Chestnut custard tart
Chestnut custard in a hazelnut and almond case, topped with a Valrhona Alpaco ganache served with chestnut ice-cream and orange and vanilla sauce
Ingredients
(Serves eight)
For the hazelnut and almond sweet pastry 450g unsalted butter
185g icing sugar
150g ground hazelnuts
50g ground almonds
90g icing sugar
1g salt
50g eggs
650g soft flour
For the chestnut custard 375ml double cream
375ml whipping cream
1/2 vanilla pod
180g egg yolks
125g caster sugar
150g chestnut purée
For the ganache 300g whipping cream
130g milk
110g egg yolks
55g sugar
300g chocolate (66% cocoa solids)
30g unsalted butter, diced
For the orange and vanilla sauce 625g orange juice, freshly squeezed
50g caster sugar
Zest of an orange
1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
15g corn flour
15g water
5 oranges, cut into segments
For the chestnut ice-cream
500ml milk
250ml whipping cream
1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
150g caster sugar
180g egg yolks
275g chestnut purée
For assembly and garnish 100g blanched chestnuts
Chocolate decoration
Marrons glacés
Caramelised hazelnuts
Croquant biscuit
Method
For the pastry, roughly chop the unsalted butter and place in a machine bowl. Sieve the icing sugar, add to the butter and beat together until light in texture and colour.
Sieve ground almonds, icing sugar and salt. Add to the mixture and mix in well.
Beat the eggs and gradually add to the mixture. Sieve the flour and mix in. Ensure the mixture is smooth and a homogeneous mass. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before use.
For the custard, boil together the double and whipping cream and the vanilla. Cool slightly. Beat together the egg yolks and sugar, add the cream, mix well and strain. Add the chestnut purée and mix until smooth.
For the ganache, boil together the cream and milk. Simultaneously cream together the egg yolks and sugar. Add half the milk and cream to the egg yolk mixture and beat well. Return to the pan and cook until the mixture thickens. Strain the custard through a fine sieve. Pour on to the chocolate. Combine together. When chocolate mix cools down to 40ºC add the diced butter and emulsify with a stick blender. Allow to set.
For the orange and vanilla sauce, boil the orange juice, caster sugar, orange zest and vanilla pod. Reduce to 300ml. Dissolve the corn flour with the water. Whisk in to the orange juice. Simmer the sauce for a further 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Remove from the heat and cool rapidly. Add the segments.
For the chestnut ice-cream, boil the milk, cream and vanilla pods. Simultaneously whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until light in colour. Add half the boiling liquid and whisk together until the mixture is smooth. Then return to the pan. Over a low heat, stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until it thickens. Remove from the heat and pass through a fine strainer. Add the chestnut purŽe. Mix together. Place on an ice bain-marie to cool rapidly, stirring regularly, or cool in a blast chiller. Churn in an ice-cream machine.
To assemble, roll out the hazelnut and almond pastry to 34mm thick and line tartlet moulds. Allow to rest for at least o ne hour. Blind-bake at 180¡C. Place the blanched chestnuts in the tarts. Pour in the custard. Bake at 140¡C until set. Remove and cool. Place a disc of chocolate on top of the tart. Pipe the ganache on top of the chocolate. Decorate with chocolate, chunks of marrons glacés and caramelized hazelnuts.
Spoon the orange segments on to the plate and coat with the orange and vanilla sauce. Quenelle the chestnut ice-cream and place beside the tart.
