A dessert inspired by the Blåmannen mountain in Tromsø and the flavors of Norway. A sponge cake soaked with a cardamom and rum syrup, jellied blueberries, roasted apples, a dry meringue shell, and 2 chocolate ganache montee, vanilla and blueberry flavored.
Makes 4 servings,
The Sponge Cake :
- 1 egg-yolk
- 25 gr sugar
- 1 egg-white
- 30 gr flour
Beat the yolk with the sugar. Beat the egg-white until stiff...
Fold delicately the the stiff egg-white to the previous mixture, then add the flour and fold it delicately as well.
Spread 1 cm thick this batter over an oven tray covered with baking paper (lightly greased and floureed) and bake in preheated oven (medium heat) for 10 minutes (more or less according to your oven). Allow to cool down then shape 7 cm diameter discs with the help of a pastry cutter.
The Jellied Blueberries :
- 200 gr blueberries
- 20 gr sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 gelatin sheets
Boil the berries with the sugar and the lemon juice for about 5 minutes.
Then add the gelatin (previously hydrated in cold water for 5 minutes). Then pour it 1 cm thick over a flat container. Place in the fridge until set.
The Ganache Montee :
For the vanilla ganache montée :
- 50 gr white chocolate
- 70 gr cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla flavor (powder)
- 1/2 gelatin sheet
- 125 gr cream (whipped)
Hydrate the gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes. Heat up the cream (70 gr), add the gelatin, mix. Melt the chocolate in a warm water bath, then pour in the hot cream, mix until well combine. Add the vanilla flavor. Allow to cool down in the fridge.
For the blueberry ganache montée :
- 50 gr white chocolate
- 25 gr cream
- 50 gr blueberry coulis
- 1/2 gelatin sheet
- 125 gr cream (whipped)
Boil the berries for 5 minutes, then pass them through a sieve. Keep 50 gr of the coulis.
Hydrate the gelatin in cold water. Boil the cream, then out of the heat add the gelatin. Melt the chocolate over a warm water bath. Then pour the hot cream over it, mix until homogeneous. Add the coulis, and combine well. Leave to cool down in the fridge.
The Meringue Shells :
- 2 egg whites (about 60 gr)
- 120 gr sugar
Beat the egg-whites until stiff, then add the sugar in 2 or 3 times, beating all the time until smooth. Then cover the sides of half sphere molds (7 cm diameter). Use a pastry bag or a spoon. Try to make it thin, like 0,5 cm. I made them too thick, it's better thin but be careful because they are fragile then.
Place in oven (very low heat, like 90 or 100°C/194°F - 212°F) for 1h30 to 2 hours. Keep an eye on them.
The Roasted Apples :
- 2 medium apples
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 25 gr butter
Peel and core the apples. Cut them in small pieces, then roast them over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes in a frying pan with the butter and the sugar. Reserve.
The Assembly :
Fill the meringue shells with the apples. Then cover it with a disc of jellied blueberries (cut with a pastry cutter, 7 cm diameter).
Prepare the syrup.
Boil 25 gr water with 12 gr sugar and 1/2 tsp ground cardamom. Then out of the heat add 1 tbsp rum. Allow to cool down before use.
Brush the sponge cake with some syrup. Then place the sponge cake over the jellied blueberries. Upturn them.
Prepare the 2 ganache montee :
Remove from the fridge the vanilla and blueberry ganache. Whip 250 gr cream (2 x 125 gr) until it form peaks but keep it smooth.
Divide the whipped cream in 2 and fold it into the vanilla ganache and the blueberry ganache.
Spread the vanilla ganache montee on the bottom, and the blueberry ganache montee on the top. Cover it with plastic film and pull it up delicately. (here I used the technique that Philippe Conticini applies for his meringue lemon tarts)
Here's the result. Stick some blueberries for the finishing. Or even with some blueberry coulis.
Inside :
