Chefs Recipe: Chocolate Fondant, Salted Caramel Popcorn and Caramel Parfait by Phil Fanning at Paris House

Paris House in Woburn opened its doors again last week following an extensive makeover – along with the launch of its brand new 6, 8 and 10 course Spring menus. Check out the new look Paris House in their gallery here. To celebrate they’ve shared this sumptuous pudding recipe with us – perfect for re-purposing any after-Easter chocolate that is still lingering!

Equipment

• Food Mixer
• Metal Rings/Ramekins
• Microwave
• Piping bag
• Silicone Sheets/Greaseproof Lining Paper

Caramel Parfait

• 75g Caramel
• 55ml Double cream
• 1 Leaves of gelatine (soaked)
• 1 Medium egg yolk
• 15g Sugar
• 125ml Double cream (Semi whipped)

Chocolate Fondant

• 50g Soft unsalted butter
• 150g Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 175g Dark chocolate (65-75% Cocoa)
• 175g Milk Chocolate
• 50g ’00’ Flour (Strong or pasta flour)

Salted Caramel Popcorn

• 1 Packet of microwave salted popcorn
• 25g Diced butter
• 70g Sugar
• 25ml Whisky

Pulled Sugar spirals

• 100g Isomalt
• 100g Sugar

Recipe:

Make the caramel parfait

Put a medium saucepan on a low heat and allow it to get hot for a couple of minutes.  Whilst this is heating up soak the gelatine leaf in cold water, then in a bowl mix the egg yolk and 15g of sugar until pale.

Next, warm 55ml of double cream in the microwave, in a jug.

Quickly sprinkle 75g of sugar over the base of the hot pan and allow the sugar to melt and caramelize, don’t stir it with a spoon – but pick the pan up and tip the syrup around to mix the parts that have melted and are caramelizing with the parts that are not. Once the caramel reaches a good golden colour remove from the heat and carefully add the warmed cream and whisk until the           caramel has fully dissolved, the pan might need to be returned to the heat briefly.

Pour the hot caramel and cream mix over the egg yolk and mix well. Add the soaked gelatine and continue to whisk until the mix has cooled, then transfer to the fridge to completely chill.

In a separate bowl whisk 125ml double cream to a soft peak. Remove the caramel base from the fridge and whip to soften slightly before folding in the whipped cream.  Continue to whisk until the mousse reaches mid peak stage but be careful not to over whip the cream. Transfer to a piping bag and allow to set in the fridge for an hour or until firm.

When the mousse is set, pipe into logs onto cling film and roll into tight cylinders. Freeze the cylinders until ready to serve.

Make the fondant mix

Start by creaming the butter and sugar together in a food mixer for 5-6 minutes until the butter has become light in colour.  Slowly add the eggs to the mixer, half an egg at a time. Allow a minute or so between each addition to allow the eggs to be fully incorporated.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave in 10-15 second bursts on high heat. Stir between each burst until the chocolate has melted. Don’t overdo it as the chocolate will burn very easily, the melted chocolate should be warm, not hot.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the flour, then fold through by hand. Lastly add the melted chocolate and mix well. It’s really important to added as little air as possible at this stage.

Transfer the mix to a piping bag and half fill silicone paper lined metal rings. Put in the fridge and  allow to set.  If using ramekins then divide up the mixture equally into the pots and place in the fridge to set.

Next is the salted caramel popcorn

Start by cooking the popcorn according to the cooking instructions on the packet.

Get a large Teflon frying pan hot enough so that sugar melts almost instantly when sprinkled onto it. Then quickly sprinkle the sugar over the base of the pan and tip the forming syrup around until it is fully dissolved and a good golden colour. Add the diced butter and stir well to incorporate. Remove          the pan from the heat and add the whisky, being careful to avoid the fumes igniting. Add the popped corn and toss until coated in caramel. Transfer the popcorn to a tray, spread the pieces apart and allow to cool.

Transfer the fondants to a silicone lined baking tray and cook at 150°c for 7-9 minutes until the sides have set but the centre still remains liquid, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

To make the caramel spring you will need a 50:50 mix of Isomalt (a type of refined sugar) and white sugar. It’s not imperative to use Isomalt but the springs will last longer if you do. Sprinkle about 100g of the sugars over the base of a hot sauce pan, gently bring the sugar to a golden caramel, then immediately pour onto a silicone mat to cool.

When the caramel has cooled enough that you  can lift the edges, use the silicone mat to fold the edges into the centre to evenly cool the caramel  and form it into a workable shape. When the caramel is cool enough that it is just about touchable but is still soft enough to work with, pull a strand and immediately start to roll it around a metal pole or around a knife sharpening steel. This process is fiddly and takes practice but once mastered adds a touch of class and is worth persevering with. If the caramel cools too much, pop it in an oven to soften and repeat the process above.

When ready to serve, portion the caramel parfait and roll in a little chopped popcorn, and place on the plate with the warm fondant, a drizzle of melted chocolate and some caramel popcorn, finish with a little Maldon sea salt or rock salt and your caramel springs. Serve immediately.

Executive Chef Owner Phil Fanning

“Michelin star Chef Phil Fanning is one of the bright young things in the British food scene, he began cooking at an early age and even made an appearance on Junior Masterchef as a finalist in 1997.  His style is distinctly contemporary, without falling into the trap of being modern for the sake of being modern. He tempers his classical French roots with far-reaching ingredients and an eye for theatrical mischief. ” – Great British Chefs

 

The Restaurant – Paris House, Woburn Park, London Road, Woburn, Milton Keynes, MK17 9QP | 01525 290692 | www.parishouse.co.uk

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