Apple and elderflower fool, sorrel granita and crumble biscuit

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This refreshing dessert from Nigel Haworth is certainly a labour of love but the combination of fragrant elderflower, zingy apples and crisp sorrel granita will be sure to impress guests. Honeycomb can be bought in most supermarkets, but if you want to make your own take a look at our how to make honeycomb guide.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Sorrel granita

Poached apples

Apple purée

  • 500g of apple, core removed, skin on
  • 150g of sugar
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Elderflower mousse

  • 5 egg yolks
  • 100g of sugar
  • 250g of elderflower cordial
  • 3 1/2 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water
  • 750g of double cream

Apple foam

  • 425 milk
  • 140ml of double cream
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 115g of sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod, scraped
  • 300g of whipping cream
  • 10g of citric acid
  • 1 1/2 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water

Crumble biscuit

  • 100g of honeycomb
  • 320g of plain flour
  • 200g of butter
  • 200g of caster sugar

Apple syrup

To plate

Equipment

  • Chamber sealer
  • Large vacuum bags
  • Water bath
  • Parisian scoop / melon baller
  • Gas canister 2
  • Gas cartridge 4
  • Silpat mat

Method

1
Begin by making the sorrel granita. Blitz the stock syrup and sorrel in a blender until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve into a shallow container. Taste the mixture and add a little salt and fresh lime juice to taste, then place in the freezer until set. Once frozen scrape with a fork to create a crumbly texture, then return the granita to the freezer until ready to serve
2
Preheat a water bath to 70°C
3
Peel the apples and use a melon baller to make balls of apple. Place in a vacuum bag with the apple juice, sugar and citric acid and seal. Cook for 15 minutes in the water bath, then leave to cool in the fridge
4
Preheat a water bath to 85°C
5
For the apple purée, thinly slice the apples and place into a large vacuum bag with the sugar and lemon juice and seal. Cook for 35–40 minutes, until the apples are completely soft, then remove from the bag and blitz in a blender until smooth. Chill the purée in a bowl over ice until cooled completely, refrigerating until required
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 500g of apple, core removed, skin on
  • 140g of sugar
6
For the elderflower mousse, whip the cream to soft peaks and reserve in the fridge. Meanwhile, place the sugar, eggs and 50g of the elderflower cordial over a bain marie and whisk until it thickens and forms a sabayon
  • 750g of double cream
  • 100g of sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 50g of elderflower cordial
7
Whisk in the soaked gelatine and the remaining cordial, then leave to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, carefully fold through the whipped cream and transfer to a siphon. Charge with 2 gas canisters and keep cool until ready to serve
  • 3 1/2 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water
  • 200g of elderflower cordial
8
Meanwhile, make the anglaise for the apple foam. Combine the milk, cream and vanilla together in a pan and bring to the boil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until fully combined
  • 425 milk
  • 140ml of double cream
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 5g of sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod, scraped
9
Pour half of the hot cream over the eggs and whisk continuously to combine. Pour all of the egg mixture back into the pan, stir well, and continue to cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pass through a fine sieve and weigh out 600g
10
Mix the gelatine into the warm anglaise and stir until dissolved, then leave to cool completely. Fold through 450g of the apple purée and the whipped cream, then add the citric acid and transfer to a siphon with 2 gas charges
  • 300g of whipping cream
  • 10g of citric acid
  • 1 1/2 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water
11
Preheat the oven to 180°C
12
To make the crumble, rub together the flour and butter and mix in the sugar. Transfer to a tray and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool then crush to a crumble
  • 320g of plain flour
  • 200g of butter
  • 200g of caster sugar
13
Blitz the honeycomb to a fine powder in a food processor, then sieve a fine layer onto a metal tray lined with a silpat mat. Place into the oven for 2 minutes until the sugar has melted, then sprinkle over the crumble and return to the oven for a further 4 minutes. Leave to cool then break into pieces
  • 100g of honeycomb
14
To make the syrup, reduce the apple juice with the cordial to a light syrup
15
To serve, spoon some of the purée and 2 apple balls into the bottom of a glass. Pipe in a little elderflower mousse and top with more purée and apple balls. Spoon over the apple foam and some spoonfuls of the granita, then drizzle over a little of the apple syrup and garnish with pieces of honeycomb biscuit, julienne apple strips and micro cress
First published in 2015

Nigel Haworth was the driving culinary force behind the Northcote for over three decades but since handing over the reins in 2018 has shifted his focus to gastropub The Three Fishes, where as chef patron he serves a sustainable farm-to-table menu.

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