Chocolate and strawberries – it is a classic combination and the perfect finish after a great dinner. This dessert combines both and is the ultimate dessert for your upcoming Valentines dinner (or any time of the year!). The recipe is easy, but you need to organize ahead of time as the recipe requires preparation over 2 days. It is all well worth it for this delight! You can choose to buy chocolate decorations instead of making them, which makes the preparation less long. Click, HERE, to see the step-by-step preparation and to find more intriguing recipes to try!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
50 gr speculoos
30 gr butter
For the filling:
90 gr milk chocolate pistoles
½ tbsp honey
60 gr cream
180 gr cream cold (day 2)
For the compote:
150 gr fresh strawberries
25 gr coconut sugar
1 pc gelatine leaf
1 pinch freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
For the garnish:
Fresh strawberries
120 gr milk chocolate optional
Method:
Day 1
• Prepare the ganache:
Bring 60gr of cream with the honey to a boil and pour it over the chocolate to create chocolate Chantilly. Leave it 3 minutes before stirring to combine and obtain a smooth and shiny texture. Place a cling film on top then refrigerate overnight.
• Prepare the crust:
Process the speculoos to crumbs with the help of a food processor. Add the butter and blend together to combine.
Arrange this mixture into a mould, press it down and bake at 150°C for 8 minutes. Allow to cool and refrigerate in the mould.
• Prepare the chocolate decoration: (optional)
Place the chocolate in the microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat until the chocolate is half melted, half solid; then quickly stir to melt the milk chocolate completely.
Pour the chocolate on a plastic sheet and cover with a second sheet. With a rolling pin spread the chocolate to a thin layer and let it set. Cut the forms of your choice and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Transfer the chocolate decoration into a sealed container and keep below 24 degrees.
Day 2
• Prepare the strawberry compote:
Clean and cut the strawberries and keep 8-10 calibrated pieces to garnish the mould. Place the remaining in a saucepan with the sugar and cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes.
Stir in the freshly ground pepper and the soaked gelatine leaf and dissolve.
Remove from the stove, cool down and add the fresh mint.
• Prepare the filling:
Pour the remaining 180 gr of cream over the firm chocolate ganache from day 1 and gently whip until combined. Speed up the whipping at the end until the Chantilly cream has soft peaks. Transfer the fluffy filling into a piping bag.
• Finish the cake:
Arrange the halved strawberries around the mould. Spoon the strawberry compote on the bottom of the tart and fill the center with the milk chocolate chantilly.
Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. The milk chocolate ganache must firm up before unmolding.
NOTES
• Speculoos can be replaced with shortbread biscuits, Oreo, palet Breton biscuits.
• Chocolate starts melting in the centre, which is why microwaving it shouldn’t exceed 30 seconds at the time.
• When you temper chocolate, you are heating and cooling the chocolate in a specific way. When it’s done correctly, the chocolate is shiny, firm at room temperature and has a sharp snap when you bite into it.
For full recipe with detailed instructions and pictures, go to CulinaryAmbition.com (click, HERE). You will also find many other delicious recipes!