Small vanilla bavarois biscuits with praline

Ingredients

• 2 feuilles Gelatin sheets (soaked in cold water then drained)
• 250 ml Whole milk (preferably whole for richer flavor)
• 0.5 gousse Vanilla bean (half bean, seeds scraped, bean left in the milk)
• 1 unité Egg yolk
• 100 g White chocolate (cut into pieces or shards)
• 200 ml Heavy cream (to be whipped to stiff peaks)
• 50 g Praline (homemade or store‑bought praline)
• 30 g Feuilletine (to lighten the praline)
• 100 g Unsalted butter (soft, at room temperature)
• 50 g Powdered sugar
• 1 unité Egg
• 150 g T55 flour (for biscuit dough)
• 30 g Hazelnut powder (or replace with flour if needed)
• 1 pincée Fleur de sel

Instructions

1. Hydrate the gelatin

   Place the gelatin sheets in a small bowl of cold water and let soak for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

2. Vanilla infusion

   Split a half vanilla bean, scrape the seeds and place them in a saucepan with the bean. Add the milk, bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover and let infuse for 1 hour.

   Time: PT1H5M

3. Prepare the egg‑milk mixture

   Remove the vanilla bean. Gently warm the infused milk over low heat, then stream it onto the egg yolk while whisking constantly.

   Time: PT5M

4. Cook the mixture

   Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat until it reaches 75 °C, stirring constantly.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 75°C

5. Incorporate the gelatin and white chocolate

   Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the drained gelatin and melt it, then stir in the white chocolate pieces until completely melted.

   Time: PT5M

6. Whip the cream

   Whisk the heavy cream to stiff peaks (about 5 minutes).

   Time: PT5M

7. Fold the cream into the chocolate‑vanilla mixture

   When the chocolate‑vanilla mixture has cooled to below 30 °C, gently fold it into the whipped cream using a spatula.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 30°C

8. Fill the molds

   Pour the mixture into the Guy Demarle molds, then place the molds in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up slightly.

   Time: PT15M

9. Create the well and add the praline

   Remove the half‑bavarois from the freezer, dig a small well in the center of each biscuit and place a spoonful of praline mixed with feuilletine.

   Time: PT5M

10. Cool again

    Return the filled biscuits to the freezer for another 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to set for 2 to 3 hours.

    Time: PT15M

11. Prepare the hazelnut sweet pastry dough

    In a bowl, cream the softened butter with the powdered sugar, add the egg, then incorporate the T55 flour, hazelnut powder and fleur de sel. Form a ball, wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

    Time: PT8M

12. Bake the biscuits

    Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 3‑4 mm thickness, cut rectangles the size of the molds, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 180 °C for 12‑15 minutes, until lightly golden.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 180°C

13. Final assembly

    Once the biscuits have cooled, place a half‑bavarois on each biscuit, then let everything thaw in the refrigerator for 2‑3 hours before serving.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

2500

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

210 g

Fat

150 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Gelatin sheets: powdered gelatin (2 g)
• Instead of Whole milk: semi‑skimmed milk
• Instead of Vanilla bean: vanilla extract (1 tsp)
• Instead of Egg yolk: pasteurized egg yolk
• Instead of White chocolate: white chocolate with 30 % cocoa
• Instead of Heavy cream: 30% fat cream (less firm)
• Instead of Praline: hazelnut paste
• Instead of Feuilletine: puffed rice crisp
• Instead of Unsalted butter: vegetable margarine (for lactose‑free version)
• Instead of Powdered sugar: sifted caster sugar
• Instead of Egg: organic chicken egg
• Instead of T55 flour: all‑purpose flour
• Instead of Hazelnut powder: homemade hazelnut flour
• Instead of Fleur de sel: fine salt

Equipment Needed

• Bowl for gelatin
• Saucepan
• Cooking thermometer
• Whisk or electric mixer
• Silicone spatula (rubber spatula)
• Guy Demarle molds (mini entremet type)
• Freezer
• Floured work surface
• Rolling pin
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or Silpat
• Oven

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Proper hydration and draining of the gelatin
• Precise temperature of the egg‑milk mixture (75 °C) to avoid coagulation
• Incorporation of white chocolate without overheating
• Keep the bavarois temperature below 30 °C before adding the whipped cream
• Baking the sweet pastry dough without over‑baking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a high‑quality vanilla bean for an intense aroma.
• For an extra crunchy effect, sprinkle the top of the biscuit with a few hazelnut pieces before baking.
• If you don’t have Guy Demarle molds, 4 cm diameter silicone molds work perfectly.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the assembled biscuits in an airtight container for 2‑3 days in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Unassembled biscuits (dough and bavarois separate) keep up to 1 month in the freezer.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours, otherwise the bavarois softens.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the bavarois the day before and keep it frozen until assembly.
• The sweet pastry dough can be prepared 2 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
• The praline‑feuilletine keeps for 1 week in an airtight jar.