60 g granulated sugar
  • 18 g water
  • 9 g glucose syrup
  • 23 g + 97 g heavy cream
  • ¾ sheet gelatin 200 bloom, approx. 1.5 g
  • Pinch of fleur de sel

Fondant Apples (Day -2)

  • 1 Golden apple
  • 10 g granulated sugar
  • 10 g butter

Almond Sponge (Pain de Gênes) (Day -1)

  • 55 g almond paste
  • 22 g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 15 g cake flour T45
  • 1 g baking powder
  • 15 g butter
  • 2 g milk

Homemade Almond Paste:

  • 25 g almond flour
  • 25 g icing sugar
  • 5 g egg white

Caramel Chantilly (Day -1)

  • 300 g heavy cream for whipping
  • 60 g granulated sugar
  • 35 g heavy cream for caramel
  • 30 g butter
  • 3 g gelatin sheets
  • Pinch of fleur de sel

Caramel Glaze

  • 145 g + 20 g granulated sugar
  • 120 g water
  • 120 g heavy cream
  • 12 g potato starch
  • 4 g gelatin sheets

Instructions

🔹 1. Caramel Crémeux (J-2)

  • Soak the gelatin in cold water.
  • Heat the sugar, water, glucose, and fleur de sel until amber caramel forms.
  • Warm 23 g of cream and pour into the caramel.
  • Add the remaining 97 g cream to stop the cooking.
  • Off heat, whisk in the yolks.
  • Return to heat and stir continuously to 84°C.
  • Remove and add the drained gelatin.
  • Pour into a 14 cm pastry ring lined with foil and parchment.
  • Cool and freeze until solid.

🔹 2. Fondant Apples (J-2)

  • Peel and dice the apple.
  • Sauté in butter with sugar until tender.
  • Cool, then spread evenly over the frozen crémeux insert.
  • Freeze again.

🔹 3. Almond Sponge (J-1)

  • Preheat oven to 170°C.
  • Melt butter with milk.
  • Blend almond paste with the egg using an immersion blender.
  • Whip mixture with sugar until ribbon stage.
  • Add milk-butter mixture while whipping.
  • Fold in sifted flour and baking powder.
  • Pour into a 20 cm mold and bake for 12 min.
  • Let cool, then cut out a 14 cm circle. Reserve.

🔹 4. Caramel Chantilly (J-1)

  • Soak gelatin in cold water.
  • Heat 35 g cream.
  • Make dry caramel with sugar, deglaze with hot cream.
  • Add fleur de sel and butter.
  • Strain if needed.
  • Add gelatin and cool slightly (not fully set).
  • Whip 300 g cream to soft peaks, fold in caramel mix.
  • Use immediately for assembly.

🔹 5. Assembly

  • Fill half of Universo mold with caramel chantilly, press gently.
  • Add the frozen insert (caramel crémeux + apples).
  • Cover with the rest of chantilly.
  • Top with the 14 cm almond sponge, press gently.
  • Smooth the surface.
  • Freeze overnight until solid.

🔹 6. Caramel Glaze

  • Soak gelatin in cold water.
  • Mix 20 g sugar with potato starch.
  • Heat cream and water together.
  • Make a dry caramel with 145 g sugar.
  • Deglaze with hot cream-water mix.
  • Return to heat until smooth.
  • Add sugar-starch mix and boil 1 min.
  • Remove from heat, add gelatin.
  • Blend with immersion blender (keep head down to avoid bubbles).
  • Let cool to 28–30°C before glazing.

🔹 7. Final Assembly

  • Unmold the frozen entremet.
  • Place on an inverted bowl over a tray.
  • Glaze with caramel glaze evenly.
  • Decorate with crushed hazelnuts and hazelnut skins or get creative.
  • Let thaw in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving.

Notes

The Science of Ingredients: Chemistry of Caramel and Starch

This recipe relies on precise chemical reactions for flavor and texture.

1. Dry Caramel (The Maillard Reaction)

The recipe calls for "Dry Caramel" (heating sugar alone) rather than "Wet Caramel" (sugar + water).
  • The Science: Dry caramelization allows the sugar to reach higher temperatures faster, creating a more complex, slightly bitter flavor profile that cuts through the sweetness of the cream. When you deglaze this 170°C+ sugar with warm cream, you are arresting the cooking process instantly. The shock creates steam, but the fat in the cream emulsifies the burnt sugar into a smooth, rich sauce rather than a hard candy.

2. Potato Starch in Glaze

Unusually, the glaze uses potato starch mixed with sugar.
  • The Science: Most mirror glazes rely solely on gelatin or pectin. Adding potato starch provides viscosity (body) and a unique "short" texture. It makes the glaze cling to the vertical sides of the cake better than gelatin alone, which can sometimes be too runny. Starch also provides a specific sheen that looks natural and appetizing, less like "plastic" than glucose-heavy glazes.

3. Almond Paste (Pâte d'Amande)

The sponge uses almond paste (50% almonds/50% sugar) blended with eggs, not just almond flour.
  • The Science: Almond paste has a very fine texture and high fat content. By blending it with eggs using an immersion blender, you create a stable emulsion before adding the flour. This results in a "Pain de Gênes" style sponge—incredibly dense, moist, and flexible. It won't dry out in the freezer like a standard genoise would.

4. Fleur de Sel (The Flavor Potentiator)

Every caramel component here includes Fleur de Sel.
  • The Science: Salt suppresses bitterness. Since we are pushing the caramel to a dark amber color for flavor depth, the salt is essential to mask the harsh bitter notes, allowing the buttery, toffee flavors to shine. It also triggers saliva production, making the dessert feel juicier on the palate.

Essential Professional Kitchen Tools

To execute the "J-Minus" plan, you need specific equipment.
  1. Immersion Blender (Stick Blender)
    • Why you need it: Non-negotiable for three steps:
      • Almond Sponge: To break down the dense almond paste into the eggs.
      • Caramel Glaze: To emulsify the starch and gelatin without adding air.
      • Crémeux: To smooth out the custard base.
  2. Universo Mold (Silikomart) & Insert Ring
    • Why you need it: This recipe is designed for a specific volume. The 14cm Ring creates the internal core (apples + crémeux). The Universo Mold (approx 18cm) encases that core in Chantilly. This geometric gap ensures that when you slice the cake, you see perfect layers of white mousse surrounding the dark caramel center.
  3. Digital Thermometer
    • Why you need it:
      • Crémeux: Must be cooked to 84°C (custard temperature).
      • Glaze: Must be poured at 28–30°C. If poured at 35°C, it will melt the Chantilly.
  4. Pastry Ring with Acetate/Foil
    • Why you need it: For the insert (J-2). You need to line a metal ring tightly with foil to hold the liquid crémeux until it freezes. Acetate lining ensures it pops out cleanly.

Expert Tips and Success Hacks

Master the timeline and techniques of a Chef.

1. The "Deglazing" Danger Zone

Pouring liquid into hot caramel is dangerous.
  • The Hack: When you add the cream to the dry caramel, it will volcano (bubble up violently) and release superheated steam. Wear long sleeves. Pour the cream in 3 stages, stirring with a long-handled whisk. If the caramel seizes into hard rocks, don't panic—just put the pot back on low heat and stir; they will melt back down.

2. The Bubble-Free Glaze

Air bubbles ruin the mirror effect.
  • The Hack: When blending the glaze, keep the head of the immersion blender fully submerged and tilted slightly to the side. Do not lift it up and down. If you see bubbles on the surface after blending, pass the glaze through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring jug and tap the jug on the counter to pop them.

3. The "Ribbon Stage" for Sponge

The sponge relies on aeration.
  • The Hack: When whipping the almond paste/egg mixture with sugar, whip until it is pale, thick, and falls in a "ribbon" from the whisk. This mechanical air is vital because the heavy almond paste tends to weigh the batter down.

4. Fondant Apple Texture

Apples release water when frozen.
  • The Hack: When sautéing the apples (J-2), cook them until they are tender and dry. If they are swimming in juice, that juice will turn into ice crystals in the freezer, making the center of your cake crunchy (in a bad way) and watery when thawed. Cook the liquid off!

5. Glazing Temperature is Key

This glaze sets at a lower temperature than chocolate glazes.
  • The Hack: The target is 28°C to 30°C. Because it contains starch, it thickens differently. Do the "spoon test": dip a cold metal spoon into the glaze. It should coat the spoon smoothly (approx 2mm thick) and stop dripping quickly. If it runs off like water, cool it more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can I use pears instead of apples? A: Absolutely. Pears and caramel are a classic combination. Choose firm pears (like Bosc or Conference) so they don't turn to mush when sautéed. You might want to add a splash of Poire Williams liqueur to the sauté step for extra aroma.
Q2: What is "Potato Starch" vs. Cornstarch? A: Potato starch (Fécule de Pomme de Terre) has larger granules than cornstarch. It gelatinizes at a lower temperature and creates a clearer, glossier gel with a cleaner flavor. In a glaze, potato starch is superior. If you must use cornstarch, use slightly less (mix 15g instead of 20g), but the shine won't be quite as brilliant.
Q3: Can I skip the J-2/J-1 schedule? A: No. You cannot glaze an entremet that isn't rock-hard frozen. You need at least 12 hours for the main cake to freeze solid. However, you can combine J-2 and J-1 into a single day: make the insert in the morning, freeze it (4-6 hours), then make the mousse and assemble in the evening, freezing overnight.
Q4: How long does it take to thaw? A: This is a dense cake. It needs at least 6 hours in the fridge to thaw completely. If you serve it too early, the apple center might still be icy.
Q5: My caramel cream split. Can I save it? A: Yes. If the fat separates from the liquid, add a splash of cold liquid cream and blend vigorously with your immersion blender. The shear force will re-emulsify the mixture.
QR Code linking back to recipe