Smoked Rosemary & Blood...Smoked Rosemary & Blood Orange Olive Oil Gâteau

A sophisticated, ultra-moist olive oil cake infused with cold-smoked rosemary, paired with a vibrant blood orange fluid gel, saffron-scented crème anglaise, and salted pine nut brittle.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Infuse the olive oil: Gently warm the olive oil with one sprig of rosemary. Place the second sprig in a heatproof glass jar, light it with a blowtorch until smoking, then quickly pour the warm oil into the jar and seal tight. Let smoke-infuse for 20 minutes, then strain and discard the rosemary.

2. 02

   Prepare the Blood Orange Fluid Gel: In a small saucepan, combine 200 ml of blood orange juice, 20 g of sugar, and the agar-agar. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and let boil for 1 minute. Pour into a shallow tray and refrigerate until completely set into a firm sheet. Transfer the gel sheet to a high-speed blender and process until completely smooth and glassy. Transfer to a piping bag and chill.

3. 03

   Bake the Cake: Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F) and grease a 20cm round cake pan. Whisk the 3 egg yolks with 100 g of sugar and blood orange zest until thick and pale yellow. Slowly drizzle in the smoked olive oil and 60 ml of blood orange juice, whisking constantly to emulsify. Gently fold in the cake flour, almond flour, and baking powder.

4. 04

   Whip the Egg Whites: In a pristine bowl, whip the 3 egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 50 g of sugar, whipping to a glossy, medium-stiff meringue. Fold one-third of the meringue into the cake batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining meringue. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 28-30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

5. 05

   Create the Saffron Crème Anglaise: Warm the heavy cream, whole milk, and saffron threads in a saucepan until steaming. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes. In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks with 50 g of sugar. Slowly temper the warm saffron milk into the yolks, then return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously with a spatula until the custard coats the back of a spoon (reaching exactly 82°C/180°F). Immediately strain through a fine-mesh sieve and chill over an ice bath.

6. 06

   Make the Pine Nut Brittle: Combine 80 g of sugar and 30 ml of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook without stirring until it turns a deep amber caramel. Stir in the toasted pine nuts and a pinch of Maldon salt, then immediately pour onto a silicone baking mat. Spread thin and let cool. Once hardened, crack into elegant shards.

7. 07

   Plate and Serve: Slice the cooled olive oil cake into clean, geometric rectangles. Place a slice in the center of each shallow bowl. Pipe dots of the blood orange fluid gel elegantly around the cake. Pour a pool of the vibrant yellow saffron crème anglaise tableside. Garnish the cake with a delicate shard of pine nut brittle and micro-basil or rosemary flowers.