Chocolate, chestnut cream and spiced apple verrines

Chocolate, chestnut mousse and spiced apples verrines

by Lili
November 8, 2015
27 comments
Special everyday cakes and treats

There’s a trend in French patisserie for ´deconstructed desserts´ where the elements have been pulled apart and reorganized differently.  And so my log cake was broken down, with the chocolate cider sponge and chestnut purée magically reappearing in some little verrines, layers of different textures and flavours in a glass!  Trifles à la French. You can see the advantages:  no special mould, easy to assemble and great use of leftovers.  Chocolate, chestnut mousse and spiced apples verrines, a taste of Autumn or Christmas in a glass, involving rum, calvados and cider!  Happy pre-Christmas! 🙂You can make these in glasses, cups or bowls.  But I’d suggest mini ones (would a shot glass be too small?) because this dessert is delicious and powerful, with a little going a long way. Which is good news if you have a large family, party or healthy appetite!  🙂

DSCF3113RECIPE

Chocolate cider sponge

Chocolate cider sponge for Chocolate, chestnut and apple verrinesFollow my recipe (based on Will Torrent’s in Patisserie at Home) for an intense and slightly salty chocolate cider sponge or use your own leftover or shop-bought sponge, maybe a lighter kind.

Spiced apples

Spiced apples for Chocolate and Chestnut verrines

  • 15g/1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 to 4 apples (russetts/reinettes are good) or more, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
  • half a teaspoon ground cinammon
  • half a teaspoon ground mixed spice

Peel, core and slice the apples 1cm – 1.5cm thick. Mix the spices into the slices.  Melt the butter in a frying pan so the apples can be sautéed on a low to medium heat for around 5-10 minutes, stirring carefully and occasionally to ensure they’re all coated in the spices and until the slices have softened a little but aren’t mush.  Place on a plate to cool and set aside.

Chestnut mousse (or cream)Chestnut mousse for Chocolate, chestnut and apple verrines

  • 1 sheet/2g leaf gelatine (optional)
  • 200g/1 and a quarter cups sweetened crème de marron, preferably Clement Faugier (available in Barcelona at Colofruit/Coloimport)
  • 20g/1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon dark rum
  • 200g/three-quarters of a cup plus 1 tablespoon whipping cream (35%) or double cream
  • half a teaspoon pure vanilla extract or seeds scraped from half a vanilla pod

MethodChestnut mousse illustrated recipe - colour

Chestnut mousse part 1Chestnut mousse part 2Assembly

You’ll need a little Calvados or rum, and maple syrup or honey.  And marrons glacés (optional).

Marrons glacés - confit chestnuts

Marrons glacés (confit chestnuts)

Chocolate, chestnut and apples verrines recipe - the layersThis is a very flexible dessert and you can adapt layers, ingredients or quantities.  You could even have plain whipped cream if it’s difficult to find chestnut purée.  Or just make the absolutely divine chestnut mousse to fill a sponge cake.

Anyway my trusty cake testers (aka friends) told me this combination is delicious.  One said with every spoon or bite you taste all the elements, with a different one deliciously highlighted each time.  You might like to try some for yourself… ?Chocolate, chestnut cream and spiced apple verrinesWishing you a lovely autumn (or Spring!) with yummy seasonal stuff sweet reader!  Till next time, happy baking and eating!  🙂 x

P.S.  Here are the black and white illustrated recipes if you’d like to print them to do some colouring or make yourself little recipe cards.  🙂

Chestnut mousse illustrated recipe in black and whiteChocolate, chestnut and apple verrines illustrated recipe in black and white

 

 

 

 

 

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Baking on Sundays with my French mum was a lovely part of my childhood. Later I experimented with baking books or internet recipes and did the pâtisserie course at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Still trying out new recipes and inventing cakes with influences from all around the world, including some healthier ones. Yes, love cakes!!! Hope you'll love them too and have fun baking. :)

27 thoughts on “Chocolate, chestnut mousse and spiced apples verrines”

  1. Hilda's avatar
    Hilda says:

    How could it not be delicious with these ingredients. I’m pretty sure I can’t get creme de marrons here, but it can’t be that hard to make. I would love to try it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Lili's avatar
      Lili says:

      Thank you Hilda! Yes, I think you’d love eating and baking with crème de marrons and I have seen easy recipes for it. I’d be interested in seeing your recipe(s) if you make it! 🙂

      Like

    • Lili's avatar
      Lili says:

      Thanks so much Johanne!! Who knows … I’d love to do a cookbook with lots of these doodles but I’ll keep the day job for now! 🙂

      Like

    • Lili's avatar
      Lili says:

      Thanks Ronit! Yes, it’s a hard decision… which can only be solved by having all three at once! 🙂 Though I confess I’m leaning towards the Chestnut mousse/cream partly because it’s new to me (and delicious)
      …

      Liked by 1 person

    • Lili's avatar
      Lili says:

      Thanks Judi! When I think of cider it is classic apple cider. But you can make the chocolate sponge with pear cider or beer too! 🙂

      Like

  8. Pingback: Week 37 of cakes and experiments! | lili's cakes

    • Lili's avatar
      Lili says:

      Lol. Yes, I think I’ve been overdoing dessert production lately! 🙂 Thank you – I’m glad you like the chestnut mousse! It is delicious and would be lovely with some chocolate too! 🙂

      Like

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