Smoked Honey & Goat's...Smoked Honey & Goat's Curd Mousse with Fig Leaf Oil and Blackberry Gel

An avant-garde plated dessert balancing the earthy, smoky sweetness of smoked honey with the tangy creaminess of goat's curd, accented by vibrant fig leaf oil and a sharp blackberry-Cabernet gel.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the Fig Leaf Oil: Blanch the fig leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds, then immediately shock in ice water. Drain and pat completely dry. Blend the leaves with the grapeseed oil on high speed for 3 minutes until vibrant green and slightly warm. Strain through a coffee filter set over a fine-mesh sieve into a dropper bottle and set aside.

2. 02

   For the Blackberry Gel: Combine the blackberry puree, Cabernet Sauvignon, and agar-agar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and let boil for 1 minute to activate the agar. Pour into a shallow tray and refrigerate until completely set and firm (about 20 minutes). Transfer the set gel to a high-speed blender and process until completely smooth and glossy. Transfer to a piping bag.

3. 03

   For the Hazelnut Sablé Soil: Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Toast the hazelnuts for 8-10 minutes until golden, then pulse in a food processor until coarsely ground. In a bowl, rub the cold cubed butter, flour, demerara sugar, ground hazelnuts, and a pinch of sea salt together with your fingertips until a coarse crumble forms. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely.

4. 04

   For the Goat's Curd Mousse: Bloom the gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and keep cold. In another bowl, beat the goat's curd and smoked honey together until smooth. Gently warm 2 tablespoons of the goat's curd mixture in a small pan, squeeze excess water from the gelatin, and dissolve it into the warm mixture. Stir this back into the main goat's curd mixture, then gently fold in the whipped cream. Pipe into silicone dome molds and freeze for 1 hour to set.

5. 05

   To Assemble: Unmold the mousse domes 15 minutes before serving to temper. Place a dome slightly off-center on each plate. Scatter a neat line of the hazelnut sablé soil adjacent to the dome. Pipe small, precise dots of the blackberry gel around the plate. Dot drops of the vibrant green fig leaf oil into the negative spaces. Garnish the mousse with a tiny sprinkle of Maldon salt and serve immediately.