Deconstructed Lemon-Verbena Cremeux with...Deconstructed Lemon-Verbena Cremeux with Olive Oil Snow and Blackberry-Sichuan Gel

An avant-garde Michelin-star dessert balancing vibrant citrus-herb cremeux, a textured hazelnut sable, modernist olive oil snow, and a spiced blackberry fluid gel.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the Cremeux: Gently heat heavy cream, lemon juice, and bruised lemon verbena leaves in a saucepan until scalded. Cover and steep off the heat for 15 minutes, then strain through a chinois, discarding the leaves.

2. 02

   Whisk 4 egg yolks with 80g of granulated sugar until pale. Slowly temper the warm verbena-lemon cream into the egg mixture. Return to low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 82°C (180°F) and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the squeezed, bloomed gelatin sheet until dissolved.

3. 03

   Allow the custard to cool to 45°C (113°F). Transfer to a blender and, on medium speed, gradually emulsify 60g of cold cubed butter into the warm mixture until silky. Pour into silicone dome molds and freeze for at least 4 hours to set.

4. 04

   For the Thyme Sable: Combine hazelnut flour, all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, thyme leaves, and a pinch of salt. Rub in the remaining 50g of cold cubed butter until a sandy dough forms. Scatter onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 170°C (340°F) for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely, then crumble lightly.

5. 05

   For the Blackberry-Sichuan Fluid Gel: Combine blackberries, remaining 40g sugar, and crushed Sichuan peppercorns in a pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, then puree and pass through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Return the liquid to the pan, whisk in agar-agar, bring to a boil for 1 minute, then pour onto a tray to set. Once solid, blend the gel in a high-speed blender until perfectly smooth and transfer to a piping bag.

6. 06

   For the Olive Oil Snow: In a medium bowl, slowly whisk the extra virgin olive oil into the tapioca maltodextrin along with a pinch of Maldon salt until the liquid transforms into a dry, fluffy, melting snow. Reserve in an airtight container.

7. 07

   To Plate: Unmold the lemon-verbena cremeux domes and place off-center on chilled plates. Arrange a neat line of hazelnut-thyme crumble alongside. Dot the plate elegantly with the blackberry-Sichuan fluid gel. Spoon a delicate mound of olive oil snow next to the cremeux, and garnish with micro-herbs or edible flower petals.