CHOCOLATE DELICE WITH SALTED CARAMEL

Steps:

• Crème brulee.
• Pre heat oven to 140°C.
• For crème brulee, combine cream, milk and vanilla beans in a saucepan over a medium heat, bring to the boil and remove from heat. Remove vanilla beans from cream mixture and discard.
• Mix egg yolks, whole egg and sugar together, without incorporating too much air.
• Slowly whisk in hot cream and strain. Pour approximately half the mixture into a baking paperlined slice tin to a depth of 6-8mm. Place in a bain marie and bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm and set in the centre.
• Freeze in blast chiller. Cut out two 9cm circles and blast chill until ready to assemble.
• Choco cream.
• For choco cream, pour cream, cocoa, water and sugar into a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring regularly. Add chocolate and stir until melted.
• Squeeze water from the gelatine leaves, add to warm chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Sieve and chill over ice, refrigerate until cool.
• Whip cream to soft peaks and gently fold through 400g of choco cream until combined taking care not to knock out too much air. Refrigerate until assembly.
• Biscuit Base.
• For biscuit base, increase oven temperature to 180°C.
• Place flour, butter, sugar and salt in a food processor and process to a fine breadcrumb. Add egg and process until mixture starts to come together. Tip mixture onto a clean chopping board and press into a smooth dough, wrap in cling film and rest for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• Place pastry between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to 2-3mm thick. Cut out 9cm circles and place on a baking paper lined baking tray. Blast chill for 1 minute. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden and allow to cool.
• Chocolate glaze.
• For chocolate glaze, pour cream, glucose and water into a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Pour over chocolate and stir until melted and mixture is smooth.
• Salted caramel.
• For salted caramel, make a caramel with sugar and water. Whisk in cream until incorporated. Add butter a few pieces at a time, whisking between each addition and stir in salt. Continue to whisk to a thick glossy sauce.
• White chocolate stripes.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a piping bag. Keep warm or reheat in a bowl of warm water when ready to use.
• To assemble, place 2 x 10cm cake rings on a baking paper-lined tray. Place cooked biscuit bases in the centre of each cutter and top each with a circle of frozen crème brulee. Pour chocolate cream mixture over each cutter and spread over each stack so that it fills the gaps down the sides and the tops are level. Blast chill until frozen.
• To prepare the delice, place frozen rounds on a cooling rack set over a baking tray and gently remove the moulds using a blowtorch. Pour chocolate glaze generously over each frozen round so that it covers the sides and drizzle with white chocolate in stripes. Arrange toasted almonds around the edges.
• To serve, spoon salted caramel sauce onto a serving plate, sprinkle with salt and top with a delice.