Whisky truffle, dark chocolate-chikki delice, orange mousse and cranberry kulfi

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Vineet Bhatia's layered mousse not only packs a visual punch but is a hive of exciting flavours - including orange, whisky and cranberry. A triumphant way to round off a meal - just be prepared for a bit of a challenge.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Caramelised nut ‘chikki’

Silky chocolate délice

Orange mousse

  • 1 gelatine leaf
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 25ml of milk, warmed
  • 100ml of orange purée
  • 4 tbsp of Cointreau
  • 250ml of whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • 25g of sugar

Whisky truffle

Cranberry kulfi

Equipment

  • Kulfi moulds
  • 30cm x 20cm x 5cm baking tin

Method

1
For the caramelised nut ‘chikki’ heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Spread the nuts on a tray and roast until lightly browned. Check them every minute. Crush or finely chop
2
Melt the sugar in a heavy pan, raise the heat and cook, without stirring, until it turns into a golden caramel. Add the butter and immediately add the nuts
3
Quickly stir the mixture, so the nuts are coated in the caramel, then pour into a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Spread evenly to form a layer about 5mm thick. Leave to cool and harden
4
For the silky chocolate délice heat the milk until almost boiling, pour onto the white chocolate and stir until melted
5
Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water. Melt the butter. Whisk the egg yolk and melted butter together in a large bowl. Pour in the melted dark chocolate and whisk well
6
Whip the cream with the caster sugar. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture
  • 300ml of whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp of caster sugar
7
Put the nuts into a baking tray. Pour the mixture over the caramelised nuts and spoon the white chocolate and milk mixture unevenly over the top
8
It will spread into the dark chocolate mixture on its own. Leave in the fridge for about 3 hours, until set
9
For the orange mousse cover the gelatine leaf with cold water, leave for 5 minutes until soft and pliable
  • 1 gelatine leaf
10
Put the egg yolk, 25g sugar and the milk in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the base of the bowl
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 25g of sugar
  • 25ml of milk, warmed
11
Whisk until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency. Remove from the heat. Squeeze any excess water from the gelatine and stir it in. Add the orange purée and orange liqueur, if using
12
Whisk everything together and pass through a fine sieve. Whip the cream and fold it in. Pour the mixture onto the chocolate delice, and chill for a couple of hours, until firm
  • 250ml of whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
13
For the whisky truffle, put the cream into a heavy-based pan and bring to the boil. Cool. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water
14
Stir it into the cream with and whisky. Cool and then chill
15
Divide into 25 and shape into balls. Roll them in the unsweetened cocoa powder
16
For the cranberry kulfi bring the cranberries to a boil with 1 tbsp of the sugar and 70ml water
17
Simmer for a couple of minutes until soft Remove from the heat and purée. Pass through a fine sieve and set aside
18
Pour the milk and double cream into a heavy-based pan, add the cardamom pods and bring to the boil
19
Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly to prevent sticking, until the mixture has reduced to a third of its original volume
20
Stir in the remaining sugar; discard the whole cardamom. Cool and then chill
21
Whip the cream. Fold the cranberry purée and whipped cream into the milk base. Pour into the kulfi moulds. Freeze until firm
  • 400ml of whipping cream
22
To plate carefully remove the set delice and mousse mix from the baking tray
23
Place on the edge of a plate, and balance a whisky truffle on top
24
Gently loosen the kulfi from the moulds, and turn out three onto a plate next to the delice. Serve immediately

While Vineet Bhatia has borrowed from European traditions to plate up his food, the manner and matter of his dishes are unmistakably those of India, handled with immense sophistication and personal panache.

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