Pastry techniques and tips chocolate

• To keep the dough crispy, avoid kneading the dough so as not to develop the gluten that would give it too much elasticity.
• Rest time before use: at least two hours in the refrigerator. 
• Cooking temperature: 150°C in a fan-assisted oven, for about 20 minutes, to achieve optimal cooking.
  A hotter oven would burn the dough on the outside without cooking it through. 

• In order to obtain an ideal texture, taste and development, let the dough rest in the refrigerator for a few hours before cooking.
• Pour this dough into a tin lined with greaseproof paper. Then, using a knife dipped in melted butter, cut a slit down the cake lengthways to help it rise in the oven. 
• The cooking temperature should never exceed 160°C in a fan-assisted oven. That way, the cake will be cooked through and not burnt on the outside. Check the cake is done by sliding in the blade of a knife – it should come out dry.

• Melt the chocolate at 45°C and add the grape seed oil. Mix well.
  For example: for 200g of chocolate, add 20g of grape seed oil, i.e. 10% of the weight of the chocolate.
• When using this glaze, make sure the temperature is between 35 and 40°C.
• Then pour the mixture onto a frozen product so that it freezes immediately. 

The starting process is identical to that of traditional ganache: 

• Blend using a hand blender and gradually add cold cream.
  Leave to set in the refrigerator for a few hours, ideally overnight
• Before using it, beat the ganache until it has a frothy whipped cream texture
• Be careful not to overwhip it to avoid giving it a greasy mouthfeel. 

• Heat the whipping cream with the honey.
• Pour a third of the hot mixture onto the melted chocolate, stirring vigorously with a spatula. This will give it a shiny, elastic centre – a sign that you are starting to make an emulsion.
• Continue by gradually adding in the remaining hot cream.
• Mix using a hand blender to make a perfect emulsion. 

• Make a basic ganache with milk or cream.
• The egg whites or cream must be whipped until they become “frothy”, i.e. not too firm in order to retain maximum air and
  lightness.
• Mix gently to preserve the air inside the egg whites or cream.
• To obtain the ideal texture and taste, leave the mousse to set for several hours in the refrigerator (ideally overnight) before serving. 

• In the microwave: set the microwave to 650 W for dark chocolates and 450 W for milk, blond and white chocolates. Stir every minute until the chocolate melts fully.
• In a bain-marie: Bring the water to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat. Place the bowl containing the chocolate on the pan and stir until the fèves have completely melted.
• In the oven: set the fan-assisted oven to 40°C and let the chocolate melt.
• Never add water or any other liquid. 

Milk chocolates: Maximum melting temperature 50°C
Dark chocolates: Maximum melting temperature 60°C

Tempering using the seeding method:

• Melt two thirds of the chocolate at 50-55°C for dark chocolates and at 45-50°C for milk chocolates.
• Then add the remaining unmelted third.
• Start mixing by hand, then using a hand blender.
• Wait until the temperature reaches 31-32°C for dark chocolates and 28-30°C for milk chocolates. The chocolate is now
  tempered and ready to use.