Smoked Honey & Lavender...Smoked Honey & Lavender Mousse with Blackberry-Yuzu Gel

An elegant, multi-textured dessert pairing the floral notes of lavender and rich smoked honey with a sharp, vibrant blackberry-yuzu gel and buttery pistachio crumble.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Infuse the Cream: In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream and dried lavender to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract all the oil and flavor, then chill the cream completely in the refrigerator.

2. 02

   Prepare the Mousse Base: Bloom the gelatin sheets in ice-cold water for 5-10 minutes. Set up a double boiler and melt the chopped white chocolate, then set aside. Whisk the egg yolks and smoked honey in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until pale, thick, and warm (about 3 minutes).

3. 03

   Assemble the Mousse: Squeeze excess water from the gelatin and whisk it into the warm honey-egg mixture until fully dissolved. Gently fold in the melted white chocolate. Whip the chilled lavender cream to medium peaks, then fold it into the chocolate-honey mixture in three batches. Pour into silicone sphere molds and freeze for at least 4 hours to set.

4. 04

   Make the Blackberry-Yuzu Gel: In a saucepan, whisk together the blackberry puree, yuzu juice, sugar, and agar-agar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute to activate the agar. Pour into a shallow dish and refrigerate until completely set. Once firm, transfer the gel to a high-speed blender and process until completely smooth and glassy. Transfer to a piping bag.

5. 05

   Bake the Pistachio Crumble: Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Combine with flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt. Rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until a sandy crumble forms. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.

6. 06

   Plate and Serve: Place a spoonful of the pistachio crumble in the center of the plate. Unmold the frozen mousse and set it gently on top of the crumble (allow to thaw for 15 minutes at room temp). Pipe artistic dots of the blackberry-yuzu gel around the plate. Garnish with fresh edible flowers, micro-basil, and a light drizzle of smoked honey.