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An eggcellent way to celebrate Easter

Chocolate egg panna cotta dish atop green grass.Are you planning an intimate Easter feast with friends or family? Show off your culinary skills with this eggcellent dish, featuring a chocolate egg filled with zesty panna cotta, meringues, macaron shells, almond rochers, rocky road and raspberries.

Le Cordon Bleu Adelaide Patisserie lecturer Paul Gillis says this recipe is perfect for those who want to be a little adventurous in the kitchen this Easter.

“It’s also an opportunity to get creative with the kids and experiment with different cooking techniques such as piping meringues,” he says.

“Eggs represent new life at Easter, so for me, celebrating by creating a chocolate egg dish with kids on their life journey brings me so much joy.”

While the recipe takes a little skill and precision, you may also pre-purchase the macarons, meringues and almond rochers from your local supermarket if you are short on time.

Chocolate egg panna cotta

Easter Egg Panna Cotta Recipe

Ingredients

  • large chocolate easter egg, halve
  •  6 mini eggs, gold dust coated
  •  4 mini chocolate eggs
  • ½ punnet fresh raspberries
  • 50g rocky road 
  • 5g popping candy 
  • 10 edible flowers 
  • 5g freeze dried raspberries 
  • 10 leaves mini edible red sorrel
  • 10 leaves micro celery
For the macaron shells
  • 92.5g pure icing sugar 
  • 92.5g blanched almond meal
  • 75g egg whites 
  • Small pinch cream of tartare 
  • 75g caster sugar 
  • Spoon tip edible food colouring
For the French meringue
  • 75g egg whites 
  • 150g caster sugar 
  • Table salt, to whisk
For the almond rochers
  • 125g slivered almonds 
  • 15ml grand marnier or Cointreau 
  • 30g pure icing sugar 
  • 140g milk chocolate 
  • 20g cocoa butter
For the panna cotta
  • 225ml cream 
  • 125ml milk 
  • ¼ vanilla bean, split in two and seeds removed 
  • ⅛ lemon zest 
  • 37.5g sugar 
  • 4g gelatine leaves, soaked in ice cold water 
  • 75ml mascarpone

Method

For the macaron shells

1. Mix icing sugar and almond meal in food processor and sieve. This is now called tant-pour-tant.
2. Whisk egg whites and cream of tartare until soft peaks form. Gradually add caster sugar in three separate additions.
3. Add food colouring.
4. Fold the tant-pour-tant through the meringue and continue folding until mixture is at correct consistency and texture. This is called ‘macaronage’.
5. Pipe as required onto baking tray lined with baking paper.
6. Tap the tray to lightly level the macarons and rest for 30 minutes to develop a crust.
7. Bake at 150°C for 12-15 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool on tray before storing in airtight container for up to one week. 

For the French meringue

1. Whisk egg whites to firm peak with a small pinch of salt.
2. Add caster sugar and whisk until meringue is shiny and the sugar has dissolved.
3. Ensure meringue is light and thick.
4. Pipe meringue onto lined baking tray, using a plain or star shaped nozzle.
5. Bake at 100-110°C until crisp and dry.
NOTE: Unused meringue can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or frozen for up to six months. 

For the almond rochers

1. Mix almonds, grand marnier and icing sugar.
2. Spread onto baking tray and roast in the oven until dry.
3. Allow to cool.
4. Temper chocolate and add tempered cocoa butter. Add cooled almonds to the chocolate.
5. Divide into 15g portions onto silicone paper.
6. Allow chocolate to set.
NOTE: Unused rochers may be placed in airtight container and stored for up to two weeks in a controlled environment of 11-18°C. 

For the panna cotta

1. Place lemon zest, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds into milk and cream.
2. Bring to simmer (do not boil), remove from stove and allow the vanilla and lemon zest to infuse.
3. Add the drained, soft gelatine leaves (use an extra leaf if required for a firmer set).
4. Strain mixture into a clean bowl and place on a bowl of ice-cold water.
5. Allow to cool but do not allow to set. There must be no lumps at all.
6. Place mascarpone into a clean bowl.
7. When milk and cream mixture is cold, carefully whisk mascarpone in to combine.
8. Place mixture into bowl of ice-cold water and stir carefully with a rubber spatula until thick. 

Assembly

1. Place halved chocolate egg in the centre of platter and fill half-way with panna cotta.
2. Leave panna cotta to set in fridge for 3-4 hours.
3. Once set, resume assembly by creatively placing mini eggs, macarons, fresh raspberries, meringue, rocky road and almond rochers on top of the panna cotta, while remaining inside the egg.
4. Garnish with edible flowers, micro celery, freeze dried raspberries, edible red sorrel and popping candy. 

Tried it and love it? Share your photos on Instagram using our official hashtag #lecordonbleuaustralia

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