Vegans are also allowed to be happy at Xmas! A prayer heard by the famous chef Alain Ducasse, who has concocted a 100% vegetal chocolate bûche! In collaboration with Angèle Ferreux Maeght. Amen.
Preparation time: 2h30
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Resting time: 2h30
For 8 to 10 persons
Tip:
The three first ingredients can be put together the night before in order to prepare the dessert ahead of time.
PREPARATION :
The génoise:
Preheat the oven to 180°C(th.6).
In a salad bowl, mix all the dry elements: flours, starch, baking soda, sugar, cocoa and pimento.
Incorporate 15 cl of water, the almond cream and cider vinegar. Mix well and set aside.
Pour the aquafaba in the bowl of a pastry blender and whip until they form very firm snow peaks. It takes a little more time with the egg whites: count about 10 min at high speed.
Incorporate the peaked aquafaba with the previous preparation, very delicately and in several times.
Pour the preparation on an oiled silicon leaf.
Spread it evenly with the help of a spatula in a rectangle of about 35 x 25cm and 1cm wide.
Bake for 10 min, then set aside.
The chocolate mousse:
Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. Meanwhile, begin beating the aquafaba into snowpeaks.
When it begins to foam, add the icing sugar and continue to whip until you obtain a very firm and shiny mix. Incorporate the peaked aquafaba to the melted chocolate in several states. Transfer the mousse into a pouch and set aside in a fresh place.
Syrup & soaking:
For the syrup, boil the agave syrup and the water during 2 min.
Detail the génoise in several rectangles: 1 rectangle of 20 x 25cm that will constitute almost the entire contour of the bûche, 1 rectangle of 20x4cm for the inside, 1 rectangle of 20 x 6cm to close the bûche. Uniformly soak in syrup each piece of génoise.
Tip:
To create a home bûche mould, cut the top of a water bottle and keep only a 20cm long cylinder, then cut on the top lengthwise a 6cm wide strip in order to obtain a gutter.
Presentation:
Place the larger rectangle of génoise in such a way as to upholster the inside of the gutter. Fill one third of the bûche with mousse, then divide the crushed hazlnuts all along the length. Place the smaller rectangle of génoise at the centre and cover with the remaining mousse.
To finish, add a thin layer of spread (about 5mm) on the entire surface of your last piece of génoise and position it—spread against the layer of mousse— in order to close the bûche.
Place everything in a cool place for at least 2h
The spicy tiles:
Preheat the oven to 120°C(th.4). Mix all the ingredients until you obtain a very homogenous mix. Spread the batter thinly on a piece of silicone paper, and bake for 10 min until you obtain a very crispy tile.
Presentation & finishing:
Unmould the bûche and glaze it with the spread by dividing it on the entire surface in a layer about 5 mm thick. Then smooth with avec a spatula previously dipped in warm water. Place the bûche once again in a fresh place for at least 30 min.
Just before serving, decorate the bûche with citrus fruit, pieces of tile and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Tip :
If the spread is too firm, you can soften it by warming it a little bit in a double boiler.
Tip :
Careful, the whipped aquafaba is more fragile than snow peak egg whites, it is important to proceed delicately.
Fêtes Végétales, published at Ducasse Edition on 18 October 2018. Available in bookshops at the price of €35. Authors: Angèle Ferreux-Maeght, Alain Ducasse & Romain Meder. Photographer: Aurélie Miquel.
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