Smoked Vanilla Bean Mousse...Smoked Vanilla Bean Mousse with Miso-Poached Pear and Buckwheat Tuile

An ethereal dessert balancing velvety smoked Madagascar vanilla mousse, tender Asian pears gently poached in sweet white miso and yuzu, complemented by a delicate, crisp toasted buckwheat tuile.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the smoked cream: In a small saucepan, bring 100 ml of heavy cream and scraped vanilla seeds and pod to 80°C. If using a smoking gun, capture cherrywood smoke under a cloche over the cream for 5 minutes, or alternatively gently toast the vanilla pod directly over an open flame for 10 seconds before infusing to impart a subtle charred aroma.

2. 02

   Complete the mousse base: Strain the warm cream over chopped white chocolate and bloomed, wrung-out gelatin. Emulsify with an immersion blender until glossy and smooth. Cool the mixture to 28°C.

3. 03

   Whip the remaining 200 ml of heavy cream to soft, flowing peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled white chocolate emulsion in three additions. Pipe into silicone quenelle molds or small ring molds and chill for at least 3 hours until set.

4. 04

   Poach the pears: In a small saucepan, whisk filtered water, honey, yuzu juice, and shiro miso until completely dissolved. Add the diced Asian pear and simmer over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until tender-crisp and translucent. Strain the pear cubes and reduce the poaching liquid to a light, glossy syrup. Chill both separately.

5. 05

   Bake the buckwheat tuiles: Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Whisk together buckwheat flour, confectioners' sugar, melted butter, and egg white until a smooth batter forms. Spread the batter thinly onto a silicone baking mat in artistic feather or curved stencils. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until golden-brown and crisp. Cool completely on a curved rolling pin to set the shape.

6. 06

   Plating: Place a precise neat mound of miso-poached pear in the center of chilled, shallow ceramic bowls. Unmold and nestle a smoked vanilla mousse quenelle atop the pears. Drizzle a glossy ribbon of the concentrated poaching reduction around the base. Crown each mousse with a delicate buckwheat tuile, a delicate sprinkle of flaky salt, and fresh micro shiso leaves.