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    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    How to Make an Classic French Entremet

    Published: Jun 3, 2011 · Modified: Jun 19, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

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    4.39 from 85 votes
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    What is an Entremet? It’s a multi-layered mousse-based cake with various complementary flavors and varying textural contrasts.

    slices of entremet on small black dishes

    Guest Post by Lisa at Parsley Sage Sweet

    For those of you who aren’t familiar with entremets, the actual definition is the sweet course served after the cheese course. However, they’re mostly recognized as beautiful cakes layered with contrasting flavors and textures. I’ve pretty much been obsessed with entremets since I was 13 and saw a World Pastry Challenge on some local cable access station. Stunning, edible cakes of art, in all shapes and sizes, which when sliced open, reveal perfect layers of all kinds of goodies, from caramel to crunchy, to creamy, to ‘moussey’, to ‘cakey’ to crispy ..ad infinitum.

    I couldn’t wait to get started, and by Saturday night, I was already sketching out the details.

    sketch of how to build an entremet

    Many scoff at the notion that entremets can actually be easy. Yes, there’s a lot of steps, but when taken one by one, you’d be amazed at how effortlessly it comes together. The main caveat is probably the setting time between some layers, and this is why I’m going to recommend using the freezer when building an entremet. Quicker setting, faster layering.

    side view of slice of entremet on a black plate with raspberries

    When I poured on the mirror, it was THE BEST mirror topping I’d ever produced. I could see my reflection clearly. It set almost immediately since the cake was frozen, a gorgeous sheet of shimmering ruby. I was thrilled to pieces, so thrilled, that I had to put it back in the freezer just to ‘make sure’ it was perfectly set and ready to slice. Cut to one-half hour later…

    whole entremet with a little cartoon skater on top of "the purple ice rink" with slices along side

    My super, duper shiny berry puree mirror is now a purple ice skating rink.

    I think I see Brian Boitano landing triple salchows. I need to take photos right now – like only 20 more minutes of that perfect artificial light time, and a frozen sheet of purple ice will not do… I grabbed my blowtorch, and like a mad scientist started ‘melting’ the ice rink (Brian screams in agony). The mirror started to bubble slightly, even though I was using a light touch, so I stopped and decided to give it 15 more minutes of natural thaw in this humidity. Too late, I ruined it, it’s permanently scarred with bubbles and weird dents, and, my photo taking time was gone. Live and learn.

    I hope you all try this. The taste and texture is amazing – rich and creamy, cakey, crunchy, light and fluffy all in one bite. The combination of blackberry, raspberry, chocolate and hazelnut, is divine.

    3 slices of entremet on black plates with raspberries

    If you enjoy delicious desserts you may also like these recipes:

    • Authentic Tiramisu 
    • Bee Sting Cake
    • Pumpkin Crunch Cake
    • Chocolate Mousse Cake

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    slice of entremet topped with berries on a black plate
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    4.39 from 85 votes

    Table of Contents:

    • Chocolate Panna Cotta – Berry Mousse Cakes with Hazelnut Ganache
      • Ingredients
        • Chocolate Genoise
        • Simple Syrup
        • Chocolate Panna Cotta Layer (adapted from Williams-Sonoma)
        • Toasted Hazelnut Ganache Layer
        • Double Berry Mousse Layer
      • Instructions
        • FOR THE CHOCOLATE GENOISE LAYERS:
        • FOR THE SIMPLE SYRUP:
        • FOR THE TOASTED HAZELNUT GANACHE LAYER:
        • FOR THE CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA LAYER:
        • FOR THE DOUBLE BERRY MOUSSE LAYYER:
        • ASSEMBLE:
      • Nutrition

    Chocolate Panna Cotta – Berry Mousse Cakes with Hazelnut Ganache

     A Delicious and beautiful entremet! The taste and texture is amazing – rich and creamy, cakey, crunchy, light and fluffy all in one bite. The combination of blackberry, raspberry, chocolate and hazelnut, is divine.
    Prep Time45 minutes mins
    Cook Time35 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: French
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 459kcal
    Author: Lisa

    Ingredients

    Chocolate Genoise

    • 3 large eggs
    • 3 large egg yolks
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • pinch salt
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • ½ cup cake flour
    • ¼ cup dark cocoa

    Simple Syrup

    • ½ cup water
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 -2 tablespoons Chambord or Framboise* * If you’d prefer to refrain from the alcohol replace with a berry juice of some sort.

    Chocolate Panna Cotta Layer (adapted from Williams-Sonoma)

    • ¾ cup heavy cream
    • 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese or additional heavy cream
    • 1 tablespoons sugar
    • Pinch salt
    • 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate finely chopped

    Toasted Hazelnut Ganache Layer

    • ¾ cup hazelnuts (about 3 ounces) skinned and toasted
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped

    Double Berry Mousse Layer

    • 2  teaspoons unflavored gelatin
    • 4  tablespoons cold water
    • 2  tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 cup fresh blackberries
    • 1 cup fresh raspberries
    • ½ cup granulated sugar divided
    • 1 egg white
    • ¾ cup heavy cream
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    FOR THE CHOCOLATE GENOISE LAYERS:

    • Preheat the oven to 400F and set a rack in the middle. Lightly spray a 12×17 baking sheet with parchment paper (I spray it with a little cooking oil to stick). Butter or slightly spray the parchment liner.
    • Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, salt and sugar together in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk gently until the mixture is just lukewarm, about 100F on a candy thermometer (or test with your finger – it should be warm to the touch). Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment (or hand held beaters) and whip on medium-high speed until the egg mixture is cooled and tripled in volume. The mixture will be thick and will form a slowly dissolving ribbon falling back onto the bowl when the whisk is lifted.
    • Over a medium bowl or a piece of parchment paper, sift together the flour and cocoa. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the beaten egg mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour mixture, making sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl to prevent the flour mixture from making lumps. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and finally with the remainder. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
    • Bake the Genoise for about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure the cake does not over bake and become too dry or it will not roll properly. Let cool on a rack. Remove the cake from the baking sheet and invert it on a larger piece of parchment paper. Peel of the parchment paper that was lining the baking sheet. Set the cake aside.

    FOR THE SIMPLE SYRUP:

    • In a small saucepan set over medium high heat, bring all the ingredients to a simmer until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature.

    FOR THE TOASTED HAZELNUT GANACHE LAYER:

    • 1.Place toasted hazelnuts in plastic bag and crush with rolling pin.
    • Combine cream, butter and sugar in small saucepan and bring to gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and add chopped chocolate, swirling pan to cover chocolate with hot cream. Let stand for 3 minutes to melt chocolate. Gently whisk chocolate mixture until blended. Mix in crushed hazelnuts. Cool slightly before assembling.

    FOR THE CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA LAYER:

    • Pour 2 tablespoons of the cream into a small heatproof bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over it and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of hot water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved, or. nuke in the microwave for 3 -5 seconds.
    • Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the remaining cream, the mascarpone, sugar and salt just to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
    • Add the melted gelatin mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until well blended. Pour through a fine strainer into a 4-cup glass measuring cup or a bowl.
    • Cover the panna cotta with plastic wrap and refrigerate until slightly thickened, but not set, about 1 hour or a little less. I let mine set too long, resulting in an uneven layer of panna cotta.
    • important – Make sure the first layer of genoise is frozen solid and the panna cotta is well- thickened before pouring and spreading it on, or the genoise will absorb half the panna cotta.  Put it right back into the freezer once it’s spread evenly.

    FOR THE DOUBLE BERRY MOUSSE LAYYER:

    • First make a Swiss meringue with the egg white and 2 tablespoons of the sugar
    • Set a saucepan with 1 inch of water on low heat. Place eggs white and sugar in mixer bowl and set the bowl over the saucepan as to create a double boiler. Heat the white, while whisking, until the sugar is dissolved and it feels hot to the touch, about 140F.
    • Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on, medium-high speed until the egg white is stiff, but smooth and glossy, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
    • In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon of the water and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In a blender, puree the blackberries  and raspberries with the remaining 3 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
    • Strain the blackberry-raspberry puree into a small saucepan; there should be about 1 ½ cups.  Add the remaining sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer the blackberry-raspberry mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in the softened gelatin until dissolved. Let the mixture cool.   Remove ¾ cup of the puree to a new bowl and stir in ¼ cup water, for the berry mirror.
    • Beat the heavy cream until you have soft peaks. Fold the Swiss meringue into the cooled berry puree, then fold in the softy whipped cream.

    ASSEMBLE:

    • 1, Line an 8 inch square pan (preferably 2 to 3 inches deep) with parchment or plastic wrap, making sure paper or wrap extends about 3-inches up the sides over the pan.
    • Cut out two 8-inch squares of Genoise. Place one square of Genoise on the bottom the lined pan. Brush with simple syrup and freeze for about a half hour.
    • Remove cake from freezer, and panna cotta from the refrigerator, and pour the panna cotta on top of the frozen Genoise, smoothing it. Top with second square of genoise, and press down evenly. Brush second genoise with simple syrup, and pour the hazelnut ganache on top. Freeze for about 45 minutes to an hour.
    • Make the berry mousse while ganache is setting. Remove cake from the freezer and pour berry mousse on top of ganache and freeze for another hour, until frozen set.
    • Stir reserved berry puree or warm gently to loosen it. Remove cake from freezer and pour over the top of the mousse, Chill in the refrigerator until set. I prefer to freeze, then cut, to get nice slices, then bring to room temperature for serving, but since freezing kind of ruins the mirror, chilling in the fridge for the last set is fine. The cake will still be somewhat frozen when cutting, so you’ll get nice slices.
    • Lift cake from pan using plastic wrap or parchment overhang. Peel down paper or wrap then square off neatly by trimming raggedy edges. Slice cake into ½ -inch to 1-inch wide rectangles, depending on how many servings you need, or how thin or thick you’d like them. Top each slice with a little cocoa, berries, and maybe some chocolate curls, disks or spirals.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 6.8mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. A Canadian Foodie

      June 06, 2011 at 7:19 pm

      Lisa Michele!
      You are one crazy woman, and your new blogging friend certainly picked the right woman to do a guest post. Wowsers! Spectacular and unforgettable recipe as well as a hilarious and compelling read! I will make this – but not alone. I will need a friend to cheer me on. This is not cooking. This is not baking. This is a challenge – and adventure – and it must be done with a buddy, me thinks, to succeed. Unlike you, I do not have the tenacity to do it again, after I fail. Well, I do. But, not like you.
      Great read!
      🙂
      Valerie

    2. Emily Malloy

      June 06, 2011 at 6:26 pm

      Absolutely adorable!

    3. The Mistress of Spices

      June 06, 2011 at 3:55 pm

      This looks sublime!!!

    4. Julie M.

      June 06, 2011 at 12:23 am

      And impress me you did! That looks incredible. You know, I have a similar dessert that I've been attempting to replicate. I didn't realize they were called entremets; great guest post!

    5. Gloria

      June 06, 2011 at 12:08 am

      Look amazing dear Dennis, x gloria

    6. The Writers, Photographers, and Chefs

      June 05, 2011 at 8:24 pm

      Chef Dennis, I just gotta say wow. I read your comment on my new food blog @ http://www.sandwicheverything.blogspot.com and I had a feeling you'd probably have an awesome food blog. Well, here I am and you do. I love your creative take on food. It's very inspiring. I am now following you as well and will visit again soon. Please continue to check back on my blog and feel free to give me some ideas.. ha ha.
      Cheers to you as well,
      Matt

    7. Kelly

      June 05, 2011 at 7:03 pm

      I love the fact that you sketch your dessert… Anyone who puts that much time, thought and energy into their work has chosen the right path… there is so much passion and beauty coming off the page. Wonderful.

    8. Sanja 9

      June 05, 2011 at 11:49 am

      amaizing Cake…

    9. Michelle

      June 05, 2011 at 3:58 am

      this looks amazing. and im prone to sketching layers on paper too! ^^

    10. sara @ CaffeIna

      June 05, 2011 at 3:42 am

      Oh my gosh, Lisa! This cake looks wonderful! I wish I were even half as talented as you are in making cakes. The layers are just perfectly executed and the pictures are divine. I would really like to take a (huge) bite!

      Great post this Friday! Thanks Lisa and Chef!

    11. a. maren

      June 05, 2011 at 3:27 am

      oh my gosh. all of it looks great, but i just want to make a big pot of that hazelnut ganache and take a spoon to it…would that be wrong?

    12. freeeatsfood.com

      June 05, 2011 at 2:30 am

      How gorgeous. I love seeing the sketch….almost looks like a set of blueprints. What a talent you are Lisa! Thanks to Chef Dennis for hosting.

    13. Torviewtoronto

      June 05, 2011 at 2:17 am

      delicious colourful well thought out dessert
      looks fabulous

    14. Laura

      June 05, 2011 at 1:32 am

      Amazing job, as always, Lisa. This looks stunning and sounds luscious.

    15. Lisa

      June 05, 2011 at 12:35 am

      Ooops.. (pr ;ess than that) is really (or less than that) LOL

    16. Lisa

      June 05, 2011 at 12:34 am

      Wow..such amazing comments, I'm blushing! Thanj you, all!

      Charlie – I think it would be a great idea to use the lesser (pr ;ess than that) amount of panna cotta I posted and double the amount the above recipe for berry mousse so it's as much as the one in my photos. It didn't even occur to me that there's no need to split both in half, when changing the recipe at the last second. Also..if you don't flip over chocolate, how about a vanilla panna cotta, or any other flavor you like? You could also make a vanilla genoise by substituting 1/4 cup corn starch for the 1/4 cup cocoa.

      Thank you for liking my little cakes and enjoying my post 🙂

      Finally, forgot to add that the genoise recipe is half of a Dorie Greenspan recipe.

    17. Carrie @ Pure and Yummy

      June 04, 2011 at 10:30 pm

      WOW! What an absolutely beautiful dessert! The flavors sound amazing! You made me giggle with the ice rink and torch situation, that was good stuff! Beautiful job! Thanks for sharing.

    18. Baking Serendipity

      June 04, 2011 at 7:14 pm

      Wow! This is seriously impressive 🙂 It looks, and I can only imagine tastes, fantastic! Chef, Happy Summer and congrats on your yearbook immortality 🙂

    19. Peggy

      June 04, 2011 at 2:44 pm

      This looks so elegant and beautiful! I don't think I've had the same problem with my Lowel EGO (but then again, I usually take pictures outside this time of year, and when I do use the light, it's usually the same time, so no time for comparison I suppose lol Great guest post!

    20. Barbara Bakes

      June 04, 2011 at 1:34 pm

      If you hadn't pointed out the flaws I would have thought it was perfection! What an amazing flavor combination.

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