Smoked Rosemary Chiboust with...Smoked Rosemary Chiboust with Balsamic Fig & Pine Nut Croquant

A sophisticated harmony of textures and temperatures, featuring a velvety, rosemary-infused Chiboust cream, warm roasted black mission figs, a crisp pine nut croquant, and a rich balsamic-port reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a small saucepan, bring the milk and bruised rosemary sprigs to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let infuse for 20 minutes. Strain the milk and discard the rosemary.

2. 02

   Bloom the gelatin sheets in ice-cold water for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with 50g of sugar and the cornstarch in a bowl until pale. Reheat the rosemary milk, then slowly temper it into the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling. Whisk in the squeezed-dry gelatin sheets until dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

3. 03

   Prepare the Italian meringue: Combine 80g of sugar and 25ml of water in a small saucepan. Heat to 121°C (250°F). While the syrup heats, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Once the syrup reaches temperature, slowly pour it into the egg whites in a thin stream while whipping on high speed. Continue whipping until cool and glossy.

4. 04

   Gently fold the warm Italian meringue into the warm pastry cream in three additions to create the Chiboust. Pipe into silicone dome molds and freeze for at least 3 hours to set.

5. 05

   For the pine nut croquant, melt 100g of sugar with 30ml of water in a pan over medium-high heat until it turns a deep amber caramel. Stir in the toasted pine nuts and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Immediately pour onto a silicone baking mat, spread thinly, and let cool completely. Once hardened, shatter into abstract shards.

6. 06

   Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar, Ruby Port, and honey. Simmer until reduced by half into a glossy syrup. Toss the halved figs in 2 tablespoons of this syrup, arrange them cut-side up on a baking sheet, and roast for 8-10 minutes until tender and caramelized.

7. 07

   To assemble, unmold the frozen Chiboust domes onto serving plates and allow to thaw in the fridge for 20 minutes. Just before serving, lightly dust the top of each dome with sugar and caramelize with a kitchen blowtorch. Arrange the warm roasted figs around the Chiboust, drizzle with the remaining balsamic-port reduction, and garnish with shards of pine nut croquant.