Oh Hi! I know its been more than a week since my last post but I havent had the urge to blog anything lately, though there are new cakes and photos every weekend. Furthermore, my iPhoto suffered from injury and I wasnt able to open or load it at all. So I cant copy my pictures, or pull anything to PS to edit it. But its back now after some rebuilding. The weekend I made Mont Blanc, was also the weekend I made 6-7 more stuffs. I should really put all of them up before it goes to the back of my brain.
I had high hopes for this little thing called Mont Blanc. Its just one of those things where its been lingering in the to-do / to-bake list for the longest time ever and I just never, NEVER did it. Until recently when I know where I could get the chestnut puree. And right after I bought the Hero Chestnut Puree, I saw Ponthiers frozen whole chestnuts in the supermarket. Yes when I needed to find it, it doesnt appear but when I dont need it at all, it appears, 2 at the same time. Lol. Life is.
And when its something youve been wanting to make, something youve held hopes high for, youd expect it to be good, by all means lip-smackingly GOOD. Much to my dismay, I didnt really liked it; I dont hate eating it but its not my favourite either. I am now in a love-hate relationship with the Mont Blanc. And please also tell me what should I do with the remaining chestnut puree for all I know, I wont be making Mont Blanc anytime soon. No actually its not the cake, but its chestnut itself. Hrmmm
But what is Mont Blanc exactly? Ideally its a French dess! ert (whi ch I suspect then turned Japanese) that consists of a base (which could be meringue/ breton / cake) then filled with cream and topped with chestnut puree so it looks like a snow mountain. If you do a search of Mont Blanc (the cake, not the pen) in google, you get lots of varied versions of this dessert. And no, I didnt learn about this cake in Le Cordon Bleu at all. Its French right? But it wasnt included in the syllabus. But looking at the recipe its actually a composed dessert of a few basic techniques. For instance, for my version, I made Sable Breton which is somewhat like making a cookie dough. Then for the innards, it requires you to make creme patisserie, where any patissier would know the method of making it by the back of his or her hand. Then whipped cream. As for the chestnut strands, you can lighten up pureed chestnut with whipped cream (like how NoRecipes did it), or beat it with butter (like Caneelle et Vanilles version), or like BraveTarts version, mix it with creme patisserie.
If its not confusing you yet, Im happy for you. As I am getting a little confused already. Lol. But whatever it is, make what that makes you happy 
Mont-Blanc aux Marrons
(makes 15 x 2 inches ! diameter )
(recipes adapted from here and here)
Creme Patisserie
450ml milk
1/2 vanilla bean
42g cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 yolk
140g sugarChocolate Creme Patisserie
1/2 portion of creme patisserie
120g dark chocolate, meltedSable Breton
80 grams sugar
80 grams salted butter
2 egg yolks
zest of half an orange
1/4 vanilla bean
120 grams unbleached all purpose flour
7 grams baking powderChestnut Cream
250g Chestnut puree (I used Hero)
1/2 portion of creme patisserie
1 tbsp dark rum
Method :
1. Make cream patisserie. Scrap seeds of vanilla pod into 3/4 of milk. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and let it infuse for 30 minutes. You can do this overnight if you want to. Turn on heat and add in half the amount of the sugar into the milk and let it come to a simmer.
In another bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 of milk, eggs and yolk, remaining half of the sugar and corn starch. Whisk tilll everything is combined. Once the milk is simmering, pour a quarter of milk into the egg mixture whilst stirring constantly. Then gradually pour in the rest of milk and dont forget to stir.
Pour the entire thing back into the pot, cook over very low heat while stirring with a whisk. Continue till mixture is thickened and when you see blooping bubbles, youll just need a minute more. Make su! re you s tir all the time to prevent egg curdling or burning.
When its ready, pour over a sieve into a clean bowl. Cover with a cling film, making sure it touches the entire surface of the creme patisserie to prevent skinning. Refrigerate and let it cool.
2. Make Sable Breton. In an electric mixer, cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg yolks, vanilla bean and the orange zest. Add the flour and baking powder combined until it comes together. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Roll out to about 1/2 thickness and cut 3 circles with a round cutter. Place the circles in molds and bake at 350F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. If sable spreads, use the 3 round cutter and cut again so you have neat edges.
3. Make chocolate cream patisserie. Remove chilled creme patisserie and beat with a mixer to loosen / smoothen it. Add in melted chocolate and mix well. Fill in a piping bag until ready to use.
4. Whip about 175ml cream till stiff peaks. Fill in a piping bag until ready to use.
5. Make Chestnut Cream. In a mixer, beat chestnut cream (or use a blender if texture is still lumpy). Then add in creme patisserie and rum. Mix till smooth and silky. Fill in a piping bag with a round tip no.3 or with multi openings.
6. Ready, set, go! To assemble, squeeze a 5 cent dollop of chocolate creme patisserie on the base of the Sable Breton, then place and stick it on the board. Pipe about a tbsp or 2 of chocolate creme patisserie. Place a whole (roasted and peeled) chestnut on top. Pipe almost the same amount of whipped cream on top. At this stage you want to make it look like a cone so when you pipe the chestnut cream, its neater. Then lastly, pipe the chestnut cream in a circular motion till you get a dome / capped shaped Mont Blanc. Not to! forget, place a chestnut ontop and sprinkle with snow powder (icing sugar doesnt work here, it melts the moment it touches creme patisserie).
For me, I thought the chestnut was a little pepperish and I didnt quite fancy the taste of it. But the breton was fantastic, smells great!
Cheers
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