Golden Ratio Shell Dessert

# What You'll Need:

→ Sponge Layer

01 - ½ cup all-purpose flour

02 - ¼ cup granulated sugar

03 - 2 large eggs

04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

06 - Pinch of salt

→ Fruit Jelly Spiral

07 - ⅓ cup fresh raspberry puree

08 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

09 - 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

10 - 1 ¾ tablespoons cold water

11 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

→ Chocolate Mousse

12 - 6 oz dark chocolate (70%), chopped

13 - ⅔ cup heavy cream

14 - 2 large egg yolks

15 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Glaze

17 - 3 ½ oz white chocolate, chopped

18 - 3 tablespoons heavy cream

19 - Edible gold leaf or gold dust (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9.5 x 6.3 inch baking tray with parchment paper.

02 - Whisk eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Sift in flour and salt, fold gently. Mix in melted butter and vanilla. Spread evenly in the tray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into 8 rectangles roughly 2 x 3 inch each following the 5:8 ratio.

03 - Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and allow to bloom for 5 minutes. Heat raspberry puree and sugar until warm. Stir in bloomed gelatin and lemon juice until dissolved. Pour into a 6.3 x 6.3 inch tray lined with plastic wrap. Chill until set, then cut into spiral strips starting at 1.2 inch wide and narrowing to 0.7 inch to mimic the Golden Ratio spiral.

04 - Gently melt chocolate over a bain-marie. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Heat heavy cream until steaming, then temper yolks by whisking in some hot cream. Combine yolk mixture with melted chocolate and vanilla extract, mix well and cool slightly. Whip remaining cream to soft peaks and fold into chocolate mixture.

05 - Place one sponge rectangle as base. Pipe a mousse layer approximately 1.2 inches high. Arrange jelly spiral on top following the Golden Ratio curve. Repeat assembly for all servings.

06 - Melt white chocolate with heavy cream until smooth. Cool slightly, then pour over each dessert. Decorate with edible gold leaf or dust for an elegant finish.

07 - Refrigerate assembled desserts for at least 2 hours to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It looks like you spent hours at a pastry school, but the technique is more forgiving than you'd think—and that secret moment when you arrange the final spiral never gets old
The combination of tender sponge, silky chocolate mousse, and bright raspberry jelly creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures that makes people ask for your recipe
Once you understand the Golden Ratio construction, you can swap fruits and chocolates endlessly, making it feel like a new creation every time

02 -

The gelatin proportion is non-negotiable—I learned this by making wobbly jelly that collapsed under the mousse weight, then rock-hard jelly that required a hammer. The 4 grams for 110 milliliters is the ratio I've proven works every single time
Tempering your egg yolks is not optional, no matter how much you want to skip it. It's the difference between silky mousse and a dessert with tiny scrambled bits, and I discovered this truth the hard way
The spiral must be arranged while the mousse is still slightly firm but not completely set, ideally 15 minutes after piping—if the mousse is too soft, the spiral sinks; if it's too firm, it won't settle properly

03 -

Room temperature ingredients whip and fold better than cold ones—let your eggs, cream, and chocolate come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting, and your mousse will be silkier and incorporate more air
The offset spatula is your secret tool for spreading and folding—invest in a good one because it gives you control over every movement, and precision at this level matters
Freeze any leftover mousse separately and it becomes a chocolate mousse par excellence for serving on its own or repurposing into the next batch—nothing goes to waste when you approach the kitchen with respect