This recipe is by Chef Cristiano Gaggion
INGREDIENTS
500 g mascarpone
3 egg yolks
150 g granulated sugar
100 g coffee
Hazelnut praline with slivered hazelnuts (275 g 50% hazelnut praline, 50 g 40% milk chocolate coating)
125 g pailleté feuilletine
30 g butter
2 g fleur de sel
Ladyfingers
Cocoa powder (for dusting)
DIRECTIONS
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a bain-marie.
Add the praline and the pailleté feuilletine, and blend everything together until smooth.
Spread the mixture into a thin layer and cut into 4 cm tiles. Let them set at a low temperature.
For the mascarpone cream, whisk together the yolks and sugar until smooth, then gently fold in the mascarpone.
To assemble, place a layer of the praline-butter mixture between the ladyfingers and the mascarpone cream.
Dust the top with cocoa powder.
Chef’s note: when it comes to cocoa, it’s important to understand the alkalization process it undergoes. This treatment results in a product that can range in color from deep brown to red, and affects both the acidity and digestibility of the cocoa.
Historically, this process began in the early 1800s in the Netherlands. It involves treating the cocoa with alkaline agents, typically potassium carbonate — hence the term “Dutch-processed cocoa” or “alkalized cocoa”. This method also helps preserve the fats in the cocoa over time, ensuring a product of consistently high quality.
