• Pecan praliné:
• Toast the pecans for 10 min at 150°C.
• Make a dry caramel and pour it onto a sheet of baking paper to cool.
• When everything has cooled, put the pecans and the caramel in the blender and blend until you get the desired texture.
• Add the salt.
• Praliné insert:
• Hydrate the gelatine in cold water.
• Heat the cream with the praliné.
• Off the heat add the gelatine.
• Mix well.
• Set aside so it starts to set.
• Dulcey ganache:
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave or bain-marie.
• In a saucepan, heat the cream and the honey.
• Pour the cream/honey mixture in 3 batches over the melted chocolate, emulsifying with a spatula.
• Set aside.
• Sponge:
• Whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is very creamy and white, forming a ribbon.
• Gently add the sifted flour
• and the vanilla.
• Pour into a cake tin 26-30cm long.
• Bake for 10 min at 170°C.
• Leave to cool on a rack.
• Vanilla diplomat cream:
• Infuse the vanilla in the milk.
• Whisk the egg yolk with the sugars and add the flour.
• Remove the pod, heat the milk and pour it over the egg mixture while whisking.
• Return to medium-high heat and whisk without stopping until it thickens.
• Cook for a further 10s after the bubbles appear. Add the butter then the hydrated gelatine off the heat.
• Leave to cool to around 25°C.
• Whip the cream and gently fold it into the set pastry cream.
• Gélachoc cream:
• Heat the first part of cream with the vanilla. Cover with film and leave to infuse overnight.
• The next day, hydrate the gelatine in
• cold water at least 10 min beforehand.
• Heat the cream with the sugar and remove the pod.
• Pour over the gelatine and the chocolate.
• Add the rest of the cold cream. Blend and pour into another dish.
• Cover with film touching the surface and chill overnight.
• The next day, whisk the cream in the food processor and when it is loosened add the water and continue whisking a little.
• Crunchy layer:
• Melt the praliné with the chocolate.
• Add the lace crêpe in pieces.
• Set aside.
• Assembly:
• Pour half the diplomat cream into the log mould.
• Loosen the praliné insert with a whisk and spread it over the cream.
• Add the Dulcey ganache on top.
• Cover with the rest of the cream.
• Add the sponge.
• Press it well into the cream then cover with the crunchy layer.
• Leave to set in the fridge overnight, then pipe the cream with the P125 nozzle, add the praliné, a few pecans, some Dulcey chocolate and gold leaf.