CHOCOLATE ALMOND BISCUIT
1. Pre heat oven at 140?C.
2. Sieve cocoa powder. Mix with the ground almonds.
3. In a mixing bowl slowly whisk the egg whites, gradually increase the speed and add the sugar, whisk to a firm meringue.
4. Fold the cocoa powder and almond mixture into the meringue.
5. Pipe out 4cm discs, using 13mm piping nozzle onto a Silpat mat lined tray.
6. Bake at for 45 minutes.
7. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
CHESTNUT & RUM BUTTER CREAM
1. Chop the butter into cubes and bring to room temperature.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, gradually add the chestnut puree and beat until smooth.
3. In a mixing bowl whisk egg whites.
4. Simultaneously in a pan, boil together the water and sugar until the temperature reaches 121?C, gradually pour this into the egg whites.
5. Continue to whisk until the meringue becomes firm and cool.
6. Mix the meringue into the softened butter and chestnut mixture.
7. Mix in the Rum.
8. Spoon the butter cream into a piping bag with a nozzle 13mm plain nozzle.
9. Pipe bulbs onto a tray lined with silicon paper.
10. Freeze.
CHOCOLATE DIPLOMAT CREAM
1. Sieve the flour
2. Boil together the milk and vanilla pods.
3. Simultaneously whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar, whisk until the mixture slightly thickens and turns light in colour.
4. Add the flour to the mixture, whisk until smooth.
5. Add half of the milk to the base, whisk until smooth.
6. Pass through a fine sieve, return the mixture back to the pan.
7. Using a whisk, stir the mixture.
8. When it comes to the boil, bring the temperature down to simmer.
9. Continue to stir and cook out for 8-10 minutes.
10. Take off the heat and add in the chocolate, mix until fully incorporated.
11. Pour the pastry cream onto a shallow tray, wrap with cling film and cool rapidly.
12. Whip the whipping cream and 25g of sugar to a soft peak.
13. Beat the chocolate pastry cream until smooth, fold in the whipping cream.
CHESTNUT MOUSSE
1. Soak the gelatine in cold water.
2. Boil the sugar, water and marron puree together.
3. Add the pre-soaked gelatine. Blitz with a hand blender and pass through the sieve. Allow to cool,
4. Mix in the dark rum.
5. Whip the double cream to soft peak.
6. Fold the whipping cream into the chestnut mixture.
7. Keep in the airtight container in the fridge.
8. Allow to set in the fridge.
TO ASSEMBLE
1. Place the chocolate and almond biscuit onto the serving dish.
2. Stick the chestnut and rum cream on top of the chocolate and almond biscuit.
3. Using a palette knife spread a layer of the chocolate diplomat cream evenly around the chestnut and rum cream.
4. Spoon the chestnut mousse into a piping bag with a Mont Blanc nozzle.
5. Pipe layers of the mousse on top by rotating the bag across the cream, building up three layers in total.
6. Lightly dust with cocoa powder.
7. Glaze the chunks of confit chestnut.
8. Pipe a bulb of crème Chantilly.
9. Place the chestnut and chocolate copeaux on top.