1) Melt the white chocolate

• Chop the white chocolate into small pieces.

• Melt it gently in the microwave (30-second bursts, stirring each time) or over a bain-marie.

• Stir until perfectly smooth.

2) Infuse the cream with vanilla

• Pour 110 ml heavy cream into a small saucepan.

• Add the scraped vanilla seeds plus the split vanilla pod.

• Heat just until it begins to simmer (don’t boil).

3) Emulsify with the chocolate

• Remove the vanilla pod.

• Pour one-third of the hot cream over the melted chocolate.

• Mix gently with a spatula (not a whisk).

• Add the second third, mix, then the final third, mixing until the ganache is smooth and uniform.

4) Add the cold cream

• Pour in the remaining cold heavy cream (make sure it’s well chilled).

• Stir gently to combine.

5) Chill (essential)

• Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap (touching the ganache).

• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

6) Add the mascarpone and whip

• Briefly beat the mascarpone with an electric mixer just to loosen it.

• In your mixer bowl, whip the very cold ganache for a few seconds to soften it slightly.

• Add half the mascarpone and whip.

• Add the rest, then whip until thick, airy, and whipped-cream-like.

7) Don’t overwhip

• Watch the texture closely: it should double in volume and hold on the whisk.

• Stop as soon as it’s firm,overwhipping can make it grainy or turn it buttery.