White Chocolate Black Pepper
Mousse Napoleons
Chocolatier Archives

“Tropica -- the very name of this New York City restaurant conjures an image
of laid-back splendor. The interior design, in the style of a Key West Manor
House, is seductive, dreamy. But there's no denying the excitement -- the
restaurant is located in New York City's racing heart, at Grand Central
Station, and executive chef Fred Sabo's cuisine is surprising at every turn,
with both Asian and American Southwest influences and with rare seafoods
as the centerpiece. Likewise this dessert, created by Remy Deyglun: the light,
 fresh unexpected flavors of ginger and sesame are combined with sweet,
sublime white chocolate mousse, enlivened with the spark of black pepper
and the smooth sweetness of apricot purée. Relax and enjoy the excitement.”

Yield: 4 servings
Preparation: 2 1/2 hours plus baking and chilling times

Apricot compote:
8 ounces dried apricots
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup orange liqueur, such as
Cointreau or Grand Marnier

Ginger-sesame tuiles:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ground ginger
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks)
unsalted butter, cut into
tablespoons
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup honey

White chocolate black pepper mousse:
7 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
5 tablespoons water, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

Make the apricot compote:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the apricots, water, sugar and orange liqueur. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until
the sugar dissolves . Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat to
medium-low and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Remove the pan
from the heat and allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Remove 12 whole
apricots from the compote and set them aside for garnish. Pour the
remaining compote into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the
metal blade. Process the mixture for 30 to 45 seconds, until smooth.
Transfer the purée to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready
to use.

Make the ginger-sesame tuiles:
2. In a small bowl place the flour, sesame seeds and ginger. Using a whisk, gently stir the dry mixture until combined.
3. In a medium saucepan combine the butter, sugar and honey. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is
melted, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a 4 1/2-quart bowl
of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. At low
speed, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the butter-honey mixture.
Scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue to mix
the batter at low speed until just warm, about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl
and allow the batter to sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
4. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Drop two 1 teaspoon-
size balls of the batter onto the sheet, 6 inches apart (begin by baking
only 2 tuiles at a time, to get an idea of how they will spread in your
oven). Bake the tuiles for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden brown. Allow
the tuiles to cool for 3 to 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully
transfer them with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. Continue
this baking process, respraying the baking sheet as necessary, until all
the batter is used.

Make the white chocolate black pepper mousse:
5. Melt the white chocolate according to the directions in the Chocolate
Key. Set aside to cool.
6. In a chilled 4 1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, using the
wire whip attachment, whip the cream until it just begins to mound.
Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
7. Place 3 tablespoons of the cold water in a small, heatproof cup. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it stand for 5 minutes to soften.
8. Place the cup with the softened gelatin in a saucepan with enough water
to come halfway up the side of the cup. Heat the gelatin mixture over
hot, not simmering, water. Stir the gelatin frequently until it dissolves
completely and the mixture is clear, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove
the pan from the heat and set aside.
9. In a 4 1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, place the egg yolks, orange liqueur, the remaining 2 tablespoons of water, the black pepper
and the sugar. Place the bowl over a pot of hot water. The bottom of
the bowl must touch the water. Cook over medium heat, whisking
constantly for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the yolk mixture is light and
fluffy and has reached 140 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer.
Place the bowl on the mixer stand and, with the wire whip attachment
in place, beat the mixture at medium-high speed until it is thick and cool,
about 5 minutes.
10. At low speed, beat in the dissolved gelatin mixture just until combined. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the cooled white chocolate into the
mixture. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the mixture to lighten
it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Cover the mousse with plastic
wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until firm enough to pipe.

Assemble the dessert:
11. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip (such as Ateco #5) with
the mousse. Place a ginger-sesame tuile on a dessert plate. Pipe some
of the mousse onto the tuile. Top with a second tuile. Repeat the
layering process, until you have used 4 tuiles. Sprinkle the top tuile
with confectioners' sugar. Place 3 of the reserved apricots around the
dessert and drizzle with apricot purée as desired. Repeat with the re-
maining tuiles and mousse to make 4 servings.

Tropica
Met-Life Building Concourse
(between 45th St. and Vanderbilt Ave.)
200 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10166
(212) 867-6767
 

Page 1, Gigi's Napoleons
Page 2, White Chocolate
Mocha Napoleons
 

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