Eggless Pistachio Entremet

So, I haven't blogged in a year. I won't make excuses. Simple, I have been lazy, not about cooking, but about taking pretty pictures and writing recipes.
But, after last week of back to back baking with KitchenAid's stand mixer, I am back in the game. I was selected as one of the top 50 home bakers of India by top chefs of India at KitchenAid's Probaker contest. I am sharing the entry I had sent for the competition.

Without much ado, I present- The Eggless Pistachio Entremet. Layer by layer, discover the mélange of crunchy and creamy. Pistachio cheese cake, topped with a layer of moist cocoa-pistachio brownie with creamy white chocolate-pistachio-almond-saffron mousse. Pistachio chips and saffron strands complete the delicacy. Bon Appétit! 

 Pistachio cheese cake

What you need

10-12 digestive biscuits / graham crackers / Oreo cookies

2-3 tbsp melted butter

1 cup Philadelphia cream cheese

1/3 cup whipped cream

1 tsp Solar vegetarian gelatin in warm water (Optional. Use for firmer cheese cake)

1tsp lemon juice

1/3 cup fine sugar

2 tbsp grounded pistachio-almonds

Method

1.       Churn the biscuits with melted butter in a mixer-grinder. Make a layer on a springform cake tin. Set it on a serving plate, using a dessert ring or ramekins/glasses. Grease the bottom of the tin. In case of the ring, grease the inside of the ring. Refrigerate till firm.

2.       Beat the cream till it forms soft peaks. Keep it aside.

3.       Beat the cream cheese till smooth. Add lemon juice and sugar. Beat till they are mixed well. At this stage, add vegetarian gelatin if using.

4.       Add whipped cream to the cheese mixture and beat till they are mixed well.

5.       Fold the grounded pistachio-almonds in the mixture.

6.       Make a layer of the prepared mixture on the refrigerated biscuit layer.

7.       Refrigerate until set.

Brownie

What you need

1 cup all purpose flour / maida

½ cup cocoa powder

¾ cup castor sugar

½ tsp baking soda

2 pinch salt

1 cup thick buttermilk

1 cup melted butter / vegetable oil

1 tsp instant coffee powder mixed with 2 tsp hot water

1 tsp vanilla essence

3-4 tbsp chopped pistachio

Method

1.       Sieve maida, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt 3-4 times till mixed well.

2.       Add castor sugar and mix well.

3.       Line a square / round springform tin or regular tin for baking.

4.       In another bowl, add butter milk, melted butter /oil, coffee powder mixed with hot water and vanilla essence. Mix well with a whisk.

5.       Now add this to the sieved dry ingredients and mix gently with a whisk till no lumps remain.

6.       Fold in the chopped pistachio

7.       Bake in a pre-heated oven in the prepared tin for about 20-25 minutes or till the toothpick comes out clean at 180 degree celcius.

8.       Let it cool.

Pistachio-almond-saffron mousse

What you need

1cup white chocolate truffle

½ cup icing sugar

1 cup whipped cream

3 tbsp Grounded pistachio-almond

Few strands of saffron

Method

1.       To make white chocolate truffle, chop 1.5 cups white chocolate finely.

2.       Heat ¾ cup Amul fresh cream till it starts boiling.

3.       Add the cream to the chocolate and whisk till you get a smooth mixture. Allow to cool.

4.       Once the truffle is cool, add the icing sugar and beat till no lumps remain.

5.       Fold in the whipped cream.

6.       Now fold the ground nuts and saffron.

 For assembly

What you need

1.       Pistachio cheese cake

2.       Brownie

3.       Pistachio-almond-saffron mousse

4.       Sliced pistachio & saffron strands for garnishing

Method:

1.       Take a cookie cutter and cut the brownies in the same size as the dessert ring.

2.       Remove the cheese cake from the refrigerator. Place a layer of brownie on to the cheese cake layer.

3.       Now pipe the mousse using a piping bag on the brownie layer and put in the refrigerator to set.

4.       It should set in about 2-3 hours.

5.       Garnish with sliced nuts and saffron.

Your Pistachio Entremet is ready to be served.