This pistachio entremet is a personal favourite as well as a favourite among all the friends we’ve served it to! It combines a lot of our favourite flavours like pistachio and caramelised white chocolate (inspired by Reynold Poernomo’s famous ‘Moss’ dessert), with a variety of complimenting textures, to make a dessert fit for a very special occasion. 

The pistachio mousse is a light and airy mousse which has a pronounced pistachio flavour. It pairs perfectly with the toasty notes of the caramelised white chocolate cremeux. The almond dacquoise adds complementary lightness to the cake. Finally, the crispy pistachio base is everyone’s favourite part! It is packed of pistachio-ness and has a satisfying crispy crunch.

The following recipe is for a large 24cm diameter entremet suitable for 20-40 people. The entremet includes 20cm diameter inserts. 

Elements

Pistachio Entremet

• Pistachio Mousse
• Caramelised White Chocolate Cremeux
• Almond Dacquoise
• Pistachio Crispy Base
• Green Glaze

Decoration ideas

• Dark Chocolate Cremeux
• Pistachio microwave sponge
• Matcha Powder
• Pistachios
• Rose Petals

Ingredients

Pistachio Mousse

• 200g white chocolate
• 110g pistachio paste (learn to make your own here)
• 2.75 gelatine leaves
• 70g caster sugar
• 810g heavy cream (35% fat)

Caramelised White Chocolate Cremeux

• 1/2 gelatine leaf
• 200 caramelised white chocolate
• 40g egg yolks
• 15g caster sugar
• 125g whole milk
• 30g heavy cream

Almond Dacquoise

• 70g superfine/caster sugar
• 200g egg whites 
• 200g icing sugar 
• 180g almond meal 

Pistachio Crispy Base

• 200g white chocolate
• 100g pistachio paste
• 150g feuilletine

Green Glaze

• 270 g water
• 250 g caster sugar
• 350 g glucose
• 200 g condensed milk
• 18g gelatine leaves
• 300 g white chocolate
• green colouring
• yellow colouring

Special tools and equipment used 

Stand mixer

The stand mixer is a great tool in this recipe to help you do something in parallel (since there’s lots to do!). It is used to whip up the cream for the pistachio mousse and to create the meringue in the almond dacquoise.

The stand mixer is an investment, but it is used in countless dessert applications such as meringues, cake and cookie batters and choux pastry. We recommend a good quality stand mixer such as this one which will last through years of dessert making.

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Cake rings

You'll need cake rings to make entremets. They define the main body of the entremet and are used as a mould to freeze the mousse and inserts in. They can also be used as cutters for a dacquoise or crispy base. This recipe uses a 24cm diameter x 4.5cm height cake ring for the main body and base and 20cm diameter cake rings for the inserts.

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Hand blender

The hand blender (a.k.a, immersion blender or stick blender) in this recipe, is used to create a perfect emulsion of the chocolate and creme anglaise in the caramelised white chocolate cremeux insert. It is also used to make sure the glaze is completely smooth, emulsified to achieve that perfect mirror shine and so that the colour is evenly incorporated.

The hand blender is one of our most used tools. It is used in so many recipes and techniques and helps you achieve perfect emulsions. 

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Shop Entremet Equipment

Get everything you need to make an entremet at the dessertisans store! We have all the special and essential equipment you will need to make entremets at the lowest prices. We have everything from the entremet and insert moulds and all the fundamental equipment including scales, spatulas, thermometers and piping bags.

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Method

Suggested Schedule

To be honest, this recipe is quite involved. An entremet can take 2-3 days to prepare at home (mostly waiting for elements to set and freeze) but it will be worth it! It will taste amazing, your friends and family will love it, and you will have practiced or learned many pastry techniques!

It can be done in two days if you have a lot of time the day before, however spreading it over 3 days makes it easier especially if you are preparing it at night after work.

Here’s our suggested schedule.

Two days before

1. Make caramelised white chocolate and pistachio paste if you don’t have any or can’t buy any.
2. Make and freeze caramelised white chocolate insert
3. Make and set pistachio crispy base

The day before

1. Make almond dacquoise
2. Make pistachio mousse
3. Assemble and freeze entremet body
4. Make glaze
5. Prepare any decorations that need to be set.

Serving day

1. Glaze the cake
2. Prepare and apply decorations

Caramelised White Chocolate Cremeux

• 1/2 gelatin leaf
• 200 caramelised white chocolate
• 40g egg yolks
• 15g caster sugar
• 125g whole milk
• 30g heavy cream

1. Prepare the 20cm cake ring on a tray lined with a silicone mat. (Make sure the tray and ring can fit in the freezer). 
2. Hydrate the gelatin leaf in cold water.
3. Partially melt the caramelised white chocolate in the microwave.
4. Mix the egg yolks and caster sugar until the sugar is dissolved with a spatula.
5. Heat the milk and cream together until just before simmering (or 70°C).
6. Temper the egg yolks and sugar with the milk and cream.
7. Return the whole mixture to a gentle heat and continue stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon (or reaches 82-84°C) to make a creme anglaise.
8. Take off the heat.
9. Squeeze the excess water out of the gelatin leaf and stir into the creme anglaise until melted.
10. Pour the creme anglaise through a sieve onto the caramelised white chocolate.
11. Emulsify with a hand blender. Being careful not to incorporate air.
12. Pour into 20cm insert ring and transfer to the freezer to freeze completely.

Pistachio Crispy Base

• 200g white chocolate
• 100g pistachio paste
• 150g feuilletine

1. Prepare the 24 cm cake ring on a tray lined with a silicone mat.
2. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, in small 15-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until melted completely. To ensure it sets faster, try not to exceed past 29°C.
3. Add the pistachio paste to the melted chocolate. Stir until the mixture reaches 26.5°C.
4. Add the feuilletine and carefully fold in until evenly mixed.
5. Spread the mixture 5mm thick into the 24cm cake ring using an offset spatula.
6. Allow the mixture to set in the fridge.
7. Once set, remove from the ring and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Almond dacquoise

• 180g almond meal 
• 200g icing sugar 
• 200g egg whites 
• 70g caster sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Sift the almond meal and icing sugar together.
3. Beat the egg whites on medium speed in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. When the egg whites are mostly foamy and white, gradually add the sugar. Continue beating to form a meringue until it is able to hold a stiff peak. Be careful not to over whip!
4. Fold the meringue into the sifted mixture until evenly combined, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
5. Spread the mixture with an offset spatula onto a lined baking sheet into a layer about 1.5-2cm thick. Try to make sure the surface is even and the sides are clean so that it bakes evenly and to avoid burning.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until the middle is golden brown. It may require a slightly longer or shorter time depending on your oven. The time also varies depending on how much you make and how thick the mixture is spread to.
7. Once golden, allow to cool completely at room temperature. The mixture may deflate a little, but that’s okay!
8. Cut a circle using a 20cm cake ring.

Pistachio Mousse and Entremet Body

• 200g white chocolate
• 110g pistachio paste (learn to make your own here)
• 2.75 gelatin leaves
• 70g caster sugar
• 810g heavy cream (35% fat)

1. Prepare the 24cm cake ring on a tray lined with silicone mat.
2. Unmould the caramelised white chocolate cremeux from the cake ring and reserve in the freezer.
3. Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
4. Heat the pistachio paste and white chocolate over a bain marie until the white chocolate is melted.
5. Meanwhite, combine the cream and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium speed until thickened and pillowy. It is ready when it has enough body to form a v-shape from a silicone spatula. Be careful not to over-whip the cream or else it will be difficult to incorporate with the pistachio mixture.
6. Once the white chocolate is melted, squeeze the excess liquid out of the gelatin and mix it into the pistachio and white chocolate mixture until completely dissolved. The mixture may become thick, but it will loosen once the cream is mixed in.
7. Once the cream is whipped and the gelatin is dissolved, then gently fold them together until evenly combined.
8. Pour the mousse into the 24cm cake ring until about 70% of the way up (or all of it if you have tall cake rings).
9. Place in the frozen caramelised white chocolate cremeux insert.
10. Then place the dacquoise layer on top of the cremeux and push down until the mousse is level with the dacquoise.
11. Transfer the entremet body to the freezer to set completely (overnight).

Green Glaze

• 270 g water
• 250 g sugar
• 350 g glucose
• 200 g condensed milk
• 18g gelatine leaves
• 300 g white chocolate
• green colouring
• yellow colouring

1. Hydrate the gelatin leaves in cold water.
2. Prepare the white chocolate in a tall vessel or container.
3. Boil the water, sugar and glucose syrup. Once boiled, remove from the heat and add the condensed milk and stir to combine.
4. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatin, add it in and stir until combined.
5. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and allow the chocolate to melt for 1 minute.
6. Slowly lower the hand blender at an angle into the mixture (to avoid letting any air in) and blend to emulsify completely.
7. Add green colouring and yellow colouring a little at a time, blending it in with the hand blender until desired colour is reached.
8. Once emulsified, touch plastic wrap to the surface and store in the fridge.

Glazing, Assembly and Decoration

1. Place the pistachio crispy base onto a cake board
2. Unmold the entremet body and reserve in the freezer until ready to glaze.
3. Heat the glaze to 40°C in the microwave in short 20-second bursts being careful not to introduce too many bubbles. (If bubbles occur, read here on how to remove them).
4. Place entremet body onto a cooling rack over a tray and pour the glaze over the entire cake. Try to glaze in one pour for a smooth and even glaze.
5. Wait until dripping stops and lift the entremet with an offset spatula and place onto the pistachio base.
6. Apply desired decorations.
7. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.