Kuri Matcha Choco Verrines

This Japanesey sweet is my take on a dessert featured in the Japanese version of ELLE à Table. I like the layering effect showed in the magazine and was convinced by the intrigue combination of chestnut and matcha. The two is a fairly common pairing in making wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), but this nothing short of deliciousness combination seem somewhat unpopular or common in western pastry. I think people are missing out!

The sweet is composed of spongy fragrant matcha génoise, rich & dense flourless chocolate cake, candied chestnuts, light & melt-in-your-mouth chestnut Chantilly then a dusting of cocoa powder and a piece of candied chestnut complete this lovely, springy dessert – giving it not just a lovely presentation but a contrasting texture of light and dense. All the components were simple to make and you can make them a day in advance (except the chestnut Chantilly). You can also make just using one of the cakes if you don’t have enough time. Happy baking =)

Kuri Matcha Choco Verrines – makes six 8oz glasses

¼ recipe Matcha Génoise, diced

¼ recipe Chocolate Valentino, diced

1 recipe Kuri (chestnut) Chantilly Cream

8 whole chestnuts in syrup (available at Japanese markets)

Some unsweetened cocoa powder

Matcha Génoise

100g    granulated sugar

70g      all-purpose flour

15g      matcha

20g      unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3          large eggs

Prep:

- Sift together flour and matcha, set aside.

- Preheat oven to 360°F/180°C.

- Lightly butter a 12 x 9in/28 x 24cm roll cake pan and line it with parchment paper.

Brings a small pot of water to boil, set aside. Melt the butter in a microwave, set aside to cool.

Using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs together in a heatproof bowl then add sugar and beat until blended. Place the bowl over the pot of boil water and continue to beat over medium speed until it is foamy and warm to the touch. Remove from heat, continue to beat in a circular motion until it doubles in volume and soft peaks form. Gradually add in the sifted matcha flour mix using a rubber spatula and fold gently until incorporated. Add in the melted butter and quickly fold until completely incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread and smooth out the batter using the spatula. Tap the pan slightly on the counter to release any air bubbles, place into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice it into small cubes.

Chocolate Valentino – 8-inch cake

454g    bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

146g    unsalted butter

5 large eggs, separated

Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

While the chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter the pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls. Whip the egg whites in a large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry). With the same beater beat the egg yolks together then add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with the remaining 2/3. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375°F/190°C。

Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140°F/60°C。.

Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet. Remove cake from oven and cool on rack for 10 minutes then unmold and let cool completely.

Kuri (chestnut) Chantilly Cream

200ml  heavy cream

3tbsp   chestnut cream or crème de marrons

1tbsp   caster sugar

¼         vanilla bean, split open and seeds scraped out

Bring 50ml heavy cream, vanilla pod and seeds, and the chestnut cream to just simmer over medium heat; stirring occasionally to prevent from burning. Remove from heat and continue to stir until the two are fully incorporated. Remove vanilla pod and place the saucepan in an ice water bath to cool.

Place the remaining cream, sugar in a bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold in the cooled chestnut cream mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the whipped cream into a piping bag w/o a tip, let chill in refrigerator.

Assemble:

Spoon some Chocolate Valentino cubes into the glasses (I use champagne flutes) to ¼ height of the glasses then spoon in matcha génoise cubes next to 2/4 full. Snip off a little corner of the piping bag, and pipe the cream to ¾ full, place some candied chestnuts on top then pipe more cream until almost to the top. Sprinkle some cocoa powder and top off with a piece of candied chestnut. Voilà!

Website: www.lateliervi.blogspot.com

Blogging since: 2007

Food inspiration: my shelves of Japanese pastry books

Blog philosophy: stylish, Asian-French fusion, edible art, scrumptious

Hello there, my name is Venus but friends call me Vi. I am a self-taught food enthusiast. My tie to cooking/baking blossomed while in art school when I befriended a Japanese international student that ever so generous and kind to bring me yummy treats from aboard during winter and summer breaks. It was this friend that I get to taste my 1^st Parisian macaroon, my 1^st cannele, 1^st matcha sable and etc – sweet treats that were not common in the San Francisco Bay Area then. It is also this friend who helped me discover this passion besides fashion and whom helped fuel my quest to remake them in my own kitchen thus L’ Atelier Vi was born in 2007. It has been 4 years and my hobby become my career – I launched my boutique style dessert & cake business, La Vie Douce Design, last year. I am now happily whipping up a storm in my home kitchen everyday =)