Hamdi Saidani This Kardea’s Easy Entremet is an elegant and decadent recipe, which is made with blackberry preserves and a rich pecan praline. It’s a restaurant-quality dish, ready in about 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Kardea’s Easy Entremet Recipe Ingredients
For the Cake Layers:
- One 16-ounce frozen pound cake, such as Sara Lee, thawed
For the Blackberry Mascarpone Mousse:
- 3/4 cup cold heavy cream
- 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Half an 8-ounce container mascarpone, at room temperature
- Half a 13-ounce jar blackberry preserves
For the Pecan Praline:
- 2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
For the Glaze:
- Two 12-ounce packages lavender candy melts
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable shortening
How To Make Kardea’s Easy Entremet
- Slice the Pound Cake: Using a long serrated knife, thinly slice the thawed pound cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Set aside.
- Make the Blackberry Mousse: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the room-temperature mascarpone and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, being careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the blackberry preserves. Cover and refrigerate.
- Cook the Pecan Praline: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture boils, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking and stirring for 1 minute more.
- Finish the Praline: Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Use a hand mixer on low speed to beat the mixture for about 3 minutes, until it thickens to a spreading consistency. Fold in the chopped pecans.
- Assemble the Layers: Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the sides. Place one layer of cake in the bottom. Spread the pecan praline evenly over the cake. Top with the second slice of cake. Spread the blackberry mascarpone mousse evenly over the second cake layer. Top with the final slice of cake.
- Chill or Freeze: Wrap the cake tightly with the plastic wrap overhang and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or freeze for at least 2 hours, until completely set.
- Glaze the Cake: Remove the set cake from the loaf pan, unwrap it, and place it on a wire rack set over a piece of parchment paper. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the lavender candy melts and coconut oil. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
- Set and Serve: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Let it stand for about 20 minutes, until the glaze is set. Slice and serve.
Recipe Tips
- How to slice the pound cake evenly? Using a frozen or very well-chilled pound cake makes it much easier to slice into clean, even layers. Use a long, serrated bread knife and a gentle sawing motion.
- What if I overmix the mascarpone mousse? If you beat the mascarpone for too long after it reaches stiff peaks, it can become grainy or “break.” Beat it just until it’s firm, then stop and fold in the preserves by hand.
- How to prevent the praline from scorching? Cook the praline over medium-low heat and stir frequently, especially after it begins to boil, to prevent the sugar from burning on the bottom of the pan.
- Can I make this without a stand mixer? Yes, a hand mixer works perfectly well for both the mousse and the praline.
What To Serve With This Easy Entremet
This elegant, layered cake is a complete dessert and a showstopper on its own. It pairs best with:
- A hot cup of coffee or an espresso
- A small glass of dessert wine or a cordial
- A few fresh blackberries on the side for garnish
How To Store This Entremet
- Refrigerate: Store the finished entremet in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It is best enjoyed within 3 days.
- Freeze: The unglazed cake freezes very well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before glazing and serving.
Kardea’s Easy Entremet Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 680 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 85g
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Sugar: 70g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
What is an entremet?
Traditionally, an entremet is a complex, multi-layered mousse-based cake with various complementary flavors and textures. This recipe is a brilliant “easy” version that uses a pound cake base to achieve a similar layered effect with much less effort.
Can I use a different kind of jam or preserves?
Yes, raspberry or strawberry preserves would be a delicious substitute for the blackberry preserves in the mousse layer.
Where can I find lavender candy melts?
You can typically find colored candy melts at craft stores (like Michaels), baking supply stores, or online. If you can’t find lavender, you can use white candy melts and add a drop of purple or pink food coloring.
Try More Recipes:
- Milk Chocolate and Almond Croissants Recipe
- Easy Cranberry Frangipane Tart Recipe
- Triple Orange Dessert Soup Recipe
Kardea’s Easy Entremet Recipe
Description
An elegant, multi-layered dessert featuring store-bought pound cake, a creamy blackberry mascarpone mousse, and a rich pecan praline filling, all coated in a beautiful lavender glaze.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice the pound cake into 3 thin horizontal layers.
- Make the mousse by whipping cream and sugar, then beating in mascarpone and folding in preserves.
- Make the praline by boiling brown sugar, butter, and cream, then beating in powdered sugar and folding in pecans.
- In a plastic-lined loaf pan, layer cake, then praline, then cake, then mousse, then the final cake layer.
- Freeze for at least 2 hours until firm.
- Unmold the cake and place on a wire rack.
- Melt candy melts with coconut oil and pour over the frozen cake. Let the glaze set before slicing.
Notes
- Using a frozen pound cake makes slicing the layers much easier and cleaner.
- The freezing step is crucial for the cake to set properly and for the glaze to coat it smoothly without melting.
- Be careful not to overmix the mascarpone mousse, as it can become grainy.
- When making the praline, constant stirring is important to prevent the sugar from burning.
