Louis XV, by Alexis Gauthier

This recipe is by Alexis Gauthier, the former head chef of one-Michelin-starredRoussillon, who has just opened his own restaurant, Gauthier Soho, on the site of the former Lindsay House in London. Read our interview with Gauthier here >>.

 

 

INGREDIENTS
(for six people)

 

For the dacquoise

 

• 250g ground hazelnut
• 250g caster sugar
• 200g egg white
• 100g icing sugar

 

For the feuillantine (enough for three batches)

 

• 300g praline
• 150g feuillantine
• 75g white chocolate

 

For the chocolate mousse

 

• 200g ganache paradis
• 175g whipping cream

 

For the ganache Paradis

 

• 250g valrhona chocolate 70%
• 225g whipping cream
• 375g water
• 300g sugar
• 125g double cream
• 125g cacao powder

 

METHOD

 

Dacquoise

 

Whisk the egg white until firm and fold in the ground hazelnut, caster sugar and icing sugar. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 190°C for about 20 minutes until just set and a little soft in the middle. Cut six 10cm diameter rings and reserve.

 

Feuillantine

 

In bain-marie bowl, heat the white chocolate and add the feuillantine. Spread a thin layer of feuillantine on each ring of dacquoise. Keep in fridge.

 

Ganache Paradis

 

Shred the chocolate thinly. Boil the cream and add the chocolate. Boil while stirring for a minute. Add the water, sugar and cacao powder. Keep in fridge until needed.

 

Mousse

 

Whip the cream and add some ganache paradis (about 200g). Put a hoop round each dacquoise and fill it with the mousse. Freeze for four hours. Just before serving remove from the freezer take away the hoops and glaze the dacquoises with some warmed Ganache Paradis. Set and serve decorated with gold leaf.