Pistachio-Cherry Mini Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 sheet Almond dacquoise (pre-made) (Approximately 300 g, to be cut into 8 cm circles and 6 cm circles)
• 30 g Powdered sugar (To dust the dacquoise before cutting)
• 12 pcs Sour cherries in syrup (Drained, without syrup)
• 100 g Pistachio paste (Pastry quality, no added sugar)
• 250 ml Whole milk (At room temperature)
• 100 g Granulated sugar (Divided into two equal parts)
• 4 pcs Egg yolks (Fresh, at room temperature)
• 20 g Cornstarch (maïzena) (Sift before use)
• 4 pcs Gelatin sheets (Soften in cold water then drain)
• 200 ml Very cold whole liquid cream (Very cold, to whisk into whipped cream)
• 50 g Whole almonds, chopped (Toasted at 160 °C then cooled)
• 200 g Milk chocolate (Melt at 35 °C)
• 15 ml Grape seed oil (1 tablespoon, to incorporate into melted chocolate)
• 20 g Nougatine (Small disks for decoration)
• 15 g Shelled green pistachios (For garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare the dacquoise

   Flip the dacquoise sheet, remove the parchment paper, lightly dust with powdered sugar and cut 8 circles of 8 cm and 8 rounds of 6 cm using the ring cutter and the round cutter.

   Time: PT15M

2. Soften the gelatin

   Soak the 4 gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain.

   Time: PT5M

3. Prepare the milk‑pistachio mixture

   Pour the milk into a saucepan, add 25 g of granulated sugar and the pistachio paste. Heat over medium heat until boiling.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 90°C

4. Whiten the egg yolks

   In a bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks with the remaining 75 g of sugar until the mixture lightens.

   Time: PT5M

5. Incorporate the cornstarch

   Add the sifted cornstarch to the lightened yolks and mix until a smooth paste forms.

   Time: PT5M

6. Temper the egg‑milk mixture

   Pour the boiling milk over the yolk‑cornstarch mixture while whisking constantly, then return everything to the saucepan.

   Time: PT5M

7. Cook the pistachio cream

   Cook over medium heat while stirring continuously. As soon as the first bubbles appear, continue cooking for 30 seconds, then remove from heat.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 80°C

8. Incorporate the gelatin

   Add the drained gelatin to the hot cream and whisk until fully dissolved.

   Time: PT5M

9. Cool the pistachio cream

   Pour the cream into a container, place a piece of cling film directly on the surface and let cool at room temperature then in the refrigerator until well chilled.

   Time: PT5M

10. Whip the liquid cream

    Pour the very cold liquid cream into the cold bowl, whisk at low speed then increase until a firm whipped cream forms.

    Time: PT5M

11. Mix the pistachio mousse

    Loosen the cooled pistachio cream with a whisk, incorporate one third of the whipped cream, mix vigorously, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream to preserve volume.

    Time: PT5M

12. Fill the circles with mousse

    Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. Fill each 8 cm circle halfway with mousse, place a sour cherry in the center, lay the small 6 cm dacquoise disk, then top up with mousse to the rim and smooth with a small spatula.

    Time: PT10M

13. First freezing

    Place the assembled cakes in the freezer until completely solidified (about 3 h 30).

    Time: PT3H30M

14. Unmold the cakes

    Remove the cakes from the freezer, gently warm the ring with your hands or a torch, place a smaller glass in the center and pull the ring down to release it.

    Time: PT10M

15. Prepare the rock glaze

    Melt the milk chocolate at 35 °C, toast the chopped almonds at 160 °C for 10 minutes, add the grape seed oil to the melted chocolate, incorporate the cooled toasted almonds and mix.

    Time: PT20M

    Temperature: 35°C

16. Coat the cakes

    Insert a small knife blade into the center of each cake, dip the cake into the rock glaze to about 1 cm depth, let excess drip off and place on a tray lined with parchment paper.

    Time: PT10M

17. Final decoration

    Place a whole cherry in the center, add a small nougatine disk and a few shelled green pistachios.

    Time: PT5M

18. Second freezing before serving

    Return the decorated cakes to the freezer for 4 h 30 for a perfect texture before serving.

    Time: PT4H30M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Almond dacquoise (pre-made): Gluten-free ladyfinger biscuit
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Very fine granulated sugar
• Instead of Sour cherries in syrup: Fresh marinated cherries
• Instead of Pistachio paste: Ground pistachios + sugar
• Instead of Whole milk: Semi-skimmed milk
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Egg yolks: Pasteurized egg yolks
• Instead of Cornstarch (maïzena): Potato starch
• Instead of Gelatin sheets: Agar-agar (adjusted amount)
• Instead of Very cold whole liquid cream: Coconut cream for a lactose-free version
• Instead of Whole almonds, chopped: Roasted hazelnuts
• Instead of Milk chocolate: White chocolate
• Instead of Grape seed oil: Sunflower oil
• Instead of Nougatine: Crunchy caramel
• Instead of Shelled green pistachios: Sliced almonds

Equipment Needed

• 8 cm pastry ring
• 6 cm round cutter
• Baking sheet
• Chef's knife
• Cling film
• Medium saucepan
• Whisk
• Electric mixer (or hand whisk)
• Stainless steel bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Pastry bag with large tip
• Kitchen torch (optional)
• Kitchen thermometer (optional)
• Small offset spatula (flat spatula)
• Small-diameter glass (for unmolding) (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cooking the pistachio cream without letting it boil
• Incorporating the gelatin at the correct temperature
• Delicate mixing of the mousse with the whipped cream
• Unmolding the frozen cakes
• Chocolate temperature for the rock glaze

Chef Tips from the Video

• Lightly dust the dacquoise with powdered sugar before cutting to prevent it from sticking.
• Use a pre‑chilled stainless steel bowl for airy whipped cream.
• Toast the almonds just before incorporating them into the chocolate for a more pronounced flavor.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the cakes in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Freezer: Can be kept up to 1 month in the freezer.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 30 minutes after glazing.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the pistachio mousse 24 h ahead and keep it chilled.
• The rock glaze can be made the day before and stored at 20 °C in an airtight container.
• The dacquoise circles can be cut ahead of time and stored under cling film.