There are desserts you whip up on a whim. This isn’t one of them. A Pistachio Praline Entremet takes planning, patience, and a cool head in the kitchen. But if you’ve ever stood in front of a bakery window admiring a glossy, domed pastry that looked too delicate to touch—this is your chance to make it at home.
In this post, I’ll walk you through each layer: crisp biscuit base, dark chocolate sponge, pistachio mousse, ganache core, and that mirror glaze that catches light like tempered glass.
What You’ll Learn and Why It’s Worth It
By the end, you’ll know how to build structure with mousse, temper ganache with care, and pull off a chocolate mirror glaze that doesn’t streak or dull. You’ll also see how a single nut the pistachio can carry a dessert with both subtlety and power.
This recipe isn’t just a technical challenge. It’s a story of balance. Each bite shifts between soft and crisp, bitter and sweet, light and rich. That contrast is what keeps the fork moving back.
Understanding the Ingredients Before You Begin
The pistachio mousse starts as a custard, stabilized with gelatin and finished with softly whipped cream. Use a pure pistachio paste—the kind made with just nuts and no sugar. That alone will give you depth that no extract can touch.
For the ganache, I prefer a 70% dark chocolate. It firms beautifully once chilled but still cuts cleanly under a spoon. The chocolate sponge uses almond flour for richness and egg whites for lift, while the base relies on crushed biscuits for an easy contrast in texture.
Here’s where I always pause in my notes: if you’re tempted to use compound chocolate or sweetened pistachio spread, don’t. You’ll lose the clean bitterness of cocoa and the natural oils of the nuts.
If you want more inspiration for chocolate-pistachio balance, my Pistachio Chocolate Truffles are worth a look.
Whipping the Pistachio Mousse and Assembling the Core
Start by heating your milk and tempering the egg yolks gradually. Take your time as you stir it back over heat until the custard reaches 82°C. Stir in the bloomed gelatin, pistachio paste, and a touch of coloring if desired. Cool to room temperature before folding in whipped cream.
You want a mousse that holds its shape in a mold without losing its delicacy. Pour into silicone molds about two-thirds full and freeze briefly before adding the ganache.
This stage always reminds me of my first entremet attempt I rushed the mousse and ended up with air pockets and an uneven finish. Since then, I let it settle before freezing, and the results have been consistently smooth.
Inserting the Ganache and Adding the Chocolate Sponge
Ganache needs to be just thick enough to spoon, not pipe. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate, stir gently, then add butter for a silkier set. Spoon it carefully over the mousse so it forms a flat disc.
Freeze again. Once solid, press in your pre-baked sponge layer. The sponge should be firm but springy. If you overbake it, it won’t bond properly with the ganache.
I use the same sponge in my Pistachio Chocolate Lava Cakes for structure. It works just as well here.
Finishing the Base and Freezing Overnight
The biscuit base takes no more than five minutes. Melted butter and crushed digestive biscuits, pressed into discs the same size as your molds. A pinch of salt makes a difference here it rounds out the sweetness.
Press the base onto the sponge, then return to the freezer. I leave mine overnight so everything sets evenly.
For a more summery approach to pistachio crusts, see my Pistachio Tart where the base plays a larger role.
Glazing the Entremets with Chocolate Mirror Glaze
This part scares most people the first time. But it doesn’t need to. Prepare the glaze slowly. Heat sugar, water, and condensed milk. Stir in the gelatin. Then add chopped dark chocolate and let it sit before blending.
An immersion blender gives the cleanest results just keep the head submerged to avoid bubbles. Wait until the glaze cools to about 34°C, then pour in one motion. Let it drip cleanly.
I’ve had my share of streaky glazes. They almost always happen from rushing or pouring too early. Patience wins here.
If glazing is your favorite part, you might enjoy the process in my Pistachio Ganache Truffles where coating plays a similar visual role.
Garnish, Store, and Serve With Confidence
Top each dome with a whole pistachio or two. Edible gold leaf adds something extra if you’re gifting or serving for an event. The glaze sets fast, so garnish right away.
Keep the finished entremets chilled until ready to serve. They hold well in the fridge for up to three days. For a neater cut, use a knife dipped in hot water.
If you’re interested in more plated options using mousse, check out my Pistachio Mousse Tarts. The approach is simpler, but the results are just as elegant.
Choosing Between Pistachio Paste and Pistachio Butter
I’ve tested both, and while pistachio butter offers a looser consistency, it adds unnecessary oil. Pistachio paste—the kind made from pure roasted nuts—offers flavor without compromising the mousse structure.
In my notes, I saw a clear difference in texture. The paste held up better, and the mousse stayed cleaner and more refined. If you’re making this entremet for the first time, I’d stick with paste.
Save and Share This Recipe
This Pistachio Praline Entremet might take time, but once you slice through that mirror glaze and hit every layer, it proves itself. If you’re proud of the results, I hope you’ll leave a comment below or let others know how it went.
Pin this recipe to your Chocolate Desserts or Pistachio Desserts board and come back to it any time.
Pistachio Praline Entremet
A Pistachio Praline Entremet layers a crisp biscuit base, dark chocolate sponge, creamy pistachio mousse, and a smooth ganache center under a glossy chocolate mirror glaze. The contrast of textures and flavors makes each layer essential to the dessert’s refined finish.
Ingredients
- FOR THE PISTACHIO MOUSSE
- 200 ml heavy cream (cold, for whipping)
- 200 ml whole milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 4 g powdered gelatin (bloomed in 24 ml water)
- 100 g pure pistachio paste
- A few drops green gel food coloring (optional)
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE LAYER
- 100 g dark chocolate (70%)
- 80 ml heavy cream
- 15 g unsalted butter
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE SPONGE
- 50 g almond flour
- 50 g icing sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg white
- 10 g cocoa powder
- 20 g all-purpose flour
- 20 g melted butter
- FOR THE BISCUIT BASE
- 80 g digestive biscuits or graham crackers, crushed
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
- FOR THE MIRROR GLAZE
- 120 g sugar
- 100 ml water
- 100 g sweetened condensed milk
- 100 g dark chocolate (chopped)
- 8 g powdered gelatin (bloomed in 48 ml water)
- GARNISH
- Whole pistachios (raw or lightly toasted)
- Optional: gold leaf or edible glitter
Instructions
- MAKE THE PISTACHIO MOUSSE: Heat the milk in a saucepan until warm but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened. Gradually temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring in the warm milk while whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it reaches 82°C. Remove from heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Add the pistachio paste and optional food coloring, then mix until smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Whip the cold cream to soft peaks and gently fold it into the pistachio custard. Pipe or spoon the mousse into silicone half-sphere molds, filling each cavity about two-thirds full. Freeze for 30 to 45 minutes, until semi-set.
- INSERT GANACHE LAYER: To make the ganache, heat the cream until just steaming and pour it over the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Add the butter and stir until fully incorporated. Chill briefly until the ganache thickens slightly. Spoon a small amount of ganache over each semi-set mousse dome to form a disc-shaped layer. Return the molds to the freezer until firm.
- ADD CHOCOLATE SPONGE LAYER: To prepare the sponge, beat together the almond flour, icing sugar, and whole egg until the mixture is pale and airy. In a separate bowl, whip the egg white to soft peaks, then fold it into the egg and flour mixture. Sift in the cocoa powder and all-purpose flour and fold gently until just combined. Stir in the melted butter. Spread the batter thinly onto a parchment-lined baking tray and bake at 180°C for 10 to 12 minutes or until springy to the touch. Once cooled, cut out rounds to fit the mold cavities. Place a sponge disc on top of each ganache layer and return to the freezer until the domes are completely firm.
- ADD BISCUIT BASE: In a bowl, combine the crushed biscuits with melted butter and a pinch of salt. Mix until evenly moistened. Using a ring mold or your hands, press the mixture into thin discs about the same diameter as the sponge layers. Press one biscuit disc over the sponge layer in each mold. Freeze the assembled domes overnight to fully set.
- UNMOLD AND GLAZE: Unmold the frozen domes and place them on a wire rack set over a tray. For the mirror glaze, heat the sugar, water, and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat, add the bloomed gelatin, and stir until dissolved. Add the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes before blending with an immersion blender until smooth. Avoid creating air bubbles. Let the glaze cool to 32–35°C. Pour the glaze over the frozen domes in a single motion, ensuring complete coverage. Let excess glaze drip off.
- GARNISH: Decorate the tops of the glazed domes with whole pistachios. Optionally, add gold leaf or edible glitter for extra visual detail. Allow the glaze to fully set, then transfer the finished entremets to serving plates or a presentation board.
Notes
For clean glaze results, ensure domes are fully frozen and the glaze is within the recommended temperature range before pouring. Use high-quality pistachio paste with no added sugar for best flavor.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 815Total Fat 49gSaturated Fat 24gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 22gCholesterol 196mgSodium 243mgCarbohydrates 83gFiber 5gSugar 66gProtein 15g
