Valrhona 'Andoâque' Milk Chocolate Egg Dessert

A truly indulgent Easter showstopper! Try out this original recipe by the l’École Gourmet Valrhona, using Valrhona’s Andoa Lait 39% chocolate couverture. This recipe combines a rich crème anglaise, a light milk chocolate mousse, cocoa feur de sel streusel, an airy chocolate sponge and a chocolate and caramel cremeux. 

An original recipe by l’École Gourmet Valrhona

Makes two 16cm egg desserts for 5-6 each

Ingredients

Crème Anglaise

• 100g Whipping cream 35%
• 100g Whole milk
• 75g Egg yolks
• 40g Caster sugar

Andoa Lait 39% Mousse

• 240g Crème anglaise
• 450g Milk Chocolate Andoa Lait 39% couverture
• 360g Whipping cream 35%

Egg Shells (tempering using the seeding method)

• 600g Dark Chocolate Oriado 60% couverture

Cocoa Fleur de Sel Streusel

• 40g Unsalted butter
• 40g Finely ground almonds
• 30g Brown sugar
• 30g Spelt flour
• 2g Fleur de sel
• 10g cocoa powder

Chocolate Sponge with Spelt and Muscovado Sugar

• 150g Eggs
• 40g Acacia honey
• 50g Muscovado sugar
• 2g Fleur de sel
• 40g Finely ground almonds
• 70g Spelt flour
• 4g Baking powder
• 20g cocoa powder
• 70g Whipping cream 35%
• 80g Melted unsalted butter
• 30g Dark Chocolate Oriado 60% couverture

Oriado 60% & Caramel Crémeux

• 140g Whipping cream 35%
• 70g Caster sugar
• 30g Salted butter
• 65g Dark Chocolate Oriado 60% couverture

Method

To be done the day before:

• Egg shells
• Cocoa streusel
• Chocolate sponge
• Oriado 60% & caramel crémeux

To be done on the day:

• Andoa Lait 39% chocolate mousse
• Assembly (plan for a total of 6 hours freezing time)

Crème Anglaise

1. Bring the cream and milk to the boil and combine with the premixed egg yolk-sugar combination (without blanching).
2. Return to a low heat while mixing with a spatula until the temperature reaches 82-84°C.
3. Strain and use immediately to create Andoa Lait crème anglaise-style mousse.

Andoa Lait 39% Mousse

1. Create an emulsion by slowly combining the hot crème anglaise with the melted Andoa Lait 39% chocolate to obtain a smooth, shiny, elastic texture. Mix using a hand blender to obtain a perfect emulsion, making sure no air bubbles form. The temperature of the mix must be around 38-41°C. Whisk the whipping cream until it has a frothy texture. Add the frothy whipped cream to the crème anglaise/chocolate mixture. Use a spatula to delicately mix the ingredients together.
2. Use immediately to assemble.

Egg Shells (tempering using the seeding method)

1. Melt two thirds of the Oriado 60% chocolate in a bain-marie or in the microwave. Heat to 50-55°C. Once these temperatures have been reached, add the remaining third of unmelted chocolate. Start mixing by hand, then using a hand blender. Be careful not to incorporate any air bubbles.
2. Check the temperature of the chocolate - it should be 31-32°C. The chocolate is now tempered. Make sure you keep the chocolate at this temperature while you work with it. If you need to, use a hairdryer to reheat its surface.
3. Pour the tempered chocolate immediately into two 16cm egg moulds and leave to set for 2 hours at room temperature.

Cocoa Fleur de Sel Streusel

1. Mix together the brown sugar, finely ground almonds, spelt flour, salt and cocoa powder
2. Cut the cold butter into small cubes.
3. Add the butter and mix using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer until a smooth ball forms.
4. Make some small, evenly sized balls of dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
5. Bake in a fan-assisted oven at 150/160°C for 12 minutes.

Chocolate Sponge with Spelt and Muscovado Sugar

1. Mix the eggs, honey, muscovado sugar and fleur de sel without whisking.
2. Add the finely ground almonds. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder, then add the baking powder.
3. Mix everything together then pour in the cream. Finally add the melted Oriado 60% chocolate and melted butter.
4. Pour 265g of the mix in each 18cm-diameter stainless steel ring. Sprinkle on 75g cooked cocoa streusel.
5. Bake in a fan-assisted oven at 180°C for approx. 16 minutes.

Oriado 60% & Caramel Crémeux

1. Use the sugar to make a dry caramel. Deglaze with the salted butter and gradually pour in the hot cream. Bring back to the boil, checking that all the sugar has melted.
2. Leave it to cool until it is lukewarm, then split it into 3 batches and combine these one by one with the melted Oriado 60% chocolate. Stir with a spatula.
3. Blend using a hand blender until the texture is perfectly smooth.
4. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and leave to set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until the texture is ready to pipe.

Assembly & Finishing

1. Make the Oriado 60% egg shells and leave to set for 2 hours at room temperature. Do not turn out once set as assembly is carried out in the moulds to make the result more stable. Make a template the size of the egg’s base. Using this template, chop the cooked sponge with the streusel. Using a piping bag with a plain round 16mm-diameter nozzle, pipe 80g of Oriado 60% caramel crémeux onto each biscuit.
2. Pipe generous droplets across the surface and freeze the inserts overnight. Prepare the Andoa Lait 39% and pour 150g of it into each Oriado 60% shell. Place the frozen insert with droplets inside it on top, then press and smoothen out using a pastry spatula. Freeze for 2 hours. Set the remaining mousse aside while the dessert is in the freezer. After the dessert has frozen, turn it out onto a rack and cover with mousse. Then return them to the freezer for an hour. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Once the mousse layer has frozen, stir the mousse that has been stored in the refrigerator to soften it. Put the mousse in a piping bag, finely cut off the end and add lines and dashes at random over the dessert. Freeze for 1 hour.
3. To add the perfect finishing touch, spray using a dark or milk chocolate velvet spray (optional).