Showcasing gluten-free dessert

The Retail Bakers of America presented a recent webinar from the Washington Red Raspberry Commission, showcasing advanced pastry techniques by Heather Moore, CMB, CEPC. Moore presented a fascinating class on how to prepare gluten-free chocolate raspberry entremet, a multi-layer dessert.

“This is a flourless chocolate cake,” Moore explains. “Gluten free is becoming more and more popular.”

Here are some valuable pro tips from her presentation to help you achieve optimum results:

Always mix egg whites when room temperature or warm. Otherwise, you won’t get as much volume.

When you prepare meringues, “you want to use it immediately,” Moore says.

Making elevated desserts is a great way to use fresh fruit that may not look perfect visually, but still has tons of flavor. You also reduce food waste.

When preparing heavy cream, “you want to whip as quickly as possible,” as opposed to whipping egg whites where you start slow.

The multi-layer dessert features a chocolate hazelnut Krispie base made with Rice Krispie cereal, hazelnut paste, and chocolate (58%). Gently blend the Rice Krispie cereal (69.5 grams) in a food processor. Then stir together the Rice Krispies, hazelnut paste (149 grams), and melted chocolate (71 grams).

For the chocolate raspberry cake, melt together 400 grams chocolate (62%), 188 grams of unsalted butter, and a pinch of salt. Whip the egg yolks (150 grams) until light in color.

In a separate mixer, make a very soft peak (almost pourable) meringue with the egg whites (360 grams), a pinch of cream of tartar, and granulated sugar (110 grams). Fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture and then the whites.

Spread mixture on to a tray that is lined with parchment, greased, and powder sugared.

Press raspberries (fresh or IQF, 110 grams) into the batter and then cover with another piece of parchment to prevent skin from forming. Bake at 400 degrees F on a rack.

For the raspberry preserves, dry blend sugar (100 grams) with the pectin (12 grams).

Combine the raspberry puree (332 grams), raspberries (fresh or IQF, 168 grams), and sugar (100 grams) and bring to a boil.

Add in the sugar/pectin mixture and return to a boil. Test for consistency and add citric acid to taste.

To make the lemon curd, bloom the gelatin sheets (1 sheet, 2 grams) in ice water.

Heat the lemon juice (juice and zest, 4 each), zest, eggs (3 each, 160 grams), egg yolks (2.5 each, 42.5 grams), and sugar (150 grams) over a double boiler to 180 degrees F, while whisking.

Whisk the bloomed gelatin into the hot mixture. Whisk in the cured unsalted butter (142 grams).

To make the chocolate Chambord cream, bloom the gelatin into the Chambord (45 grams) and raspberry puree (107 grams).

Melt the chocolate (58%, 184 grams) and keep warm.

Whip the heavy cream (522 grams) till soft peak and set aside.

Whip the egg yolks (140 grams) and sugar (99 grams) until thick, and pale yellow in color.

Heat the gelatin mixture until steamy and liquid, and whisk into the egg yolk mixture.

Immediately stir into the melted chocolate. Fold in the cream.

To make the high gloss glaze, bloom the gelatin sheets (38 grams) in ice water.

Heat the water (150 grams), heavy cream (602 grams), and granulated sugar (924 grams) to a boil.

Remove from heat, sift/whisk in the cocoa powder (300 grams).

Whisk in the bloomed gelatin.

To assemble:

Start with a layer of chocolate hazelnut Krispie base, followed by a layer of raspberry preserves, a layer of chocolate raspberry cake, a layer of lemon curd, a layer of chocolate Chambord cream, and a layer of high gloss chocolate glaze on top.