There are chocoholics. And then there is Alain Ducasse.
The Dorchester’s three Michelin-star chef (who also has three golden stars at restaurants in both Paris and Monaco) might be better known for seven-course tasting menus dripping with truffle and confit foie gras, but it is sweet, buttery cocoa that remains his true love. Chocolate is a ‘passion’ and a ‘dream’ for the chef, which is why he has just opened Le Chocolat in Coal Drops Yard, a properly decadent temple to the stuff.
Ducasse baked his first Yule log aged 12, wanting to please his family. ‘I found an old recipe book and made everything from scratch, from the Swiss roll to the butter cream,’ he says. ‘I didn’t have an electric mixer so I did it all by hand. It was very tiring! But the effort paid off when I saw how much my family enjoyed it. A true definition of my trade: we work hard to give pleasure and happiness.’
This unconventional take on a chocolate log (right) was created by Thibault Hauchard, executive pastry chef at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. ‘It is a nod to my childhood memories as well as the traditional British mint thins,’ says Ducasse. ‘Quite an unusual choice of flavours for this classic dessert, but the mint complements the intensity of the chocolate. A perfect way to end a celebration meal with friends and family.’ And for all your festive cocoa needs, we’ll see you at Le Chocolat. Joyeux Noël, indeed.
Here's the recipe...
Serves 10
For the chocolate ganache
975g whipping cream
50g glucose
2.5g gelatine, soaked in cold water
200g Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature Blend 75% Cacao, broken into chunks
55g Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature Peru (100%), broken into chunks
For the chocolate biscuit
80g butter
80g Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature Blend 75% Cacao, broken into chunks
20g ground almond
35g flour
1 heaped tsp cornflour
80g egg whites
80g sugar
For the lime gel
250g lime juice
12.5g sugar
4g agar-agar
For the chocolate ice cream
500g milk
50g glucose
7.5g milk powder
75g sugar
62.5g Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature Blend 75% Cacao, broken into chunks
62.5g Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature Peru 100% Cacao, broken into chunks
For the mint pesto
75g fresh mint leaves, removed from stems
10g lavender honey
10g lemon juice
20g almond paste
2g sea salt
1 ice cube
For the chocolate shell
500g Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature Blend 75% Cacao, broken into chunks
Fresh mint leaves, to serve
Method
First make the ganache. Heat 225g whipping cream with the glucose. Add the softened gelatine. Put the two kinds of chocolate into a mixing bowl and pour over the heated cream mixture. Stir until smooth and shiny. Add the rest of the cold cream. Mix until smooth again. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
Now make the biscuit. Gently melt the butter and chocolate together in a water bath until the mix reaches 45C. Maintain the mix at this temperature. Sieve the almonds, flour and cornflour together. Whisk the egg whites with sugar to stiff peaks. Stir two spoonfuls of the egg white into the chocolate mix then add the rest. Gently mix in the sieved four and almonds. Spread on a baking tray to 1cm thickness. Bake in the oven for 6 minutes. When cooked, allow to cool and cut into rectangles of 1.5cm x 8cm. Leave to one side.
Now make the lime gel. Heat the lime juice to 60C then add the sugar and agar-agar. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the mix over a cling film-wrapped tray. Leave to cool. Once set, mix to a gel-like texture. Pour into a piping bag and set aside.
Now make the chocolate ice cream. Heat the milk with the glucose. Mix the sugar with the milk powder and add to the warm milk. Bring to a boil then pour over the chocolate. Mix with a hand blender then leave to cool. Once cold, churn the mix in an ice-cream maker and set aside in the freezer. Remove 10 minutes before plating to soften.
Now make the mint pesto by blitzing all the ingredients together in a blender. For the chocolate shell, cut guitar sheets [plastic sheets used for chocolate work, available online] into 10 rectangles of 15cm x 20cm. Melt the chocolate to 45C in a water bath. Allow to cool to 30C, mixing every five minutes. Once at 20C, spread a thin layer of chocolate onto each of the guitar sheet rectangles with a paint brush. Roll the rectangles around a rolling pin, chocolate side up, to form a shell. Leave to cool. Remove the guitar sheet once the chocolate is set. To serve, lay a chocolate shell on the side of each plate. Place a rectangle of chocolate biscuit inside. Pipe points of chocolate ganache, lime gel and mint pesto inside. Finish with fresh mint leaves and a scoop of chocolate ice cream.
