Chocolate Aero Mousse, Honey Ice Cream, Whiskey Jelly
This is my favourite dish I created on MasterChef Australia! Give it a go, you can always swap in a frozen mousse if you don't have an iSi gun! Cooking is all about improvising xxx
Honey Ice Cream
250ml cream
50ml milk
3 egg yolks
75g honey
25g caster sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Chocolate Aero Mousse
150g cream
120g dark 64% chocolate callets
100g egg whites
salt
Whisky Jelly
2 sheets gelatine, titanium strength
60g caster sugar
125g (good quality) whisky
Citrus Curd
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
30ml lemon juice
zest of ½ an orange, finely grated
30ml orange juice
3 egg yolks
¼ cup caster sugar
40g butter, cubed
Honeycomb
150g caster sugar
20g honey
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Whisky Caramel Sauce
45g unsalted butter 30g brown sugar 20g caster sugar 15g honey 60g cream 1 teaspoon sea salt
Whisky to taste, about 1-2 tablespoons
Garnish
Micro cress
Micro red garnet
METHOD
Turn on ice cream machine to chill.
For the Honey Ice Cream, combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool over an ice bath. Pass through a fine sieve, transfer to an ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until set. Once set, set aside in the freezer.
For the Chocolate Aero Mousse, heat cream in a saucepan until just below boiling point then remove from heat. Place chocolate into a medium sized bowl, pour warm cream over chocolate and allow to sit for 1 minute then stir until completely melted. Whisk in egg whites and a pinch of salt then transfer mix to a syphon gun and charge twice. Line a 23cmx13cm bakers loaf pan with plastic wrap then syphon mousse into pan and freeze until set. Once firm, cut into even sized rectangles and place onto a tray lined with baking paper. Return to the freezer until required.
For the Whisky Jelly, place gelatine into a bowl of iced water and set aside to bloom.
Place the sugar and 125ml water into a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved then remove from heat. Squeeze out gelatine to remove excess moisture then add to the saucepan and stir until dissolved. Add whisky and whisk thoroughly to combine. Strain through a fine sieve then pour into a 19cmx26cm paper lined baking tray. Set tray aside in the fridge until jelly has completely set. and set in the fridge. Once jelly has set, cut into 5mm cubes and set aside in the fridge until required.
For the Citrus Curd, combine all ingredients in a microwave proof bowl. Heat in the microwave in 45-second bursts, stirring between bursts until thickened, about 5 minutes in total. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and cover surface with cling film. Set aside in fridge.
For the Honeycomb, place sugar, honey and 1 tablespoon of water in a medium sized saucepan. Stir over low heat to dissolve sugar then continue to simmer until a light caramel colour. Remove from heat then whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. Pour onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and set aside to cool completely. When cool, break up into small pieces and transfer to a food processor then blitz to a coarse crumb. Set aside.
For the Whiskey Caramel Sauce, place the butter, sugars, honey, cream and salt in a small saucepan, melt all ingredients together until smooth, then add whiskey to taste. Set aside.
To assemble, place a rectangle of Aero Mousse on each serving plate. Spoon some Curd on each side of the Aero Mousse. Sprinkle some Honeycomb and some cubes of Whisky Jelly onto and around the Aero Mousse. Top with a rocher of Honey Ice Cream, drizzle of sauce and garnish with micro herbs.