Smoked Dark Chocolate Crémeux...Smoked Dark Chocolate Crémeux with Rosemary Blackberry Gel and Olive Oil Soil

An elegant, multi-textured avant-garde dessert featuring a velvety, lightly smoked dark chocolate crémeux balanced by a bright, herbaceous rosemary-infused blackberry gel and a savory-sweet extra virgin olive oil crumble.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the Crémeux: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 40g of caster sugar together until slightly pale. In a saucepan, bring the milk and heavy cream to a gentle simmer.

2. 02

   Slowly pour the hot milk-cream mixture over the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a spatula, until it reaches 82°C (180°F) and coats the back of a spoon (crème anglaise).

3. 03

   Place the chopped chocolate and smoked sea salt in a heatproof bowl. Strain the hot crème anglaise over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then emulsify using an immersion blender until incredibly smooth and glossy. Cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface (to prevent skin formation) and chill for at least 4 hours.

4. 04

   For the Blackberry-Rosemary Gel: In a small saucepan, combine blackberry puree, 20g sugar, and the rosemary sprig. Bring to a gentle simmer, remove from heat, cover, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the rosemary sprig.

5. 05

   Whisk the agar-agar into the infused blackberry puree. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and let boil for 1 minute to activate the agar. Pour the mixture onto a shallow tray and refrigerate until completely set and firm (about 30 minutes).

6. 06

   Once set, chop the blackberry gel into rough pieces, transfer to a high-speed blender, and process until it transforms into a silky, glossy fluid gel. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer to a piping bag.

7. 07

   For the Olive Oil Soil: Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the almond flour, all-purpose flour, 40g sugar, and a pinch of fine sea salt.

8. 08

   Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil into the dry ingredients. Toss gently with a fork until the mixture resembles wet, clumpy sand. Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and fragrant. Let cool completely to crisp up.

9. 09

   To Assemble: Spoon a generous quenelle or neat swipe of the smoked chocolate crémeux onto the plate. Scatter a line of the olive oil soil alongside the chocolate. Pipe distinct, varying-sized dots of the blackberry-rosemary gel around the plate. Garnish with fresh halved blackberries and micro-herbs if desired.