Smoked Manjari Chocolate Crémeux...Smoked Manjari Chocolate Crémeux with Yuzu-Infused Honeycomb

A sophisticated interplay of deep 64% Valrhona chocolate, bright sea buckthorn acidity, and the textural crunch of yuzu-scented honeycomb.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the yuzu honeycomb: In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat honey to 150°C. Remove from heat, quickly whisk in yuzu juice and baking soda. Pour onto a silicone mat immediately; do not spread. Let cool completely and shatter into shards.

2. 02

   For the sea buckthorn gel: Combine purée and agar agar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil for 1 minute while whisking. Pour into a container and chill until set. Once firm, blend in a high-speed blender until perfectly smooth and transfer to a piping bag.

3. 03

   For the crémeux: Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Scald the cream and slowly temper into the yolks. Return to low heat and cook to 82°C (crème anglaise).

4. 04

   Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then emulsify with an immersion blender until glossy. Season with a tiny pinch of salt.

5. 05

   Using a smoking gun, trap cherrywood smoke in the container with the liquid chocolate mixture. Seal with plastic wrap and let infuse for 5 minutes. Repeat if a deeper flavor is desired.

6. 06

   Pour the smoked crémeux into molds or glasses and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.

7. 07

   To serve: Pipe dots of sea buckthorn gel onto the set crémeux. Arrange yuzu honeycomb shards artistically and finish with a sprinkle of smoked sea salt.