Banana and caramelised white chocolate

In a bowl, combine the icing sugar, ground hazelnut, and flour.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to form a meringue. Gradually add the caster sugar, little by little, until you have a firm, glossy meringue.

Fold in the dry ingredients gently with a spatula, taking care not to deflate the meringue. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe circles (20 cm diameter) onto a sheet of baking paper or a silicone mat.

Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top and bake at 170 °C (340 °F) for 15–20 minutes, or until golden and dry. Allow to cool completely.

Caramelise the bananas: In a pan, melt 30 g of caster sugar until it turns into a light caramel. Add the chopped bananas, caramelise both sides, then deglaze with rum. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a bowl, cream together the brown sugar, honey, and butter until soft and smooth. Add the eggs, mix well, then incorporate the caramelised bananas.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt, and gently fold into the banana mixture until homogeneous.

Pour the batter into an 18 cm cake ring or pan and bake at 170 °C (340 °F) for 10–15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Once cooled, trim if necessary. This will be the first layer of your entremet. Place it inside an 18 cm ring lined with acetate to prevent sticking.

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and pectin. Add the bananas and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes.

Pour the compote over the banana sponge layer and freeze until firm. Once frozen, spread a thin layer of dulce de leche on top.

Hydrate the gelatine leaves in cold water. Once it is hydrated, squeeze the water from the leaves and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Heat the milk in a saucepan, then slowly pour it over the yolks while whisking continuously. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook gently to 85 °C (185 °F) to make an Anglaise cream. Remove from the heat, add the hydrated gelatine, strain through a sieve, and pour over the chocolate. Emulsify until smooth, then let it cool to 22 °C (72 °F).

Whip the cream to soft peaks and gently fold it into the chocolate base until light and airy.

I used the Eclipse mould by Silikomart, but any similar mould will work.

Cut the dacquoise with an 18 cm ring to fit.

Pipe a layer of mousse into the mould, making sure to cover all the sides. Unmold the frozen insert (sponge + compote + dulce de leche) and place it in the middle, pressing slightly so the mousse surrounds it completely.

Finish with the dacquoise base, cover with the remaining mousse, and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Hydrate the gelatine with cold water for 5 minutes, and squeeze any excess water. Leave aside.

In a saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil except the gelatine and chocolate. Remove from the heat, add the hydrated gelatine, and pour over the milk chocolate.

Using a hand blender, blend until smooth and glossy, avoiding incorporating air.

Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours before use.

Warm the glaze to 28–30 °C (82–86 °F) and pour it over the frozen entremet.

Decorate as desired and allow to defrost for about 2 hours before serving.