A mouth-watering and eye-catching dessert created by Michelin star chef Simone Breda of Ristorante Sedicesimo Secolo Di Simone e Lia in Orzinuovi located in the Lombard province of Brescia. Read on for his perfect autumn recipe – Pears, Caramel, and Chocolate.
Ingredients for four people:
- 4 Madernassa pears
- For the cooking liquid –
- 50 g butter
- 400 g red wine
- 500 ml port
- 150 g of pears
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks
For the caramel mousse –
- 100 g of sugar
- 125 ml milk
- 75 g of egg yolk
- 35 g of cream
- 130 g of whipped cream
- 7 g of isinglass
For the chocolate mousse –
- 250 g of milk
- 35 g of sugar
- 100 g of egg yolk
- 350 g of dark chocolate
- 600 g of whipped cream
- 4 g of isinglass
For the pear compote –
- 300 g of pears
- 125 g of sugar
Preparation:
Peel the four pears and set them aside. Cut up the 150 grams of pears into small pieces, place them in a pot with melted butter, and cook until soft. Add the sugar and caramelize. Pour in the red wine and port, then add the cinnamon. Let the mixture reduce by half. Strain the liquid and place the four pears in it, cooking until they are tender and have absorbed the color. Let them cool in the liquid.
Prepare the Caramel Mousse:
Make a custard using 50 grams of the sugar, the egg yolk, and the milk. Dissolve the previously soaked isinglass in it. With the remaining 50 grams of sugar make caramel at 180°C and dilute it with the cream. Combine the custard and the caramel. When they are at temperature, add the whipped cream. Finally, pour the mousse into round molds that are the same width as the pears and one cm high. Place these molds in the freezer.
Prepare the Chocolate Mousse:
Prepare a custard with the milk, sugar, and egg yolk. Separately, melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie. Combine the two mixtures and add the soaked isinglass. Bring it to a uniform temperature and pour in the whipped cream. Place it in a pastry bag and store it in the refrigerator.
Make the Pear Compote:
Peel the pears, cut them into pieces, and transfer them to a saucepan with the sugar and a few drops of lemon. Cook until they are completely soft.
Bring it Together:
Cut the pear in half. Remove the core and fill with the pear compote. Place a disc of caramel mousse on top. With the help of a spoon hollow out the top of the pear and fill it with the chocolate mousse, then close the pear.