Pecan flower tartlet

Almond and cocoa shortcrust pastry:

In a mixer, cream the soft butter with the other ingredients at room temperature except for the second part of the flour and the cocoa. Once you have obtained a smooth and homogeneous mixture, incorporate the second part of the flour and the cocoa and continue to knead until the shortcrust pastry is formed. Make a loaf and wrap in cling film. Store in the refrigerator at +4°C for 12 hours before using.

Pecan praline:

Toast the pecans at 150°C for 25 minutes, then spread them out on a SPV mat. Make a dry caramel with the granulated sugar and, once it has a pleasant amber color, pour it over the pecans. Once crystallized, break up the brittle and process it in a cutter with the vanilla and salt, until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous paste.

Pecan emulsion:

Bring the milk to the boil with the salt and dissolve the gelatinous mass. Pour over the praline and emulsify with a hand blender. Also add the cold cream a little at a time and emulsify again. Use immediately.

Pecan praline mousseline cream:

Make a custard with the first 4 ingredients. Transfer the still warm cream together with the praline to a planetary mixer with a whisk and mix the ingredients until they reach a temperature of 30°C. Gradually add the soft butter until completely incorporated. Cover with cling film and blast chill in positive, then store in the refrigerator at +4°C until ready to use.

Choux:

Toast the flour for 7 minutes in a preheated oven at 150°C and set aside. In a saucepan, bring the milk to the boil with the water, butter, salt and sugar. Away from the heat source, sift the flour into the mixture and cook for a couple more minutes to pre-gelatinize the starches. Transfer the polenta to a planetary mixer fitted with a leaf, top up with more milk until the initial weight of the ingredients is reached (279 g) and knead until the temperature drops below 60°C. Hydrate the mixture by gradually adding the eggs. Stop once the mixture is smooth and shiny. Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag and pipe mini choux onto a micro-perforated mat placed on a micro-perforated baking tray. Cook at 130°C for 25-30 minutes with the valve open.

Caramel for choux pastry topping:

In a saucepan, mix the ingredients and cook until the water evaporates and caramel forms. Once the caramel has reached a pleasant amber color, immerse the bottom of the saucepan in a basin of water and ice to stop it from cooking and prevent it from burning. Wait for it to thicken slightly before using. If it cools too much, reheat on the heat source and repeat the operation.

Assembly and decoration:

For each tartlet, cut 35 g pieces of shortcrust pastry from the dough, shape them roughly into a round shape, flatten them slightly and insert them into the cavities of the Cookamatic plate preheated to 180°C. Cook for exactly 3 minutes before turning out. Pour 30 g of pecan emulsion onto the bottom of each tartlet, then arrange 5 pecans (one for each flower petal) and leave to crystallise in the refrigerator at +4°C. Transfer the mousseline cream into a piping bag fitted with a 15 mm French star nozzle and pipe it into swirls following the shape of the tartlet. Dip the choux pastry into the caramel and place them upside down in the PX303 mould to crystallise. Pierce the base of each choux pastry with a knife and fill with the pecan emulsion. Once the caramel has crystallized, remove the choux from the mold and place one in the center of each tartlet.