Baked Chocolate and Earl Grey Mousse with Cardamom Pears and Salted Hazelnut Crumble

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F. Lightly grease 6 medium ramekins with a little of the butter.

2. 2

   For the crumble, mix the chopped toasted hazelnuts, all-purpose flour, 20 g brown sugar, 1 g salt, and 25 g cold or just-soft butter in a bowl. Rub with your fingertips until uneven crumbs form.

3. 3

   Spread the crumble on a small tray and bake at 190 °C / 375 °F for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Set aside.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, make the pears: melt 15 g butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced pears, 50 g brown sugar, and ground cardamom. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the pears are tender but not falling apart and the juices look glossy. Keep warm.

5. 5

   Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until just steaming, not boiling. Remove from the heat, add the Earl Grey tea, and let steep for 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Strain the infused cream over the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Add the remaining 15 g butter and stir until smooth and glossy. Mix in the egg yolks one at a time, then add the vanilla extract.

7. 7

   In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until the whites reach medium peaks that are glossy and flexible.

8. 8

   Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold in the rest, trying not to knock out too much air.

9. 9

   Divide the mixture among the prepared ramekins, filling them about three-quarters full. Place them on a tray and bake at 190 °C / 375 °F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble.

10. 10

    Let rest for 2 minutes. Serve each warm baked mousse with a spoonful of cardamom pears and a generous sprinkle of salted hazelnut crumble on top.