Smoked Vanilla Panna Cotta...Smoked Vanilla Panna Cotta with Blackberry-Sumac Gel & Tarragon Oil

A sophisticated, multi-textural dessert featuring a delicate cold-smoked vanilla panna cotta, balanced by a tart blackberry-sumac fluid gel, buttery hazelnut crumble, and vibrant tarragon oil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the Tarragon Oil: Blanch tarragon leaves in boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately shock in ice water. Squeeze out all moisture. Blend the tarragon and grapeseed oil on high speed for 3 minutes until vibrant green and warm. Strain through a coffee filter overnight or fine cheesecloth; set aside.

2. 02

   Smoke the Dairy: Pour the heavy cream and milk into a shallow bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, leaving a small opening. Insert the hose of a handheld smoking gun loaded with applewood chips, fill the bowl with smoke, seal, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Repeat once for a deeper profile.

3. 03

   Create the Panna Cotta: Bloom gelatin sheets in ice-cold water for 5 minutes. In a saucepan, combine the smoked cream, milk, 40g of granulated sugar, and the vanilla bean paste/pod. Bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, discard the pod, and stir in the squeezed gelatin until dissolved. Pour into silicone dome molds and freeze for at least 4 hours until fully set.

4. 04

   Bake the Hazelnut Sable: Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Combine flour, ground hazelnuts, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. Rub in the cold cubed butter with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool to form a crunchy crumble.

5. 05

   Craft the Blackberry-Sumac Gel: Simmer blackberries, 20g of granulated sugar, sumac, and 50ml of water in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Blend until smooth and pass through a fine sieve. Return the purée to the pan, whisk in the agar-agar, and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Pour onto a flat tray and refrigerate until completely set. Once firm, transfer to a blender and process until it becomes a glossy, smooth fluid gel. Transfer to a piping bag.

6. 06

   Assemble and Plate: Unmold the panna cotta domes and place one in the center of each cold plate. Arrange a neat line of hazelnut crumble next to the panna cotta. Pipe elegant dots of the blackberry-sumac gel around the plate. Drizzle a few drops of the bright green tarragon oil onto the plate, and garnish with fresh blackberry halves and micro-tarragon leaves.