Yuzu & White Chocolate...Yuzu & White Chocolate Dome with Black Sesame Soil and Matcha Fluid Gel

An elegant, multi-textured dessert balancing the vibrant citrus of Japanese yuzu, velvety white chocolate mousse, earthy black sesame soil, and a bright matcha fluid gel.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Bloom the gelatin sheets in a bowl of ice-cold water for 5 to 10 minutes until softened.

2. 02

   Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water (double boiler), stirring occasionally until smooth, then remove from heat.

3. 03

   In a small saucepan, bring the whole milk and yuzu juice to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, squeeze excess water from the gelatin, and whisk it into the warm milk mixture until fully dissolved.

4. 04

   Pour the warm milk-yuzu mixture over the melted white chocolate in three additions, folding gently with a spatula, then use an immersion blender to create a perfectly smooth, glossy emulsion. Let cool to 35°C (95°F).

5. 05

   Carefully fold the whipped heavy cream into the cooled yuzu-chocolate mixture in three stages, maintaining as much aeration as possible. Divide the mousse evenly among 6 half-sphere silicone molds. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until completely solid.

6. 06

   Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). To make the black sesame soil, combine the flour, melted butter, powdered sugar, black sesame paste, and charcoal powder in a bowl, rubbing with your fingertips to create textured, soil-like crumbs. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 12 minutes. Let cool completely.

7. 07

   For the matcha fluid gel, whisk the water, granulated sugar, and agar-agar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, boiling for exactly 1 minute to activate the agar. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the matcha powder until smooth.

8. 08

   Pour the matcha mixture into a shallow dish and refrigerate until completely set into a firm sheet. Break the gel into pieces, transfer to a high-speed blender, and blend on high until it forms a perfectly smooth, glossy fluid gel. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate.

9. 09

   To assemble, unmold the frozen yuzu mousse domes. Place a generous tablespoon of black sesame soil in the center of each serving plate, creating a small bed. Gently rest a mousse dome on top of the soil (allow to thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving).

10. 10

    Artfully dot the matcha fluid gel around the base of the dome. Garnish the top of each dome with a small piece of edible gold leaf and a micro-mint leaf.