Mediterranean fresco

White chocolate curd, coffee cream, walnut crunch and lemon sponge.

Tatsuya Iwasaki

For 20 people

For the Ivoire curd
I l of fresh milk
6 g of rosemary
160 g of Valrhona Ivoire chocolate
2 g of soya lecithin
4 g of liquid rennet

For the coffee cream
370 g of cream
130 g of milk
10 g of coffee beans
120 g of millefleur honey
23 g of kuzu
5 g of gelatine sheets

For the light walnut meringue
60 g of egg whites
120 g of water
60 g of muscovado sugar
12 g of albumin
120 g of chopped toasted walnuts

For the lemon sponge
180 g of sugar
220 g of water
200 g of lemon juice
16 g of gelatine sheets
2 lemons (the rind)

For the garnish
Maldon salt

 

For the curd
Heat the milk with the rosemary and keep it 50° C for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the Ivoire chocolate at 50° C and add the soya lecithin, mixing well.
Filter the milk, pour it slowly onto the chocolate and emulsify. Pour the rennet into another container and incorporate the milk chocolate emulsion (which must be no hotter than 37° C). Leave to rest for 20-30 minutes, until the curd sets, then cut it into cubes and bake at 90° C for 15 minutes. Switch off the oven and allow the whey to come out, in order to obtain a colid consistency. When solid, store in the fridge at 4° C.

For the cream
Toast the coffee beans in the oven at 150° C for 10 minutes. Heat the milk and cream to 55-60° C, add the coffee beans and keep the temperature stable for 30 minutes. Filter and add a little cream and milk to re-establish the weight of 500 g.
Add the honey, mixing thoroughly. When the mass has returned to room temperatue, incorporate the kuzu using a hand blender. Heat to about 30° C and dissolve the previously rehydrated gelatine sheets. Bring to the boil stirring all the time, cool and store at 4° C.

For the meringue
Mix the water and egg whites in a planetary mixture; mix the sugar and albumin in another container. Start whisking the first mixture and gradually incorporate the second. When this mass is frothy, add the walnuts, mixing with a spatula. Mould into the required shape and bake in the oven at 100° C for 90 minutes.

For the sponge
Bring the water and sugar to the boil, and add the lemon rind and juice. Filter and dissolve the previously rehydrated gelatine sheets. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Transfer the mass to the planetary mixer and whip into a mousse. Store at 4° C.

Place the various elements, cut into different sized cubes, on a plate and sprinkle with a pinch of Maldon salt.