Morello Cherry and Tonka Bean Entremets

Ingredients

• Butter80g
• Almond flour80g
• Powdered sugar60g
• Egg whites3
• All-purpose flour30g
• Morello cherry purée300g
• Sugar180g
• Gelatin sheets10g
• Heavy cream450g
• White chocolate180g
• Whole milk160g
• Tonka bean1
• Egg yolks4
• Cornstarch15g
• Pectin NH5g
• Lemon juice10g
• Red mirror glaze250g
• Fresh cherries for garnish8

Method

1. 1.Brown 80g butter until nutty and golden. Cool slightly.
2. 2.Whisk egg whites with 40g sugar to soft peaks. Fold in almond flour, powdered sugar, flour, then brown butter. Spread onto a lined sheet pan and bake at 180°C for 12 minutes. Cool and cut to fit an 18cm ring.
3. 3.Bloom 5g gelatin. Heat 250g cherry purée with 60g sugar and pectin NH, whisking constantly until it boils. Add gelatin and lemon juice. Pour into a 16cm silicone insert mold and freeze solid.
4. 4.Warm milk with the tonka bean grated finely on a microplane. Whisk yolks with 40g sugar and cornstarch. Temper hot milk into yolks, return to heat, and cook to a thick pastry cream. Stir in 5g bloomed gelatin. Cool to 40°C.
5. 5.Melt white chocolate. Fold pastry cream into melted chocolate. Whip 350g cream to soft peaks and fold in gently. This is your tonka bean mousse.
6. 6.Line an 18cm entremet ring on a flat board. Pour in half the mousse. Place the frozen cherry insert on top and press gently. Add remaining mousse and smooth flush. Place the almond sponge disc on top and press lightly. Freeze at least 6 hours.
7. 7.Warm remaining 50g cherry purée with 40g sugar to make a simple cherry syrup. Reserve for brushing the sponge before assembly — brush just before placing sponge onto mousse.
8. 8.Warm red mirror glaze to 30–32°C. Unmold the frozen entremet onto a rack and pour glaze over in one smooth pass. Let set 10 seconds, then transfer to a serving plate.
9. 9.Garnish with fresh cherries and a light grating of tonka bean. Thaw in the fridge 4–6 hours before serving.