This chocolate-mango entremet (“multi-layered mousse-based cake with various complementary flavors and varying textural contrasts”) was my cake of choice for this Valentine’s Day! This was my first time trying to make one, and while it didn’t come out quite like I’d pictured, it tasted absolutely amazing! Most of it was multiple variations of chocolate flavor, of course (this is me, after all) but I also included a layer of mango, my boyfriend’s favorite fruit.
This project also served an important purpose – using up my leftovers! I had a lot of chocolate glaze and chocolate crispy pearls that needed to get used. I even had a couple frozen cakes in my freezer! All I really needed to make was some mango jelly and a little bit of whipped cream.
For the dessert, you will need:
3 3-inch springform pans (or pastry circles)
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Crispy Pearls or crushed up cookies
Chocolate Mousse
Mango Jelly (Mango, Juice, Gelatin, Sugar)
Chocolate Glaze (1 part chocolate : 1 part cream)
For the cake, use your favorite chocolate cake recipe and bake in mini cake pans (preferably three inches). I had a 9-inch cake in my freezer that I didn’t put enough baking powder in – it came out thin and fudgy, and would leave chocolate on your hands when you touched it. It was the perfect height for an entremet and I decided this is when I’d get good use out of it. I was able to cut the cake into three 3-inch cakes and get three entremets out of it.
While the cake(s) are baking, line the bottom and sides of your springform pans or pastry circles with parchment paper. When the cakes are done, put them into the pans/circles.
For the mousse, fold ½ cup of the chocolate glaze into ½ cup whipped cream, then add some crunch with the crispy pearls. Add a layer of mousse to the top of your cakes.
For the mango jelly, blend 100g chopped mango, 100ml juice (I used mango-orange), a teaspoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of gelatin (bloomed in water first). Pour this on top of the mousse in the 3 pans and place in the fridge/freezer to set.
Once the jelly has set, take off the sides of the pans, peel off the parchment and take out the entremet. Place them on a glazing rack over a pan to catch the glaze. Pour the rest of the glaze (around 2 cups) over the cakes and let the glaze set. Once it has set, it’s time to add decorations! I used a handmade heart stencil (cut out from parchment paper) to make a powdered-sugar heart on the cakes. I also topped them with sugar roses from my local grocery store.
Result:
While it tasted very good, it didn’t come out looking exactly how I pictured and I have learned a few things from the experience.
I learned that entremets are complicated! Making one requires thought and planning, and a little more patience than I had. I wish it looked kinda like this one (go ahead and make this one if you are looking to make a dessert like this, as it looks much better), but even though it didn’t, the mango and chocolate combined fabulously to create a unique and memorable taste with the perfect texture. My boyfriend and I were planning to have a bite each just to try, and we ended up finishing a whole half-cake because we couldn’t stop eating it (don’t worry, we still have another one for Tuesday). And, since it was just for the two of us, it didn’t matter as much if it wasn’t exactly how I wanted as long as we enjoyed it!
What I learned/wish had gone differently
- I wish the dessert had had more color. The mango jelly was not very bright, perhaps because the mango wasn’t ripe and I used the immersion blender instead of a food processor (because it was easier/quicker. As I said above, I needed more patience than I had) so it turned out more like tiny mango pieces suspended in juice rather than a smooth jelly. I could have also had a layer of mango cheesecake, like the entremet I linked to above. This would have added more color, and while it would have taken more time, it would have been worth it! This is why patience is so important.
- I wish the dessert had been perfectly round and smooth.
- Cutting my 3-inch circles of cake with a knife gave me a rough edge. If I had used a round cutter instead of a knife, or baked the cakes small to begin with, the edges would have been much smoother.
- Additionally, if you have a cheesecake layer like the one I linked to, and left outer-edge space around the cake for the cheesecake to fill, that would’ve helped as the liquid would fill the space better and naturally create a round edge.
- More practice will also eventually lead to my being able to do better parchment liners and fill in layers more evenly, which should also help.
- Having a sturdier foundation would have helped as handling these small delicate entremet was difficult. Maybe put a thin hard/crispy layer on the bottom.
- While not a mistake, I think it would be easier, especially for your first time, to make a bigger one. This would forgive little flaws more readily a smaller one.
- Lastly, I learned that “past my bedtime” is NOT the best time to start baking!
Ultimately, it may not have looked perfect, but I cannot stress how great it tasted. The layers combined well and the whole thing was very moist and delicious. Can’t wait to eat another on Valentine’s Day!
Keep baking, and remember, perfect takes patience! My training continues…
Jenna's Chocolates 