Smoked Valrhona Ganache with...Smoked Valrhona Ganache with Miso-Salted Caramel

A sophisticated play on textures and flavors, featuring cold-smoked dark chocolate, a savory-sweet miso caramel, and a crunchy toasted hazelnut soil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Place the chopped chocolate in a glass bowl. Use a smoking gun with applewood chips to trap smoke inside the bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 10 minutes to infuse the chocolate with a subtle campfire aroma.

2. 02

   In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat and pour immediately over the smoked chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes.

3. 03

   Using a spatula, gently stir the chocolate and cream from the center outward until a glossy, smooth emulsion (ganache) forms. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set slightly.

4. 04

   For the Miso Caramel: Heat sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it melts into a deep amber liquid. Whisk in the chilled butter cubes one by one, then whisk in the miso paste until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.

5. 05

   For the Hazelnut Soil: Pulse the toasted hazelnuts in a food processor with the cocoa powder and Maldon salt until it resembles coarse, dark sand. Do not over-process into a paste.

6. 06

   To assemble: Place a generous spoonful of hazelnut soil on one side of a chilled plate. Pipe three large spheres of the smoked ganache atop the soil. Drizzle the miso caramel artistically around the ganache and finish with a tiny pinch of sea salt.