Dacquoise with Red Fruit and White Chocolate

Ingredients

Hazelnut dacquoise

• 180 g hazelnuts
• 180 g icing sugar
• 80 g sugar
• 8 egg whites, beaten until stiff

White chocolate praline crunch

• 100 g white chocolate
• 140 g gavotte crêpes

Red fruit mousse and coulis

• 2 kg frozen red berries
• 800 ml cold whipping cream
• 8 sheets gelatin
• 140 g icing sugar

Method

Prepare the dacquoise

1. Combine the ground hazelnuts, icing sugar and sugar.
2. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites.
3. Bake for 10–15 minutes at 170–180°C, then allow the dacquoise to cool.

Add the praline crunch

1. Crumble the gavotte crêpes by hand.
2. Melt the white chocolate and mix it with the crêpe crumbs.
3. Spread the mixture over the cooled dacquoise.
4. Chill for a few minutes so the layer begins to set.

Make the red fruit mousse

1. Soften 6 gelatin sheets in cold water.
2. Whip the cold cream with the icing sugar until firm, then refrigerate.
3. Blend the red berries and strain them to produce a smooth coulis.
4. Measure 500 g of coulis for the mousse and reserve 400 g for the topping.
5. Heat the 500 g portion, then stir in the softened and drained gelatin.
6. Let the mixture cool completely before folding it into the whipped cream.
7. Pour the mousse over the praline layer and refrigerate overnight.

Finish with the coulis

1. The next day, heat the reserved 400 g of coulis.
2. Soften a gelatin sheet in cold water, drain it and dissolve it in the warm coulis.
3. Allow the coulis to cool, then pour it over the set mousse.
4. Refrigerate for several more hours before unmolding and decorating as desired.