Featured Chefs
Laurent Branlard

Nominated as one of the ten Best Pastry Chefs in America by Pastry Art & Design and Chocolatier Magazines, Laurent Branlard is an accomplished professional with a great competitive spirit and passion for his art. He grew up in the Burgundy region of France, surrounded by cuisine and parents who both enjoyed cooking. At an early age, he knew he wanted to become a chef. He trained in Paris and spent the early part of his career at various establishments in the city.

At 21, he became involved in pastry competitions, leading him to gold place victories at the 2000 and 2001 National and World Pastry Team Championships. Since 2004, he has dedicated his time to coaching the USA Team at other competitions. He is presently the Executive Pastry Chef of the Swan & Dolphin Hotels in Orlando where he oversees ten restaurants and keeps the menus updated on a seasonal basis. 

Laurent is a chocolate fanatic, Felchlin-Swiss Maracaibo 65% being his personal favorite. He describes it as flavorful, refined and elegant. He also enjoys working with fruit, and especially Florida citrus.

Chef Branlard's Recipe:
Sugar Free Coffee Milk Chocolate Pecan Cake

Coffee Crémeux
180 g / 6.3 oz #99953 Maltitol Sugar Substitute
720 g / 25.2 oz Heavy cream
80 g / 2.8 oz Coffee beans
2 each #90071 Vanilla beans
240 g / 8.4 oz Egg yolks
6 g / .21 oz Gelatin
0.5 g / .17 oz Salt

Coffee Milk Chocolate Mousse
600 g / 21 oz Water
120 g / 4.2 oz Coffee, Blue Mountain
320 g / 11.2 oz Infusion
80 g / 2.8 oz #99953 Maltitol
224 g / 7.84 oz Egg yolks
7 g / .24 oz Gelatin
400 g / 14 oz #31108 Felchlin-Swiss Sugar Free Milk Chocolate / Lacta
700 g / 24.5 oz Whipped Cream
100 g / 3.5 oz Italian Meringue 50/50

Pecan Dacquoise
375 g / 13.12 oz Egg whites
240 g / 8.4 oz #99953 Maltitol
100 g / 3.5 oz #90350 Almond flour
350 g / 12.25 oz Pecan flour
8 g / .28 oz Egg white powder

Caramelized Pecan
250 g / 8.75 oz #99953 Maltitol
75 g / 2.62 oz Water
500 g / 17.5 oz Pecans
1 g / .04 oz Salt
50 g / 1.75 oz #31300 Felchlin-Swiss Cocoa butter

Preparation
Coffee Crémeux
Infuse crushed coffee beans into the cream then strain. Bring cream to a boil and cook the Crème Anglaise with the yolks, then add the gelatin. Cool the mixture down a little and pour into a fleximold shape to insert in the cake.

Coffee Milk Chocolate Mousse
Infuse the coffee 15 minutes then weigh the infusion and make the Crème Anglaise. Pour over the milk chocolate and whip in mixer until cold. Heat a small quantity of this mix in the microwave and add the gelatin to it. Fold in the Coffee Crémeux mix, whipped cream and Italian meringue (cook Maltitol to 250° F and make meringue from equal parts egg white and Maltitol).

Pecan Dacquoise
Whip egg white with Maltitol and egg white powder, then add mixed nut flours. Pipe on sheet pan then bake at 350° F in a convection oven.

Caramelized Pecan
Make a syrup with Maltitol and water, then coat the pecans with it. Toast them well in the oven. Take them out and toss with the cocoa butter and salt.

Setting
Assemble Coffee Crémeux over Dacquoise, finish with Coffee Mousse and pecans. Make a milk chocolate spray with an equal part of cocoa butter and spray the cakes.

© Copyright 2008 SCFF, LLC (trading as Swiss Chalet Fine Foods)