Hi everyone! I’m continuing the challenges of the baking show “Le Meilleur Pâtissier”. The theme of the week was Strawberries and Cream. So I’ve decided to try the famous association between Strawberries and Pistachios in this Pie. Because the flavors are classic, I tried to make a more original look ? The pie is made up of a Sweet Crust, some Pistachio Cream, Strawberry Coulis, Whipped Strawberry Ganache Dome and Whipped Pistachio Ganache. It’s decorated with Fresh Strawberries, Some Pistachios and Pistachio Praline dots.
Organisation:
D-2: Make the Strawberry Ganache + Make the Strawberry Coulis (you can also make it at D-1) + Pistachio Praline (also possible at D-1 or a few days ahead)
D-1: Whip the Strawberry Ganache and Fill the molds + Make the Pistachio Ganache + Make the Sweet Crust
D-Day: Make the Pistachio Cream + Roll the Crust + Cook the pie + Whip the Pistachio Ganache + Assemble
For a 20x20x2cm Pie:
Sweet Crust:
- 200g of flour
- 100g of sugar (icing or granulated)
- 100g of butter
- 24g of pistachio powder (optional)
- 40g of eggs (= a small egg)
- 1 pinch of salt
Pistachio Cream:
- 40g of butter
- 40g of sugar
- 40g of eggs
- 40g of pistachios
Strawberry Coulis:
- 200g of strawberries
- 50g of sugar
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
Pistachio Ganache:
- 250g of full liquid cream
- 125g of white chocolate
- 3g of powdered gelatin (or sheets)
- 40g of pistachio paste (= mixed pistachios)
Strawberry Ganache:
- 100g of full liquid cream
- 50g of white chocolate
- 1,6g of powdered gelatin (or sheets)
- 50g of strawberry coulis (= mixed strawberries)
Pistachio Praline:
- 50g of pistachios
- 25g of sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
Decoration:
- Some strawberries
- Some pistachios
We’ll start with the strawberry ganache:
1. Hydrate the gelatin in 6 times its weight in cold water. Let it sit for 10min.
2. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (or microwave).
3. Mix some strawberries until you get 50g of coulis. Bring the coulis to boil with half of the liquid cream (50g).
4. Pour the hot cream in 3 times over the chocolate. Mix.
5. Add the hydrated gelatin and the other half of cold liquid cream (50g).
6. Wrap with cling film (it must touch the surface).
The next day:
1. Whip the ganache at medium speed until it forms very soft peaks. The ganache must not be too firm.
2. Spread the ganache into 7 half-sphere molds of 5cm diameter. Freeze overnight.
For the pistachio ganache:
1. Hydrate the gelatin.
2. Mix the pistachios for a couple of minutes until you get a smooth paste. It doesn’t have to be very liquid. You can also buy your pistachio paste.
3. Melt the chocolate.
4. Bring to boil half of the cream (125g).
5. Pour it in 3 times over the chocolate. Mix.
6. Add the hydrated gelatin, the pistachio paste and the other half of cold cream (125g).
7. Mix the ganache with a hand blender so the pistachio paste is perfectly incorporated.
8. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
For the strawberry coulis:
1. In a pan, place the strawberries cut into small pieces, the lemon juice and the sugar.
2. Cook over medium heat for at least 20min. Stir regularly. The consistency must be slightly more liquid than jam.
3. Store in a jar until use.
For the pistachio praline:
1. Roast the pistachios in a 150°C/302°F preheated oven for ~15min. The pistachios must be golden.
2. Place the sugar in a pan and let it slowly caramelize at low heat. You can stir with a wooden spatula at the spots where the sugar has already caramelized.
3. Once the sugar has a golden color, pour it over a silicone mat (or greased tray). Let it cool down.
4. Mix the roasted pistachios with the caramel pieces until you have a smooth and very liquid praline. You need to mix for a long time so if your food-processor is not very powerful, take a break halfway through and then continue.
5. Add the salt and store in a jar until use.
For the sweet crust:
1. Cream the softened butter with the sugar. You must take the butter out of the fridge at least 1h30 before starting. You can use the flat beater of a stand mixer or a spatula.
2. Add the eggs and the pistachio powder (optional) and mix.
3. Finish off by adding the flour and the salt. Mix until the flour is incorporated, not more.
4. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate at least 1h. (I prefer to make it a day ahead because it is then easier to use).
For the pistachio cream:
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C/347°F fan-assisted.
2. Cream the softened butter with the sugar. Add the eggs and pistachio powder.
3. Take the dough out of the fridge. Roll 2/3 of the dough between two parchment papers to a 3mm thickness. Cut a 20x20cm square with your pie mold.
4. Take the scraps and refrigerate the crust square until use.
5. Spread the rest of the crust into a 3mm thick rectangle. You have to cut strips of 20×2,5-3cm. I like to cut the stripes a little bit wider and then remove the excess. You’ll need 4 strips. I’ve personally divided the crust I had left into 4 and then rolled out each strip individually.
6. Freeze the strips for 10min so they become easier to manipulate.
7. Place the square crust on your baking tray covered with baking paper. Keep the mold around.
8. Add each strip of crust inside the mold and make sure that it’s perfectly welded to the bottom. Cut the surplus with a knife.
9. Spread the pistachio cream and cook for 15-20min. The cream and the crust should have a nice golden color.
10. Let it cool down before unmolding.
It’s time to assemble!
1. Whip the pistachio ganache at medium-speed until it forms firm peaks. This time the ganache must hold tightly to the whisk.
2. Fill a pastry bag fitted with an open-star tip with the ganache. If you feel that the ganache is a bit hard to pipe, refrigerate it 1h.
3. Spread the coulis over the (cold) pie.
4. Unmold the strawberry spheres and place them over the pie as on the picture.
5. Pipe the pistachio ganache.
6. Decorate with some fresh strawberry slices and some pistachios. I haven’t roasted the pistachios to keep this beautiful green color.
7. Fill a pastry bag with pistachio praline and add some dots over the pie.
Your Strawberry and Pistachio Pie is ready! Refrigerate the pie for 2h so the strawberry ganache can thaw in the fridge.
Please feel free to ask all your questions in the comment section and don’t forget to send me pictures of your realisation on my email address: partage@justonemorecake.com or send me a DM on my Instagram account: blog_justonemorecake, I will post them at the end of the post
