Mini Santa Hat Desserts (Petits Bonnets de Père Noël)

Ingredients

• 250 g Raspberry purée (Use fresh or frozen raspberries blended smooth)
• 200 g Granulated sugar (Divided between gelée and other components)
• 5 g Fruit pectin (One packet, for gelée setting)
• 3 sheets Gelatin sheets (Softened in cold water for 10 min; used in three components)
• 400 ml Coconut cream (Full‑fat, canned)
• 1 bean Vanilla bean (Madagascar Bourbon) (Seeds and pod used)
• 2 pieces Egg yolks (Room temperature)
• 100 g Unsalted butter (Cold, cut into small dice)
• 100 g Shredded coconut (Toasted lightly for dacquoise and for coating marshmallows)
• 100 g Almond flour (Fine almond meal)
• 50 g All‑purpose flour
• 100 g Icing sugar
• 4 pieces Egg whites (Room temperature)
• 1 pinch Salt
• 150 g White chocolate (Good quality, broken into pieces)
• 30 ml Coconut liqueur (or rum coconut) (Adds flavor to mousse and marshmallows)
• 180 ml Heavy cream (Cold, for mousse)
• 30 ml Glucose syrup (Light corn syrup)
• 100 g Powdered sugar (for dusting)
• 1 can Red cocoa‑butter spray (Food‑grade, for final coating)
• as needed Water (For gelatin hydration and syrup)

Instructions

1. Prepare Raspberry Gelée

   In a saucepan combine the raspberry purée with half of the granulated sugar. Heat gently, stirring, until the mixture reaches 60 °C. Meanwhile, dissolve the pectin in the remaining sugar. When the purée is at 60 °C, sprinkle the sugar‑pectin mixture while whisking continuously. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

   Time: PT15M

2. Set Raspberry Inserts

   Pour the hot gelée into the bottom half of each silicone half‑sphere mold, filling only about half of each cavity. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Place the molds in the freezer for at least 2 hours until fully set.

   Time: PT2H

3. Hydrate Gelatin for Coconut‑Vanilla Cream

   Place 2 gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water and let soften for 10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

4. Make Coconut‑Vanilla Cream (Crémeux)

   In a saucepan bring the coconut cream to a boil with the vanilla seeds and the split pod. Remove the pod, then whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until slightly pale. Temper the yolk mixture by slowly pouring a ladle of the hot coconut cream into it while whisking. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over low‑medium heat, stirring, until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, squeeze the softened gelatin and stir it in until fully dissolved. Transfer the custard to a mixing bowl, let it cool to 38 °C, then add the cold butter dice and blend with an immersion blender until smooth and glossy.

   Time: PT30M

5. Freeze Coconut‑Vanilla Inserts

   Pipe the cooled coconut‑vanilla cream into the remaining half of each silicone mold, filling to the top. Freeze for at least 2 hours until solid.

   Time: PT2H

6. Toast Coconut and Almond Flour (Dacquoise Base)

   In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the shredded coconut and almond flour. Stir continuously for about 5 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.

   Time: PT5M

7. Prepare Dacquoise Batter

   To the cooled coconut‑almond mixture add the all‑purpose flour and icing sugar; mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy, then gradually add the remaining granulated sugar and continue whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form. Gently fold the dry mixture into the meringue using a rubber spatula, preserving as much air as possible.

   Time: PT30M

8. Pipe and Bake Dacquoise Discs

   Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 13 mm plain tip. Pipe 3 cm‑diameter discs onto a parchment‑lined baking sheet, spacing them a few centimeters apart. Smooth the tops with a small offset spatula. Bake in a pre‑heated oven at 180 °C for 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack, then cut each disc to exactly 3 cm using a cookie cutter.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Hydrate Gelatin for Coconut‑Vanilla Mousse

   Soak 1 gelatin sheet in cold water for 10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

10. Make Coconut‑Vanilla Mousse

    Heat the coconut cream with vanilla seeds and pod until just boiling. Remove the pod, then add the white chocolate pieces and stir until fully melted. Squeeze the softened gelatin and stir it in until dissolved. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender, then add the coconut liqueur. Allow to cool to room temperature. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then fold a quarter of the whipped cream into the chocolate‑coconut base to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until a smooth mousse forms.

    Time: PT30M

11. Assemble Mousse with Inserts

    Pour the mousse into a torpedo‑shaped sphere mold (or a larger half‑sphere mold) to about half height. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. Place a raspberry gelée insert in the centre, press lightly, then add a coconut‑vanilla cream insert on top. Cover with more mousse, smoothing the surface. Finally, place a dacquoise disc on top and press gently. Freeze the assembled entremets overnight (minimum 6 hours).

    Time: PT10M

12. Hydrate Gelatin for Marshmallows

    Soak the remaining gelatin sheet in cold water for 10 minutes.

    Time: PT10M

13. Prepare Sugar Syrup

    In a saucepan combine 135 g granulated sugar, water (just enough to cover the sugar) and the glucose syrup. Heat over medium‑high until the syrup reaches 121‑125 °C (use the thermometer). When the temperature is 114 °C, remove from heat.

    Time: PT10M

14. Whip Egg Whites for Marshmallows

    In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until they become frothy. Add 17 g sugar and continue whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form.

    Time: PT5M

15. Combine Syrup and Egg Whites

    Squeeze the softened gelatin and stir it into the hot syrup until dissolved. Immediately pour the hot syrup in a thin, steady stream into the whipped egg whites while the mixer is running at high speed. Continue beating for 10‑15 minutes until the mixture cools to room temperature and becomes thick and glossy. Two minutes before the end, add the coconut liqueur and mix briefly.

    Time: PT15M

16. Pipe and Dry Marshmallows

    Transfer the marshmallow mixture to a piping bag with a 13 mm plain tip. Pipe 5‑cm‑long ropes onto a silicone mat that has been lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Sprinkle the tops generously with shredded coconut and more powdered sugar. Let the marshmallows dry at room temperature for about 3 hours, or until firm.

    Time: PT3H

17. Red Cocoa‑Butter Spray

    Place the fully frozen entremets on a tray. Shake the red cocoa‑butter spray can well, then spray from a distance of about 20 cm, covering the entire surface evenly. Work in a well‑ventilated area or outdoors to avoid inhaling the propellant.

    Time: PT5M

18. Final Assembly

    Cut the dried marshmallow ropes to the length needed to wrap each entremet like a Santa hat. Attach the marshmallow “pompons” to the top of each hat. Place the coated entremets on a serving platter and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (or overnight) to allow complete thawing and set‑up before serving.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Raspberry purée: raspberry jam (unsweetened)
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar
• Instead of Fruit pectin: agar‑agar (use less)
• Instead of Gelatin sheets: powdered gelatin
• Instead of Coconut cream: heavy cream with coconut extract
• Instead of Vanilla bean (Madagascar Bourbon): vanilla paste, 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Instead of Egg yolks: pasteurized egg yolks
• Instead of Unsalted butter: margarine (less flavor)
• Instead of Shredded coconut: desiccated coconut
• Instead of Almond flour: ground almonds
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: cake flour
• Instead of Icing sugar: powdered sugar
• Instead of Egg whites: pasteurized egg whites
• Instead of White chocolate: cocoa butter + white chocolate coating
• Instead of Coconut liqueur (or rum coconut): coconut rum, non‑alcoholic coconut extract
• Instead of Heavy cream: whipping cream
• Instead of Glucose syrup: corn syrup
• Instead of Red cocoa‑butter spray: red food coloring mixed with melted cocoa butter

Equipment Needed

• Saucepan (medium)
• Silicone half‑sphere molds
• Silicone mat (for marshmallows)
• Piping bags with 13 mm plain tip
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Whisk
• Spatula (silicone)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Oven
• Thermometer (instant‑read)
• Mixing bowls (various sizes)
• Kitchen scale
• Knife
• Red cocoa‑butter spray can

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Reaching 60 °C before adding pectin to the raspberry purée.
• Tempering the egg yolk mixture into the hot coconut‑vanilla custard.
• Cooking the raspberry gelée to a rolling boil and maintaining it for 5 minutes.
• Baking the dacquoise discs just until lightly golden (15 minutes at 180 °C).
• Achieving the correct sugar‑syrup temperature (121‑125 °C) for marshmallows.
• Properly incorporating the hot syrup into the whipped egg whites without deflating them.
• Coating the frozen entremets with red cocoa‑butter spray in a well‑ventilated area.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Toast the coconut and almond flour just until fragrant; this deepens the flavor of the dacquoise.
• For an extra glossy mousse, blend the chocolate‑coconut mixture with an immersion blender before adding the butter.
• If you cannot find red cocoa‑butter spray, melt cocoa butter, add a few drops of red food coloring, and brush the coating onto the frozen entremets.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store assembled bonnets in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Unassembled components (gelée, cream inserts, mousse) freeze well for up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Dried coconut marshmallows keep 2‑3 weeks in a sealed jar away from humidity.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the raspberry gelée and coconut‑vanilla cream inserts 1‑2 days ahead and keep frozen.
• Bake the dacquoise discs and store them in an airtight container; they stay fresh for 3 days.
• The coconut‑vanilla mousse can be made a day ahead and kept frozen; thaw briefly before assembly.
• Marshmallows keep well for up to 3 weeks in a sealed container.