Yuzu & White Chocolate...Yuzu & White Chocolate Mousse with Black Sesame Crisp and Spiced Plum Gel

An elegant, multi-textured dessert balancing the bright acidity of Japanese yuzu and sweet velvet of white chocolate, grounded by an earthy black sesame crisp and a warm, vibrant spiced plum fluid gel.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the black sesame crisp: In a bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar together until smooth. Gradually whisk in the egg whites, black sesame paste, and then fold in the flour until a smooth batter forms. Spread the batter paper-thin onto a silicone baking mat. Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely, then shatter into delicate shards.

2. 02

   For the spiced plum gel: In a small saucepan, simmer the chopped plums, granulated sugar, cardamom, and 50ml of water over medium heat for 15 minutes until the plums are completely soft. Puree in a high-speed blender until silky smooth, then pass through a fine-mesh chinois.

3. 03

   Return the plum puree to the saucepan, whisk in the agar-agar, and bring to a boil for 1 full minute to activate. Pour onto a flat tray and refrigerate until completely set into a firm sheet. Once set, break the gel into pieces, transfer back to the blender, and blend on high until it forms a glossy, piping-stable fluid gel. Transfer to a piping bag.

4. 04

   For the yuzu mousse: Bloom the gelatin sheets in a bowl of ice-cold water for 10 minutes. In a small saucepan, bring the whole milk to a simmer. Remove from heat, squeeze excess water from the gelatin sheets, and whisk them into the hot milk until fully dissolved.

5. 05

   Place the chopped white chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate, let stand for 1 minute, then use an immersion blender to emulsify until smooth and shiny. Let the mixture cool to 30°C (86°F), then gently fold in the yuzu juice.

6. 06

   In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the yuzu-chocolate mixture in three stages, preserving as much air as possible. Pour the mousse into silicone hemisphere molds and freeze for at least 4 hours until completely solid.

7. 07

   To assemble: Unmold the frozen mousses directly onto the center of chilled serving plates and allow them to temper in the fridge for 30 minutes. Pipe elegant dots of the spiced plum fluid gel around the mousse. Nestle several black sesame shards into the mousse to create height. Garnish with micro shiso leaves and a touch of edible gold leaf before serving.