Serves 6
Ingredients
Apricot coulis
300g fresh apricots (no skin)
200g dried apricots
50g cardamom sugar
20ml sea buckthorn juice
White chocolate, vanilla & cider parfait ‘sphere’
140g white chocolate
80g vanilla sugar
260ml cider
300g cream
80g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
2 gelatine leaves
Zest of ½ orange
White chocolate coating
600g white chocolate
150g butter
150ml cream
White chocolate crumbs
100g white chocolate
45g malt-o
Maldon seasalt
Grilled apricot
8 fresh apricots
Zest of orange
Sea salt, olive oil, sugar
Apricot cream
125g fresh apricots (no skin)
125g dried apricots
50ml cider
20g sugar
70g pomada
Apricot sorbet
700g fresh apricots
200g dried apricots
100g orange juice
320g caster sugar
30ml cider vinegar
Apple mint water
500ml water
200g apple mint
0.2 g mint green “sosa” colorant
Apple mint puffs
70ml apple mint water
17g ovoneve
15g sugar
Apple mint powder
Apple mint gel
240ml apple mint water
20ml crème de menthe
20g sugar
2.4g xantana
Garnish
Silver leaf
Candy floss
Apple mint powder
Orange skin powder
‘marmalade’ flowers
Method
Apricot coulis
Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve, then fill small round half sphere molds and freeze for at least 24 hours.
White chocolate , vanilla, cider parfait ‘sphere’
Whisk cream with caster sugar to yoghurt consistency. Soak gelatine, mix egg yolks, cider and vanilla sugar. Heat and whisk in a mixing bowl over soft boiling water (bain marie) until gooey and thick, then add the gelatine and white chocolate. Remove from heat, let the mixture cool. When cool fold in the cream and place in small sphere mold until half full. Place a half sphere of frozen apricot coulis in the middle and close the sphere moulds, filling the remaining space. Tap the molds on a straight surface to make sure there are no air bubbles inside. Freeze for at least 24 hours. When frozen, carefully remove the moulds and place a small toothpick in the top of the sphere. The sphere is now ready for coating.
White chocolate coating
Heat cream in a suitable pot and stir to a soft boil. Add chocolate and butter. Remove from heat. Continuously stirring, mix until all lumps are have gone and a smooth consistency is reached. Sieve and place in a tall jug so we can dip the sphere in the chocolate. Dip the sphere in one smooth movement completely coating in the white chocolate. Remove immediately and carefully let the chocolate drip off. Place the sphere onto a tray lined with grease proof paper. Place back in the freezer and let the coating firm up and set. 10 minutes before serving remove the sphere from the freezer.
White chocolate crumbs
Mix the malt-o with melted white chocolate and work it in with your hands and fingers until you can press the mix together to small rocks. Heat a non-stick frying pan to high temperature. Under consistent movement place the white chocolate rocks into the pan, keep the pan moving and remove from heat. The rocks will lose the sharp edges and turn into smooth little stones. Then place in air tight container until ready to serve.
Apricot cream
In a blender cup purée all ingredients to a very smooth mixture. Push through a fine sieve. Place the cream in a squeezy bottle and keep in the fridge until ready to use. The pomade needs 12 hours to set.
Apricot sorbet
In a blender cup purée all ingredients into a very smooth mixture. Push through a fine sieve. Churn into a sorbet.
Grilled apricot
Halve apricots and toss them through some olive oil. Using a very hot griddle, grill them on the flat side until nicely marked, then place on a tray and sprinkle with sugar and zest of a fresh orange. Place in a hot oven to heat through, this will take 3-4 minutes. Finish with a small crystal of maldon seasalt and serve with the dish.
Apple mint water
Place the water, colorant and mint leaves in a blender and blitz into a fragrant green water. Place through a fine sieve, use immediately.
Apple mint puffs
Whisk all ingredients together until stiff peaks of a meringue form. Put in a piping bag with a smooth nozzle and pipe small dots on baking paper. Dust with apple mint powder and dry the puffs in a still oven at 60c.
Apple mint gel
Whisk all ingredients together and keep whisking for 4-5 minutes. The mix will start to emulsify and turn into a gel, place in a squeezy bottle and keep cool until use.
Assembling
Arrange a large flat piece of candy floss in the middle of the plate. Dust the candy floss with apple mint and orange skin powder. Place the sphere in the middle with the silver atop. Dress ‘marmalade flower’ on top. Dot the apple mint and apricot cream around the edge of the candy floss. The grilled apricots are presented at 2 o clock from the sphere. ‘crumb’ the white chocolate malt-o to half past 4. Add a small scoop of apricot sorbet and finish with small apple mint puffs.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY Shane O’Neill and Martin Morrell