Smoked Earl Grey Cremoso...Smoked Earl Grey Cremoso with Bergamot Gel

A sophisticated, multi-textured dessert featuring a velvety tea-infused chocolate cremoso, bright citrus gel, and a crisp salted almond sable.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Soak the gelatin sheet in ice-cold water for 5-10 minutes to bloom.

2. 02

   In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream and whole milk to a simmer. Add the Earl Grey tea leaves, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, squeezing out all liquid, and return the liquid to the pan.

3. 03

   Whisk 3 egg yolks with 40g of granulated sugar until pale. Gradually temper the warm tea-infused cream into the yolks. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 82°C (180°F) and coats the back of a spoon.

4. 04

   Squeeze excess water from the gelatin and stir it into the warm custard. Pour the custard over the chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then emulsify with an immersion blender until completely smooth and glossy. Pour into silicone dome molds and freeze for at least 4 hours to set.

5. 05

   For the bergamot gel, combine bergamot juice, 30g of granulated sugar, and agar-agar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil for 1 minute. Pour into a shallow dish and refrigerate until completely set. Once firm, transfer the gel to a high-speed blender and blend until perfectly smooth and glossy. Transfer to a piping bag.

6. 06

   For the almond sable, combine flour, almond flour, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. Rub in the cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and mix until a dough forms. Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to 3mm thickness. Chill for 30 minutes, then cut into circles slightly larger than your dome molds. Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 12 minutes until light golden. Cool on a wire rack.

7. 07

   To assemble, place an almond sable circle in the center of each plate. Unmold the Earl Grey cremoso domes and place one on top of each sable. Pipe dots of the bergamot gel around the plate.

8. 08

   Load a smoking gun with applewood chips. Cover the plated dessert with a glass cloche, insert the hose of the smoking gun, fill the dome with smoke, and trap it. Serve immediately, lifting the cloche tableside for a dramatic sensory experience.