We are approaching Winter here in Australia and taking advantage of the in-season tangelo and cherry, this plated dessert brings a nice sweetness, nuttiness from the pistachio ice cream and citrus at the same time.
For those of you who does not know what a tangelo is, it is a hybrid fruit that comes from tangerine and pomelo. Therefore, what you get from this fruit is the flora sweetness from the pomelo and citrus of a tangerine.
The Blackcurrant mousse goes particularly well with the rest of the ingredients, although not in season, I have opt for my most trusted fruit puree brand from Boiron that you can freeze and store for all year round.
Cassis Mousse and Pistachio Ice Cream Plated Dessert Recipe
BLACKCURRANT MOUSSE
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
GOLD gelatine Sheet | 1.5g |
Valrhona White Coverture Chocolate 35% | 85g |
​Blackcurrant puree | 65g |
Heavy cream 35% Fat | 140g |
* Yield approx. 20 mini stones & 8 medium stones
Due to it being difficult to make a small quantity, you can keep the leftover mousse for other applications in other desserts.
PISTACHIO ICE CREAM
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Water | 295g |
Full Cream Milk Powder | 35g |
Skim Milk Powder | 26g |
Ice Cream Stabiliser | 6.5g |
Caster Sugar | 60g |
Dextrose powder | 20g |
Invert Sugar | 9g |
Pure Pistachio Paste | 50g |
TANGELO PECTIN GEL
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Tangelo Juice | 100g |
Caster Sugar | 80g |
Pectin NH | 4g |
Lemon Juice | 10 g |
COCOA CRUMBLE
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Cold Butter - Cubed | 60g |
Raw Sugar | 40g |
Plain Flour | 60g |
Good Quality Cocoa Powder | 20g |
Sea Salt Flakes | 2 g |
MIRROR GLAZE
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Full Cream Milk | 90g |
Caster Sugar | 90g |
Glucose | 90g |
Gelatine Leaves GOLD | 6 g / 3 sheets |
Callebaut White Chocolate | 60g |
Neutral Glaze | 70g |
Purple gel color | qs - start with a very small amount |
MERINGUE
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Egg Whites | 50g |
Caster Sugar | 130g |
Cream of Tartar | pinch |
MICROWAVE TANGELO SPONGE
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
​Egg Whites | 85g |
Egg Yolks | 20g |
Vegetable Oil | 15g |
Plain Flour | 60g |
Tangelo Zest - finely chopped | 1 tangelo |
Icing Sugar | 55g |
Vanilla Bean Paste | 5g |
DECORATIONS
Edible flowers
Gold Leaves
FOR THE BLACKCURRANT MOUSSE
Soak the gelatine into the cold water for at least 15 minutes until soften.
Heat the blackcurrant puree and bring to a mere boil then pour over the white coverture chocolate. Incorporate with a whisk until the chocolate are fully melted. Cool to 35 - 40C, squeeze out excess water from the hydrated gelatine then add into the puree mixture and stir until fully dissolves.
Semi whip the cold heavy cream then gently fold into the blackcurrant base until well mixed through.
Cast the blackcurrant mousse into individual silicone moulds of two different sizes and level with a spatula then place in the freezer until the mousse are completely frozen. (6 hours to overnight in a home freezer).
FOR THE TANGELO GEL
Mix half of the sugar with the tangelo juice in a pot and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, mix the remainder of the sugar and pectin and stir to combine. Once the liquid comes to a boil gradually stream in the pectin mixture while continuously whisking and continue to boil for 1 minutes. Turn the heat off and add in the lemon juice. Transfer into a small jug and leave to completely set in the fridge.
Once set, process with a stick blender until you get a smooth pipeable gel. Transfer into a piping bag ready for assembly.
PISTACHIO ICE CREAM
Heat the water to 40C then whisk in the milk powders until well incorporated. Mix the caster sugar and dextrose powder together and gradually whisk into the warm water mixture. Continue to cook to 85C for 1 minute then whisk in the invert sugar and pistachio paste.
Transfer the ice cream base into a jug and emulsify for 1 minutes with a stick blender.
Store the ice cream base in the fridge to mature for at least 12 hours.
When ready to serve, churn in the ice cream churner.
FOR THE MICROWAVE SPONGE
Prepare four medium size paper cup by piercing 3 - 5 holds with a knife underneath the cups.
Whisk in all of the ingredients together than transfer into a jug. Emulsify with a stick blender then pass through a sieve. Pour the sponge batter into a siphon then charge with the first charge and shake for 10 to 15 seconds with the siphon upright. Charge the second time and repeat the process before dispensing approximately 30 - 40g of the mixture into each cup previously pierced with holds underneath.
Place the cups with the mixture and microwave at maximum power for 40 seconds.
Once ready, turn the cup over and place onto the wire rack to leave the sponge to fully cool. Once cool, release with a small off set spatula. Place into a container to prevent drying.
To store the sponge, you can place them in airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Prior to using, simply thaw the sponge first.
FOR THE MIRROR GLAZE
For the mirror glaze, heat the cream, milk and glucose until they come to a boil. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine into ice cold water for at least 15 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water then set aside.
Once the liquid has come to a boil, turn off the heat and mix in the hydrated gelatine followed by the neutral glaze and white chocolate. Transfer the glaze into a deep jug and emulsify with a stick blender. Cover the top with a cling film and leave in the fridge to set overnight.
When ready to use, heat the glaze gently without overheating it too much then emulsify it with the color using a stick blender. Start adding color in the smallest quantity at a time. Use at 31C on a -18C cassis mousse that comes straight out from the freezer.
FOR THE MERINGUE
To make the meringue, beat the room temperature egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar on medium speed. Once there are no remaining of liquid egg whites, gradually stream in the caster sugar. Once all the sugar has been incorporated, increase the speed and continue to whish until you get stiff peak. Divide the meringue to two and beat the second half of the meringue with some avocado gel color. Transfer the plain meringue into a small piping tip and pipe small tear drop onto a parchment paper lined on a baking tray. With the green meringue, transfer into a piping bag with a leave piping tip and pipe individual leave.
Dry the meringue in the oven set at 80 C for two to 3 hours until completely dry. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
FOR THE COCOA CRUMBLE
Rub the cold and cubed butter into the sugar, flour, sea salt flakes and cocoa powder until it resembles coarse crumb. Spread them over a tray lined with parchment paper and leave in the fridge to completely chill. Bake in the preheated oven at 160C for 12 - 15 minutes or until it dries. Do not over bake as it can become overly bitter.
