Veal Fillet in Cocoa Crust
Tender veal fillet enveloped in a crispy cocoa crust, delicately fermented with fresh Parisian yeast and a touch of mineral water to achieve a unique texture.
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredientes

  • 720 gbeef tenderloin in one piece

For the Crust

  • 10 gfresh yeast from Paris
  • 300 mlmineral water
  • 500 gbread flour (not the pastry kind)
  • 30 gcocoa powder 100% cocoa
  • 10 gsalt
  • 1 teaspoonsugar

For the Chocolate sauce

  • 1 tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
  • 2 onions
  • 20 gbutter
  • 1 cupmeat sealing juice
  • 3 70% chocolate chips
Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Approx.)

Calories
1129 kcal
Protein
51 g
Fat
35 g
Carbohydrates
151 g

Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.

Step-by-step Guide

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 180 ºC for about 10 minutes to ensure it reaches the proper temperature.
  • In a bowl, mix the crumbled yeast with the warm water until it is well dissolved.
  • Add the flour to the yeast and water mixture, and stir until well combined. Add the salt, cocoa powder, and sugar, and mix until you achieve a homogeneous dough.
  • Knead the dough by hand for 15 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest in a bowl covered with a cloth. Allow it to rest for 1 and a half hours in a warm place to ferment.
  • In a paella pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it is very hot.
  • Season the meat filet with salt and pepper and sear it in the pan over high heat, turning it to brown evenly on all sides.
  • Remove the filet from the pan and place it on absorbent paper to eliminate excess oil.
  • Finely chop the onion using a food processor.
  • In the same pan, add the butter and let it melt with the meat juices. Sauté the chopped onion for a few minutes. Add water if necessary to reach the required amount for cooking. Let it cook on low heat for a few more minutes.
  • Add the chocolate to the pan and let it cook on low heat until the sauce reduces, adjusting the time to match the remaining cooking time for the meat.
  • Roll out the dough on a floured countertop to prevent sticking and use a rolling pin to achieve a uniform 2 cm thick sheet.
  • Place the cold meat cut in the center of the dough sheet and wrap it completely. Remove any excess dough if necessary.
  • Make shallow cuts on the dough with the tip of a knife to allow ventilation during baking.
  • Bake the meat parcel at 180 ºC for 35 minutes, until the dough is golden and crispy.
  • Let the cake rest for 15 minutes before cutting it to ensure the juices redistribute.
  • Serve the sliced cake with chocolate sauce drizzled on top before serving.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C before starting to prepare the cocoa bread to ensure even baking.
  • When preparing the crust dough, fully dissolve the fresh Paris yeast in the 300 ml of warm water to better activate the ferment.
  • Use a high-quality bread flour to achieve the proper texture in the cocoa bread, avoiding pastry flour which lacks the necessary strength.
  • Mix the cocoa powder with the flour before adding liquids to ensure the cocoa is evenly distributed in the dough.
  • Let the crust dough rest for at least 1 hour in a warm, draft-free place to allow it to double in volume thanks to the yeast.
  • Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until achieving a layer about 5 mm thick to ensure it completely covers the beef filet.
  • Place the beef filet in the center of the rolled-out dough and seal the ends well to prevent juices from escaping during baking.
  • Bake the wrapped filet for 20-25 minutes without opening the oven until the crust is golden brown and crispy.