Lemon Blueberry Entremet

Hello everyone!

   I'm hopefully back again from last year.  Baking for me is like meditation so the more I do the better I feel.   I've recently joined The Daring Bakers  http://thedaringkitchen.com/
   They are a community of bloggers and non-bloggers that once a month bake according to a challenge presented by a 'host'.  It sounded like a wonderful opportunity to stretch my legs and try and learn a few things from experienced bakers, and those that would be floundering right along side me with the challenges. (no offense to you amateur bakers out there :)  )  So every month I will be posting a new creation on here for those that occasion my blog.  Hope you enjoy the trials and tribulations right along with me.

  The only reason I found Daring Bakers is because I've been hankering to do an Entremet.  I first learned about it from Top Chef.  They had to create a dessert table using all different kinds of baking and sugar techniques.  One of the items they had to complete for the challenge was an Entremet.  And as I watched them making this Delicious looking dessert I was instantly hooked.

  So I decided to use one of these recipes and actually do it this time.  I had been talking about it forever.  And as lovely as it was, the dishes that it created... whew!  But hey, it's the price you pay for getting to eat all of those lovely desserts.

  I found a recipe for a Lemon Passionfruit Entremet with Biscuit Jaconde.  Let's just start with the passion fruit.  That is one of the coolest/weirdest fruits I've ever seen and it was amazing in it's taste.  It was like eating 3 different fruits all at the same time, so that was an awesome trip.  But unfortunately they didn't get ripe enough in time for the finishing of the cake so I just used some blueberries.  Because blueberries and lemon in my opinion are like a match made in heaven.

  Here's the biscuit joconde recipe:

For the Joconde Décor paste: (Recipe Courtesy: Deeba of PAB)

I reduced the quantity from the original recipe.

Unsalted butter      --   2 tbsp, at room temperature
Powdered sugar    --   ¼ cup
Egg white                 --   1 large egg
All purpose flour   --   3 tbsp
Cocoa powder        --   2 tsp
Food coloring gel, paste or liquid (optional)

Joconde Décor paste:

Sift the all purpose flour and cocoa powder.

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Gradually add the egg white.Beat continuously.Fold in the sifted flour.

Add the coloring gel, if using. Mix well.

Prepare the parchment paper / silicone mat.Keep it on an inverted cookie sheet. Pipe the paste on the prepared paper. Another option is to spread the paste on the prepared paper and make designs on it, like vertical/horizontal lines or dots or ..... Your creativity works here.

I piped the design on the paper. Freeze this for approximately 15 to 20 min until hard.

For the Joconde: (Recipe Courtesy: Deeba of PAB)

I reduced the quantity and made some variations too.

Egg whites             --   2, large eggs
White granulated sugar --   1 tbsp
Ground almonds  --   3/8 cup
Icing sugar            --   2/3 cup
All purpose flour --   1/8 cup
Corn starch            --   1 tsp
Melted butter        --   1 tbsp
Large eggs             --   1

Joconde:

Start preparing the joconde batter once the décor paste is in the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 475 F.

Beat the egg whites along with the white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Keep aside.

Sift almond flour, icing sugar, all purpose flour and corn starch. Add the whole egg and mix well until smooth and light.

Divide the whipped egg whites into 3 and fold in to the almond mixture. Do not over mix. Fold in the melted butter.

Remove the décor from the freezer and quickly pour the joconde batter over it.Spread it evenly so that it completely covers the design pattern.

Bake for approximately 5 - 10 minutes (It took 8 minutes for me)  or until the cake springs back when touched gently. The baking times varies depending on the oven. So take that this is not over baked. Keep a close eye on it.

Let it cool to a touchable temperature. Invert it on to a board or a parchment paper. Apply powdered sugar on the board or parchment paper. This helps to prevent sticking. The cake should be with the right side up. You should be able to see the design.

The green decoration is the Joconde Paste.  I ended up making the Joconde but I didn't have enough to fill the whole recipe.  I left out the melted butter by accident, but I don't think it made that much of a difference.  So You might want to make a little bit bigger batch or make a smaller decoration in a smaller pan (I think I used a 9x13).    

     Then it was ready for the entremet.  I had too big of a springform pan so it didn't really fit right.  And because of that the first picture I included was of a really small entremet.  So definitely use the 15 cm pan like it said.  

 Here's the recipe for the Lemon Mousse - though it came out a little too sour for the people who ate it at work.

http://rosas-yummy-yums.blogspot.com/2008/06/lemon-mousse-mousse-au-citron.html

  Then because I didn't use the passion frui I just boiled down some blueberries and mixed it with gelatin.  I let it cool in the fridge for a few minutes before I put it on the lemon mousse.  

  It was pretty good dessert for my first time, but I would have liked it to be a little sweeter and easier to cut.

  I hope you all enjoy it if you make it! and do a better job than I did.  :)