Chocolate, strawberry, tomato and thyme Entremets

Last month, I  attended 3 days Contemporary pastry class which demonstrated by Chef Hans Ovando (Spanish Chocolate Master 2013) at Pastry by Ann in a center of Bangkok.


After that I didn't have enough time to crate something, but I still want to make entremets with an idea that I got from the class, as there are many, many things that I want to try.
Finally I was able to manage both my time and my brain, haha, to make this entremets. I used a silicone mold that creates slope side, but you can use other kind of mold that have the same capacity.
Because my family members are not adventurous I had to keep the taste simple. I started with my favorite flavor: chocolate. And adding a bit of this and that until I got my kind of contemporary pastry ^^.
This chocolate entremets comes with strawberry, tomato and thyme. You may think that tomato and thyme are suitable for pasta than sweet, hehe, but actually, they give this entremets something interesting. When my brother in law tasted the cake, he asked me where the slightly tanginess come from, as it's not the same as lemon, and yes, it's come from tomato, but it's not too much, like you play hide and seek, sometimes you feel it sometimes you don't.
When using thyme, you just need it to add a hint of mysterious fragrance, as too much of it your Entremets will turn into a bowl of pasta instead. I use both kinds of thyme for my entremets, dried in the white chocolate and fresh in the mousse. If you don't have the fresh one, use dried thyme in the mousse is Ok too, but don't add it too much because dried one is more powerful then the fresh type. Actually I really want to try the red chilli peppers like the one that I learn but may be next time, haha. 
Making Entremets at home without blaze freezer is possible, but you will need to plan and wait (working time is not much) but for me it's fun! And this time I had a chance to practice the tips that I learnt from the class. Learning with professional chef, the main point is not to get the recipe, as you can find good recipe or even create it by yourself all the time. But the technique and tips are something that you have to remember, and practice it again and agin. Such as  lining the mold with plastic wrap (it's simple, but I never thought about it before), using freeze dried fruit in the mousse, glazing the entremets. or making chocolate decoration for the entremets.
I'm happy with my Entremets and I think learning from someone with a load of experience is one of the best way to add knowledge for home baker like me.

Recipe: Chocolate Entremets
สูตรภาษาไทย: เค้กช็อกโกแลตใส้สตรอเบอรี่
日本語のレシピ：チョコレートアントルメ
Youtube: เค้กช็อกโกแลตใส้สตรอเบอรี่, Chocolate Entremets, チョコレートアントルメ

Chocolate, strawberry, tomato and thyme Entremets

Chocolate cream
1.7g ...................... Gelatin (1 sheet)
75g ...................... Dark chocolate (66%)
100g .................... Whipping cream
6g ........................ Honey
Strawberry & tomato jelly
90g ..................... Strawberry puree
60g ..................... Mini tomatoes
60g ..................... Granulated sugar
3.6g .................... Pectin NH 
1.2g .................... Citric acid
Dacquoise
25g .................... Almond powder
25g .................... Icing sugar
8g ...................... Cake flour
40g .................... Egg whites
12g ..................... Granulated sugar
White chocolate +strawberry +thyme
20g .................... White chocolate 
5g ...................... Freeze dried strawberry
........................... Pinch of Dried Thyme
Chocolate, thyme mousse 
1.7g ................... Gelatin (1 sheet)
150g .................. Dark chocolate (66%)
65g .................... Egg yolks
25g .................... Granulated sugar
145g .................. Warm milk
0.5-0.8g ............  Fresh thyme 
195g .................. Whipping cream
Chocolate Mirror  Glaze
40g ................... Water (for gelatin)
7.3g .................. Gelatin 
65g ................... Dark chocolate (70%)
35g ................... Milk chocolate 
50g ................... Water
100g ................. Granulated sugar
100g ................. Glucose
55g ................... Sweetened condensed milk
50g ................... Nappage
.......................... Gold food coloring 
.......................... Red food coloring 
Decoration
.......................... Fresh strawberries
.......................... Fresh thyme
.......................... Dark chocolate

.......................... Edible gold leaf

Making chocolate cream

Bloom the gelatin in ice cold water for at least 5 minutes.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave at low power (360W) for 2-3 minutes, then stir until melt.

Remove the gelatin from the water and squeeze lightly.

Heat the whipping cream in a microwave  (600W) for 1 minute.
Put the bloomed gelatin in the microwave and stir until melt.

Pour the hot whipping cream in the melted chocolate and put in the honey.

Stir until fully combine.

Cover the base of 15 cm round mold with plastic wrap.

Pour the chocolate into the prepared mold, and freeze until firm.

Making Strawberry & tomato jelly
Cut the tomatoes (small x letter at the base).

Cover a bowl of the tomatoes with plastic wrap.
Heat in a microwave  (600W) for 2 minute.

Pass through a sieve.

We will need 30 g of the tomato puree.

Mix the tomato puree and strawberry puree in to a saucepan.

Mix the sugar and Pectin NH together.

Pour into the saucepan, and stir to combine.

Place over low heat 

When the mixture reach 103C, remove form the heat and pour the Citric acid into the saucepan, stir to combine.
Return to the heat and cook for 30 seconds more.
Let it cool for 5 minutes.

Pour the jelly over the frozen chocolate cream.

Freeze until firm.

Making the Dacquoise
Preheat an oven to 190C.
Line 15cm round cake pan with baking paper.
Sift the almond powder, icing sugar and flour together, set aside.

Beat the egg white until foamy, add the sugar gradually and beat until firm peaks formed.

Pour the sifted almond mixture into the bowl.

Fold to combine.

Put in a piping bag fitted with 1.2 cm nozzle.
Pipe into the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 12 minutes.
Let it cool completely before using.

Making White chocolate +strawberry +thyme
Melt the white chocolate in a microwave at low power (360W) for 1-2 minutes, then stir until melt.
Put the freeze dried strawberry and dried thyme into the chocolate and stir to combine.

Spread over the Dacquoise.
Freeze until firm.

Warm the mold and remove chocolate cream and jelly out of the mold.

Freeze until ready to use.

Making Chocolate, thyme mousse 
Melt the chocolate in a microwave  (600W) for 2-3minute.
Stir until fully melt.

Bloom the gelatin in ice cold water for at least 5 minutes.

Put egg yolks and sugar into a saucepan, stir to combine.
Pour warm milk into the saucepan, stir to combine.

Put fresh thyme into the saucepan.

Heat over low heat, stir all the time.

Until 80C.

Remove the gelatin from the water and squeeze lightly.

Put the bloomed gelatin into the saucepan, stir to melt.

Pass the mixture through a sieve into the chocolate bowl.

Mix until fully combine.
Let it cool completely before using.

Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks formed.

Fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

Then pour the mixture back into the whipped cream bowl.

Fold to combine.

Pour half of the mousse into 25.5 cm mold (capacity 1 litre)

Place the chocolate cream and jelly over the mousse.

Pour half of the rest of the mousse into the mold.
Sprinkle freeze dried strawberry over the mousse.

Pour the rest of the mousse into the mold.

Place the Dacquoise, over the mousse.

Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm.

When the entremets firm, remove from  the mold.

Smooth the side and return to the freezer until ready to glaze.

Making Chocolate Mirror  Glaze
Put the sugar, water and glucose into a saucepan.

Place over low heat until 103C.

Mix both kinds of chocolate, when the syrup is ready pour into the chocolate.
Blend to combine.

Bloom the gelatin in the water at least 5 minutes or until soft.
Melt in a microwave at low power (360W) for 1 minute.

Pour melted gelatin mixture into the chocolate mixture with sweetened condensed milk and nappage, blend to combine.
Mix in both gold and red food coloring.

Blend until smooth.
Let it cool to 40C before using.

When the glaze is ready.
Glaze the entremets with mirror glaze.

Decorate with fresh strawberries, fresh thyme, chocolate and edible gold leaves.

Chocolate, strawberry, tomato and thyme Entremets