Chocolate mousse log with caramelised pears

Oh! This is really a delicious recipe! It needs time and patience (especially when, like me, you are not so familiar to such kind of recipes) but, as we know, the most interesting things in life need time... In the end, though, you end up with this light, airy and delicious dessert to accompany your tea or coffee or to serve after a special meal 

Recipe of Stelios Parliaros,
a prominent Head Confectioner

"Gastronomos" magazine of "KATHIMERINI" newspaper (2008)

Ingredients (for 12-15 portions)

For the base:

3 egg yolks
75gr. of all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa, sifted
4 eggs whites (120gr.)
90gr. of granulated sugar

For the pears:
50gr. of granulated sugar
600gr. (net weight) of pears of your choice, peeled and cut in cubes (you'll need about 800gr.-1Kg of pears)
1 vanilla pod, scored in the middle

For the syrup:
140ml of water
100gr. of granulated sugar
30ml of pear (or other) liqueur

For the mousse:
500ml of cream (35% fat), beaten in the mixer into a thick, like yoghurt, texture
90gr. of granulated sugar
50ml of water
4 egg yolks
1 egg
220gr. of dark chocolate, cut in pieces (70% of cocoa solids)

Method:

For the base:
Preheat the oven to 180°C.

In the bowl of a standing mixer beat with the whisk, in low speed, the egg whites with the sugar into a meringue. When it is firm (forming peaks when you pull up the whisk), slowly add the egg yolks and then stop beating. Add the sifted flour and the sifted cocoa and gently stir with a spatula.

Lay an oven tray of 40 X 30cm with baking paper and evenly spread the mixture on it. Put in the oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes. Leave aside to cool.

For the syrup:
Put the water and the sugar in a saucepan and boil on medium heat for 1 minutes. Take off the heat, leave the syrup to cool down and mix in the liqueur.

For the pears:
Put some of the sugar in a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat and when it is caramelised add some more sugar in. Continue in the same way until all the sugar is used up -in the end the sugar should become a dark caramel (be careful no to let it go black).

In the meantime, put the pear cubes in a bowl and lightly warm them up in the oven or the microwave. When the caramel is ready, carefully add the pears in the frying pan along with the vanilla pod. Stir with a wooden spoon and simmer for about 8-10 until the juices are evaporated.

For the mousse:
Put the egg yolks and the whole egg into the bowl of the mixer and beat until they become frothy.

In the meantime, put the sugar and the water in a saucepan and boil in medium heat until the syrup temperature reaches the 118°C (a confectionery thermometer will be needed).

Then slowly add the syrup in the mixer with the eggs while continuing the beating until the mixture's temperature reduces and the mixture is thickening.

Put the chocolate pieces in a bowl and melt for a few seconds in the microwave (or using the "bain marie" method). When the chocolate's temperature is down to 45°C add it into the eggs/syrup mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon, add the thick cream and stir again. Leave the mousse in the fridge for a while until it is firm.

To assemble:
Carefully peel the baking paper off the spongy base. Drizzle the base with the syrup. Spread the 3/4 of the mousse on the surface and scatter on top the caramelised pears.

Carefully fold into a roll and leave the log in the fridge to set and chill well. Using a palette knife cover the entire surface of the log with the rest of the mousse creating pleats as you go along.