These adorable chocolate mushrooms from Caroline Martins are decorated with little pieces of panko to make the spots, and a sweet crystallised chocolate soil. The white chocolate stems are filled with tart passion fruit sorbet, to balance the sweetness.
Blitz all ingredients for the passion fruit sorbet except the xanthan gum until smooth
Blend in the xanthan gum until the mixture thickens
Place the sorbet into pacojet jugs and freeze until solid, or, if using an ice cream maker, chill overnight
Churn before serving and place sorbet into a piping bag
Fill the silicone canelé moulds with water, and place toothpicks inside each mould. Freeze until solid
Once frozen, dip each canelé-shaped ice cube in melted white chocolate, so you have an even coat of chocolate all around the outside of each ice cube. Transfer each ice cube to an oven tray lined with baking paper. Let the water melt at room temperature, then remove the toothpick and pour off the water
Warm the top of a small knife over a flame, then poke a small hole at the bottom of each white chocolate shell
Fill the white chocolate shells with passion fruit sorbet through the hole. Keep them in the freezer until ready to serve
Add all ingredients for the chocolate crémeux to a Thermomix except for the cocoa butter and the panko. Cook the mixture until it reaches 83°C. Alternatively, blend the ingredients together and then cook in a pan, stirring constantly, until it reaches 83°C
Divide the mixture between the silicone dome moulds and freeze until solid
Once frozen, dip the domes in the red cocoa butter
Place the dipped chocolate domes on a baking paper-lined tray to defrost, then keep them in the fridge until ready to serve
For the crystallised chocolate crumb, chop the chocolate into small pieces, roughly 1 cm in size
Line an oven tray with a silicone baking mat
Melt the water and sugar together into a syrup. Cook the syrup until it reaches 135°C, then immediately add in the chocolate and stir everything quickly with a whisk. After about 10 seconds, the chocolate will transform into a crumb. Immediately, carefully pour the hot crumb onto the silicon mat, then allow it to cool completely
Once cool, stir in the flaky sea salt
To assemble this dish, first garnish each plate with some chocolate crumb. Place the white chocolate base of the mushroom on the plate
Gently press a few pieces of panko onto each red mushroom top, then place it onto the white chocolate base
Garnish the plate with flower petals, blackberries and slivers of radish and cucumber
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