Ingredients

Method

For the crème patissierie
• 2 vanilla pods
• 1 litre milk
• 3 eggs
• 250 g sugar
• 75 g cornflour
For the mousse
• 1 kg crème patissierie, at room temperature
• 12 gelatine leaves or 40g gelatine powder
• 200 ml vodka
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1.2 kg white couverture chocolate, at room temperature
• 200 g pistachio nuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
• 1.5 litres fresh cream, semi-whipped
• 1 ready-made sponge, sliced
For the ganache
• 500 ml cream
• 500 g dark couverture chocolate, chopped
• 100 ml glucose

Method

Ingredients

To make the crème patissierie:
Gently heat the milk and vanilla pods until the mixture just starts to boil. Remove from the heat.
Mix together the eggs, sugar and cornfl our. Use the hot and cold method by whisking the hot milk into the egg mixture.
Bring to the boil again, while whisking continuously until thickened. Allow to cool.
To make the mousse:
Whisk the crème patissierie until smooth. Sponge the gelatine with a little bit of cold water.
Gently heat the gelatine to dissolve, then add the vodka and bring to the boil with the red chillies.
Fold this mixture into the crème patissierie. Fold in the white chocolate, then the pistachio nuts, and lastly the semi-whipped cream.
Pour into the desired mould with a white sponge as your base and freeze olid.
To make the ganache:
Bring the cream to the boil. Remove it from the stove and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Add the glucose.
To serve: Cover the frozen cake with the ganache and decorate as desired. Nicolas' take: “I love the combination of white chocolate, green pistachio nuts, red chillis and vodka for Christmas. I chose a chocolate basket with chocolate roses and sugared chillis as decoration that can be removed when the cake is cut.”
Cook’s tip: This crème patisserie makes slightly more
than the 1kg needed. The extra can be used to make a small milk tart or vanilla sauce.
Cook's note: Couverture chocolate is used by chocolatiers, and contains at least 32% cocoa butter. It makes the chocolate melt smoothly and gives it a glossy shine, and it allows chefs to create thinner coatings of chocolate.  Anything over 70% dark chocolate will work just as well. If you cannot find it at Woolworths, try The Chocolate Den or Bravissimo Chocolatier in Cape Town, +27 21 461 6505