I’m not a person to be easily impressed by a dessert – I’ve made and tasted so many over the last couple of years that my taste buds are familiar to most tastes. But from time to time here comes a dessert that shakes me down and sets my world straight, leaving me thinking that I sure should be thankful for having this job. Because there’s something to learn and try every single day so you can never get bored of it or fall into a certain monotony where is hard to get out from.
And that’s what happened with this basil strawberry entremet. I gathered my ingredients being a tiny bit reluctant mostly because I’m not a huge fan of basil, not even in salads. I do love its fragrance, but its intense taste used to be something I avoided in food. However, the first taste of this basil infused mousse left me in complete awe. I was amazed by the taste and the delicate notes the mousse had. Just so incredibly tasty and fragrant! Basil is desserts is something that you too may be avoiding, but think no more and give it a try! It’s well worth it!
I decided I wanted to “break” through the taste of basil with a delicate aroma of strawberries. The combo is a classic one nonetheless! So strawberry it was, adding a touch of ginger in the jelly just for the kick and spiciness ginger has, just to freshen things up even more. To make it even more luscious, I frozen the mousse in a Silikomart mold (Armonia) – the curvy shapes of Armonia sure turn this cake into an interesting, tantalizing one.
- 120g butter, softened
- 80g powdered sugar
- 60g egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 170g all-purpose flour
- 7g baking powder
- 2g salt
- 130g strawberry puree
- 45g white sugar
- 2ml lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- 3g gelatin + 15ml cold water
- 145ml heavy cream 1
- 10g fresh basil leaves
- 220g white chocolate
- 7g cocoa butter
- 4g gelatin + 20ml cold water
- 250ml heavy cream 2
- 150g glucose syrup
- 150g white sugar
- 75ml water
- 100ml sweetened condensed milk
- 150g white chocolate
- 10g gelatin leaf, bloomed in cold water
- Green food coloring
- Mix the butter and sugar in a bowl for 2 minutes until fluffy and pale.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Stir in the flour, sifted with baking powder and salt.
- Spoon the dough on a sheet of baking paper.
- Cover it with another sheet of paper then roll the dough out into a layer that's about 8mm thickness.
- Freeze the dough for 20 minutes then cut out a round of dough using a 20cm diameter cake ring. Leave the ring around the dough and bake in the preheated oven at 375F for 14-16 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.
- When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool down in the pan.
- Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
- Combine the strawberry puree, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Place over low heat and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in the ginger. Allow to infuse for 10 minutes then pass the puree through a fine sieve.
- Melt the gelatin and mix it with the puree.
- Pour the mixture into small semi-sphere silicone molds (I used Silikmart Pomponettes mold) and freeze for a few hours until set and easy to work with.
- Heat the heavy cream 1 into a small saucepan until it barely starts to boil. Remove from heat and add the basil leaves.
- Allow to infuse for 10 minutes then drain well and heat the cream again on low heat.
- Combine the chocolate and cocoa butter in a bowl then pour the hot infused cream over it.
- Allow to sit for 2 minutes then mix until well combined and smooth.
- Melt the gelatin and mix it with the chocolate mixture.
- Allow to cool down to room temperature.
- Whip the heavy cream 2 until soft peaks form then fold it into the chocolate mixture, spoon by spoon.
- Pour half of the mousse into your Armonia mold then freeze for 10 minutes.
- Arrange the inserts in the center of the mold and top with the remaining mousse.
- Freeze the cake for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Place the chocolate in a tall container, fit for a hand blender.
- Combine the glucose, sugar and water in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat this syrup up until 103C.
- Remove from heat and stir in the condensed milk then add the gelatin.
- Pour this mixture over the chocolate. Add 1 drop of green food coloring.
- Allow to sit for 1 minute then blend with a hand blender until it becomes smooth. Be careful not to form any air bubbles.
- Allow the glaze to cool down to 35C before using. You can make it a few hours ahead and re-heat in the microwave until the needed temperature.
- Remove the cake from the mold and place it on a rack.
- Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, trying to cover it well.
- Allow the glaze to drip off then carefully place the cake on the sable base.
- Decorate with coconut flakes on the sides if you want.
ROMANIAN
Nu sunt un om usor de impresionat cu un desert. Am incercat atatea incat e nevoie de ceva cu adevarat special ca sa raman uimita. Mai degraba sunt impresionata de combinatii de arome si mai putin de constructia desertului in sine. Din cand in cand imi este dat sa gust combinatii cu adevarat interesante, iesite din comun pe alocuri si exact despre asta e vorba in acest tort. Mousse-ul de busuioc a fost revelatia saptamanii pentru mine! Mai gustasem busuioc inainte, dar cu precadere in salate si pizza (nimic surprinzator aici, doh!). Citisem insa de nenumarate ori retete care il foloseau ca aromatizant in prajituri, asa ca astazi i-a venit randul, lasand parfumul de busuioc sa-mi inunde bucataria!
Mousse-ul de busuioc e atat de aromat si totusi atat de delicat in acelasi timp, incat cu greu te poti opri la o singura portie. Are insa nevoie de un alt gust care sa mai “curete” papilele, sa le reimprospateze, iar capsunele sunt o alegere excelenta, desi data viitoare tare mult as incerca matcha ori lime. Busuiocul abia descoperit e o baza excelenta pe care te poti juca enorm, pe care poti construi foarte mult!
- 120g unt, temperatura camerei
- 80g zahar pudra
- 60g galbenus
- ½ lingurita extract de vanilie
- 170g faina alba
- 7g praf de copt
- 2g sare
- 130g piure de capsune
- 45g zahar
- 2ml zeama de lamaie
- ½lingurita ghimbir ras
- 3g gelatina + 15ml apa rece
- 145ml smantana pentru frisca 1
- 10g Frunze de busuioc proaspete
- 220g ciocolata alba
- 7g unt de cacao
- 4g gelatina + 20ml apa rece
- 250ml smantana pentru frisca 2
- 150g glucoza lichida
- 150g zahar alb
- 75ml apa
- 100ml lapte condensate
- 150g ciocolata alba
- 10g gelatina foi, hidratate in apa foarte rece
- Colorant verde
- Mixati untul si zaharul 2 minute pana obtineti o compozitie deschisa la culoare.
- Adaugati galbenusul si vanilia si mixati bine.
- Incorporati faina, cernuta cu praful de copt si sarea.
- Puneti aluatul obtinut pe o foaie de copt. Acoperiti cu alta foaie si intindeti cu grija intr-o foaie de aproximativ 8mm grosime. Congelati 20 minute, apoi taiati un cerc de aluat de 20cm grosime. Lasati inelul de tort in jurul aluatului.
- Coaceti in cuptorul preincalzit la 190C pentru 14-16 minute sau pana devine auriu.
- Lasati sa se raceasca in tava.
- Hidratati gelatina in apa rece.
- Combinati piureul de capsune, zaharul si zeama de lamaie intr-un vas. Puneti pe foc mic si dati in clocot.
- Luati de pe foc si adaugati ghimbirul. Lasati la infuzat 10 minute, apoi treceti piureul printr-o sita fina.
- Topiti gelatina si adaugati-o peste piure.
- Turnati piureul in forme de silicon mici, semi-sfere, si congelati cateva ore.
- Incalziti smantana pentru frisca 1 intr-un vas si puneti pe foc pana vine la punctual de fierbere. Luati de pe foc si lasati sa infuzeze 10 minute. Scurgeti bine, apoi reincalziti smantana.
- Combinati cioclata si cacaoa intr-un bol apoi turnati deasupra smantana infuzata cu busuioc.
- Amestecati pana la omogenizare.
- Topiti gelatina si incorporati-o in amestecul de ciocolata, apoi lasati sa se racoreasca la temperatura camerei.
- Bateti smantana pentru frisca 2 pana devine spumoasa, apoi incorporati-o in baza de mousse de mai devreme.
- Turnati jumatate din mousse in forma de silicon Armonia (Silikomart) si congelati 10 minute.
- Aranjati insertul in centru, deasupra mousse-ul din forma, apoi acoperiti cu restul de mousse.
- Congelati tortul cel putin 4 ore, preferabil peste noapte.
- Puneti ciocolata intr-un container inalt.
- Combinati glucoza, zaharul si apa intr-un vas. Puneti pe foc mic spre mediu si aduceti la 103C.
- Luati de pe foc si adaugati laptele condensate, apoi gelatina.
- Turnati acest amestec peste ciocolata. Adaugati 1 picatura colorant verde.
- Lasati sa stea 1 minut, apoi amestecati cu un blender de mana pana obtineti o glazura cremoasa, fina.
- Lasati sa vina la 35C inainte de folosire.
- Scoateti tortul din congelator apoi inlaturati forma de silicon.
- Asezati tortul pe un gratar apoi turnati cu grija glazura verde deasupra, acoperind tortul in totalitate. Lasati glazura sa se scurga bine apoi transferati tortul pe baza de biscuit asezata e un suport sau platou.
- Decorati dupa dorinta.
Ce bine arata!Multumim Olguta! Ce lapte condensat ai folosit?
Minunat arata,multumesc!
Nu am gasit varianta in limba romana,si sunt putin descumpanita,dar ma voi descurca.
Am facut acest tort. Blatul e inecacios, la mousse-ul de busuioc nu s-a simtit aroma de busuioc, cred ca 10 g de frunze e prea putin; iar pentru glazura nu a fost suficient un strop ca sa obtin acel verde intens. Singurul care mi-a placut la gust a fost insert-ul de capsuni.
ALina, ca sa fie mai intens ai putea sa blenduiesti amestecul sau sa adaugi mai mult busuioc. Depinde de cat de proaspat era busuiocul folosit de tine si chiar e o chestie de gust. Vrei mai intens, pune mai mult. Stiu persoane carora li s-a parut prea intens si asa.
Iar pentru glazura, ce colorant ai folosit? O picatura a fost suficient la mine.
Multumesc pentru reteta )
Ce colorant folosesti ??
Gel de la Americolor sau pudra de la Modecor.