Chocolate Macarons

480 g pure icing sugar
250 fine almond meal
50 g cocoa powder (unsweetened)
200 g egg whites

Sift icing sugar, almond meal and cocoa together in a large bowl.
Whisk egg whites in a kitchen aid for exactly 50 seconds (medium peak).
Fold egg into the almond mix with a large spatula until completely combined.
Pipe small rounds onto baking sheets and allow to rest for 20 minutes (a thin skin will form).
Bake at 140ºC in a preheated convection oven for 14 minutes.

Ice Cream Base

500 egg yolks
350 castor sugar
1000 milk
1000 cream

Whisk together eggs and sugar until white.
Bring milk and cream to the boil and make an anglaise with egg mix.
Cook in a large bowl over a baine marie until it reaches the nappe stage (84ºC), stirring continuously with a large spatula.
Strain, cool over ice and churn in an ice cream machine.

suggestions:
Lavender ice cream - infuse base with fresh lavender flowers while cooking.

Almond and sea salt ice cream - whisk in 1 tsp vanilla extract, 100 extra virgin olive oil and sea salt to taste while warm and roughly chopped and toasted almonds while churning.

Truffle Honey Dressing

300 honey
200 white balsamic vinegar
200 extra virgin olive oil
300 olive oil
truffle oil to taste

Chocolate Sable

800 flour
150 cocoa (unsweetened)
400 icing sugar
10 salt
400 butter (unsalted), chopped
5 eggs

Sift all dry ingredients into a large bowl.
Rub in the butter with fingertips.
Turn out onto the bench and cut in the eggs.
Smear the mix against the bench with the palm of your hand so as not to work the gluten.

yield: makes 3 x 22cm tarts bases

Saffron Aioli

1 g saffron threads
30 ml water
100 ml chardonnay vinegar
5 garlic cloves
8 egg yolks
2 tbsp dijon mustard
500 extra virgin olive oil
1 L olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced

Bring saffron, garlic, water and vinegar to the boil in a small pot.
Set over a low heat and allow to infuse for 1 hour, cool.
Combine eggs, mustard and saffron mixture in a food processor.
Add oils slowly and lemon juice to taste.
Season with good salt and white pepper.

White Chocolate Foam

White Chocolate Foam

500 g skim milk
2 tsp soy lecithin
1 tsp xanthan gum
350 g white chocolate, chopped

Combine cold milk with lecithin and xanthan with a submersion blender.
Pour into a pot and bring to the boil..
Add to chocolate and stir until combined.
Refrigerate until cold then blend again before using.
Pour 1/2 into a cream dispenser and fill with 4 chargers.
Keep refrigerated.

Crema Catalanas

2 L cream
1 b rosemary
2 cinnamon quills
2 lemons, zested
2 oranges, zested
2 gelatine leaves
250 g egg yolks
120 g castor sugar

Bring cream to a simmer with rosemary, cinnamon and zest and infuse for 1 hour.
Bloom gelatine leaves in cold water, squeeze dry and add to cream.
Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl.
Combine eggs and cream to make an anglaise.
Cook over a baine marie until it reches the nappe stage (84ºC), stirring continuously with a spatula.
Strain and pour into shallow dishes.
Refrigerate until set.
Dust with extra sugar and brulee.

Cucumber Jelly

1 telegraph cucumber
good pinch of salt
100 ml water
5 gelatine leaves

Roughly chop cucumber and blitz in a food processor with salt.
Strain through a muslin cloth and reserve the liquid.
Bloom the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water, squeeze dry.
In a small pot heat water and gelatine until dissolved, strain.
Combine with cucumber juice and pour into a flat tray.
Refrigerate until set.