You cannot go wrong with an entremet, that is for sure! But even more so when the said entremet combines bananas and coffee - two very flavorful ingredients in the world of pastry.
Combine the hazelnut flour, white sugar A, eggs, flour, butter and honey in a bowl and mix briefly just to combine.
Whip the egg whites until foamy then add the sugar B and continue mixing until stiff and glossy.
Fold the meringue into the first mixture then pour the obtained batter into a large pan, spreading it into a about 1cm thick sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown but still soft.
Allow to cool down then cut out a piece of biscuit that has the same size as your buche. Reserve in plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
Coffee Crème Brulee
Bloom the gelatin in cold water then melt it.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Pour the mixture into an insert for buche and bake in the preheated oven at 120C on a bain-marie (a large pot of hot water in the oven to hold your insert mold) for 35-40 minutes or until set.
Allow to cool down in the mold then freeze for a few hours.
Praline Croustillant
Melt the chocolate.
Combine it with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Spread the mixture into a rectangle that has the same size as your buche and freeze.
Banana Compote
Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
Combine the bananas and lemon juice.
Mix the sugar, butter and pectin in a saucepan and place over low heat.
When the butter is fully melted, add the bananas and cook for 3 minutes on low to medium heat just until the bananas are softened.
Remove from heat and add the gelatin.
Mix well then allow to cool down and spread the mixture over the frozen crème brulee.
Place back in the freezer.
Cardamom Ganache
Combine the heavy cream and cardamom pods and bring to a boil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool down and infuse.
Drain the cream to remove the cardamom pods then heat the cream back up to the boiling point.
Remove from heat and add the chocolate.
Mix well then stir in the butter.
Pour the ganache over the banana layer.
Place the croustillant on top and freeze once again.
Milk Chocolate Mousse
Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
Combine the egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl and mix well.
Heat the milk to the boiling point then pour it over the egg yolk mixture. Return the mix back on heat and continue cooking until it reaches 82C.
Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin.
Strain the mixture over the chocolate and mix well.
Allow the mixture to cool down in the bowl then add the dark rum. Fold in the whipped heavy cream.
Pour half of the mousse in the buche mold.
Remove the insert from the freezer and place it in the center of the mousse.
Top with the remaining mousse and finish off with the hazelnut biscuit.
Freeze the buche for a few hours, preferably over night.
Mirror Glaze
Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
Combine the white chocolate and condensed milk in a bowl.
Combine the water, sugar and glucose in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to 103C.
Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin then pour the mixture over the chocolate.
Add one drop of food coloring and blend well. Add more food coloring if needed.
Use at 32-35C.
To finish the cake
Reheat the glaze to 32-35°C if needed. Blend well with a hand blender.
Remove the cake from the freezer and place it over a cooling rack.
Pour the glaze over the cake and allow it to drip off.