Smoked Honey & Roasted...Smoked Honey & Roasted Parsnip Velvet with Blackberry Balsamic

An avant-garde dessert blending the earthy sweetness of roasted parsnip with smoked mountain honey, accented by a sharp blackberry reduction and cocoa-hazelnut soil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Roast the diced parsnips until tender and lightly caramelized, approximately 25 minutes. Do not let them char.

2. 02

   In a small saucepan, simmer the roasted parsnips with the heavy cream for 10 minutes over low heat. Transfer to a high-speed blender and process until ultra-smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh chinois for a silken texture.

3. 03

   Place the white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the hot parsnip-infused cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, then gently emulsify with a spatula. Incorporate the smoked honey and a pinch of salt. Cover with film touch and chill for at least 4 hours.

4. 04

   For the gastrique, combine blackberries and balsamic vinegar in a small pan. Simmer over medium heat, crushing the berries, until the liquid reduces by half. Strain through a fine sieve and set aside to cool.

5. 05

   To create the 'soil', pulse hazelnuts, cocoa powder, and cold butter in a food processor until a crumbly, sandy texture forms. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes at 160°C. Let cool completely.

6. 06

   To plate: Place a generous spoonful of the hazelnut soil in the center. Form a perfect quenelle of the parsnip ganache and place atop the soil. Use a dropper to place precise dots of the blackberry balsamic reduction around the plate. Garnish with a single micro-mint leaf if desired.