Set yourself a challenge and create something spectacular with the help of patisserie expert from Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons
‘This is a gorgeous centrepiece for any special occasion,’ says Benoit. ‘It has a flourless chocolate sponge base, which is topped with a layer of rich chocolate mousse and chocolate croustillant – chocolate crisps.
‘At Le Manoir, we make it all year round, and at Easter we add an extra flourish with a spun sugar nest, chocolate feathers and a blown sugar egg. You don’t need to add these, but they will give your cake a professional finish.
‘When you’re making this at home, accuracy is everything. Precise measuring makes all the difference; a few grams here or there will change the finished cake. Make sure that your temperatures and timings are accurate too. The correct equipment, such as a cake or pastry ring, will also help you get the best results.’ FOR THE CHOCOLATE
CROUSTILLANT 100g golden caster sugar 1 tsp cocoa powder 35g butter 35g dark chocolate (100% cocoa
solids, I used Willie’s) 25g liquid glucose FOR THE CHOCOLATE COLLAR 140g dark chocolate, very fnely
chopped (70% cocoa solids) FOR THE LEMON BUTTERSCOTCH
SAUCE 100g granulated sugar 50g liquid glucose zest and juice 1 lemon 100ml whipping cream OPTIONAL DECORATIONS white chocolate feathers and spun sugar nest, and a decorative egg (I use a blown sugar egg, but you could use a shop-bought chocolate egg, if you like) YOU WILL NEED 18cm cake or pastry ring (4.5cm high,
available from acetate roll (6cm wide x 40cm long,
available from food thermometer or temperature
probe large and small palette knives PER SERVING 567 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 17g • carbs 63g • sugars 54g • fbre 5g • protein 9g • salt 0.3g
Turn over for Benoit’s step-by-step method Benoit is Chef pâtissier at Oxfordshire’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons,