Smoked Rosemary & Blood...Smoked Rosemary & Blood Orange Chocolate Crémeux

A luxurious, multi-textured dessert featuring a velvety rosemary-infused dark chocolate ganache, a vibrant blood orange cardamom gel, and a crunchy smoked sea salt cocoa nib crumble.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and the fresh rosemary sprig. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse the rosemary oils. Strain and discard the rosemary.

2. 02

   Whisk the egg yolks with 30g of caster sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Reheat the infused cream mixture, then slowly ladle it into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat.

3. 03

   Cook the custard, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it reaches 82°C (180°F) and coats the back of a spoon. Pour this hot custard immediately over the chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then use an immersion blender to emulsify until perfectly smooth and glossy. Pour into a container and chill for at least 4 hours to set.

4. 04

   For the gel, combine the blood orange juice, crushed cardamom, and remaining 20g of caster sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, strain out the cardamom, and return the liquid to the heat. Whisk in the agar-agar and boil for 1 full minute to activate. Pour into a shallow dish and chill until set solid.

5. 05

   Once the orange gel is completely set, transfer it to a high-speed blender and blend until it transforms into a perfectly smooth, fluid gel. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until assembly.

6. 06

   Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). For the crumble, combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, cocoa nibs, and smoked sea salt in a bowl. Rub the cold cubed butter into the dry mixture using your fingertips until it resembles coarse, damp sand. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool completely.

7. 07

   To serve, spoon a neat quenelle of the chocolate crémeux onto the center of each plate. Scatter a line of the smoked cocoa nib crumble alongside it, and artfully pipe dots of the blood orange gel around the plate. Garnish with a tiny fresh rosemary leaf if desired.