Chocolate & Pistachio Charlotte

Among the associations that I really love, here is a very gourmet one, pistachio & dark chocolate, here combined in a dessert inspired by charlotte. "Inspired" because I decided to replace the ladyfinger biscuit with a cocoa joconde biscuit, but otherwise, the assembly remains the same. It’s a relatively long cake to prepare, but if needed, several steps can be prepared in advance (the praline can be stored for several weeks in an airtight jar at room temperature, and the creamy filling can be piped in a circle and frozen several days in advance as well). Finally, if needed, you can even prepare the entire charlotte in advance and freeze it, except for the whipped cream to be added at the last moment 😊
 
Ingredients:
I used pistachio puree, crushed pistachios, whole pistachios, and almond powder from Koro: code ILETAITUNGATEAU for a 5% discount on the entire site (non-affiliated).
I used Caraïbes chocolate from Valrhona: code ILETAITUNGATEAU for a 20% discount on the entire site (affiliated).

Equipment:
Thermometer
Whisk
Mini angled spatula
Perforated tray
Piping bags
Nozzle 18mm
Nozzle 10mm
22cm circle
Rhodoid

Preparation time: 1h45 + resting time + 10 minutes cooking
For a 22cm diameter charlotte:

 

Dark chocolate creamy filling:

 120g whole milk
 120g heavy cream
 50g egg yolks
 20g caster sugar
 100g Caraïbes dark chocolate or a 65/70% cocoa chocolate
 
 Heat the milk and cream. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, then pour the hot liquid over, mixing well.
 
 

 
 Pour back into the saucepan and cook to coat, stirring constantly, until 83°C. Then pour the obtained cream over the chocolate, and blend with an immersion blender to get a good emulsion. Cover the creamy filling with plastic wrap in contact and place in the refrigerator until assembling.
 
 

 
 

Pistachio praline:

 100g pistachios
 50g sugar
 15g water
 1 pinch of fleur de sel
 
 Prepare a caramel with the water and sugar. Pour it over the pistachios, and let cool completely.
 
 

 
 When the caramel is cold, add the fleur de sel and blend until you get a praline. Set aside until assembling.
 
 

Cocoa joconde biscuit:

 135g icing sugar
 135g almond powder
 160g eggs
 3 teaspoons of cocoa powder
 150g egg whites
 35g melted butter
 35g T45 flour
 25g caster sugar
 
 Preheat the oven to 210°C. Mix the icing sugar and almond powder. Pour the mixture into the robot bowl equipped with a whisk, or use an electric mixer. Gradually add the eggs while whisking, and make the mixture rise.
 
 

 
 Take a small amount of egg white, and add the cocoa powder to it.
 
 

 
 Incorporate this mixture into the previously melted butter.
 Gradually add this cocoa butter to the egg – sugar – almond mixture using a spatula, then incorporate the flour.
 Beat the egg whites until stiff, gradually adding caster sugar once the whites begin to firm up.
 
 

 
 Add the well-firm whites to the previous mixture with a spatula.
 
 

 
 Spread the biscuit on two trays (enough to form the outline of the charlotte, the base circle, and a smaller circle for assembly).
 
 

 
 Bake the joconde biscuit for 8 to 10 minutes.
 Let it cool, then cut a strip for the outline of the charlotte (you can use a rhodoid ribbon to facilitate unmolding), a circle for the bottom, and a smaller circle.
 
 

Crunchy choco-pistachio:

 55g pistachio puree
 35g Caraïbes chocolate
 45g crumbled crêpes dentelles
 
 Melt the chocolate, then add the pistachio puree and crumbled crêpes dentelles.
 
 

 
 Spread the crunchy layer on the bottom of the charlotte with firm pressing, then refrigerate so that the crunchy layer crystallizes.
 
 

 
 

Pistachio mousse:

 80g milk
 80g heavy cream (1)
 35g egg yolks
 15g sugar
 4g gelatin
 100g pistachio puree
 50g heavy cream (2)
 
 Boil the milk and cream (1). Soak the gelatin in a bowl of cold water.
 Mix the egg yolks and sugar. When the milk and cream are boiling, pour them over the whipped egg yolks and sugar, put them back on the heat, and bring everything to 85°C while stirring. Add the drained gelatin and then the pistachio puree.
 
 

 

 
 Whip the cream (2) not too firm.
 
 

 
 When the custard is between 30 and 35°C, gently fold in the whipped cream using a spatula.
 
 

 
 Immediately proceed to the assembly.
 
 

Assembly:

 Pistachio pieces (optional)
 
 Pour half of the mousse over the crunchy layer.
 
 

 
 Add the joconde biscuit, then pipe the chocolate creamy filling on top (keep some for decoration). Sprinkle with pistachio pieces.
 
 

 

 

 
 Pour the remaining mousse.
 Refrigerate. When the mousse has set, pipe the pistachio praline on top.
 
 

 
 

Pistachio whipped cream & finishes:

 150g heavy cream
 15g icing sugar
 1 to 2 tablespoons of pistachio puree according to your taste
 Chocolate shavings / pieces
 Whole pistachios
 
 Whip the heavy cream with icing sugar. When you have a whipped cream, add the pistachio puree. Pipe the whipped cream and the rest of the chocolate creamy filling onto the charlotte. Decorate with pistachios and chocolate shavings, then enjoy!