Ingredients
Lemongrass ganache for the beans
750g UHT cream
30 lemongrass stalks
150g Jivara chocolate (Valrhona)
200g Manjari chocolate (Valrhona)
Cocoa streusel
100g butter
100g flour type 55
100g caster sugar
10g cocoa powder
70g ground almonds
1g powdered cinnamon
Lemongrass jelly
1 litre water
125 g caster sugar
18 lemongrass stalks
16 sheets of gelatine
Lemongrass sorbet
2 litres water
250g caster sugar
20 lemongrass stalks
30g Sevagel stabilizer from Sevarome
Illanka chocolate mousse
200g whipping cream
15g cocoa powder
140g Peruvian Illanka chocolate
200g mascarpone
3 eggs
30g caster sugar
Method
Lemongrass ganache for the beans
Finely chop the lemongrass stalks, set aside; bring the UHT cream to the boil, remove from the heat and add the lemongrass, cover with cling film and leave to infuse for 12 hours.When the lemongrass has finished infusing, pass the cream through a very fine sieve; heat the cream and pour it in several batches over the chocolate, mix to obtain a smooth, shiny ganache. Pour onto a sheet to a thickness of 1.5 cm, cover and place in the refrigerator. Then cut into cubes and roll these in the cocoa into bean shapes.
Lemongrass ganache for the garnish
For the ganache garnish, which should be softer, it is the same recipe as for the beans, but when the lemongrass has finished infusing, add a little more cream to bring the total quantity back to the original 750 g; finish the same way, heating the cream and gradually pouring it over the chocolate to make the ganache; place in the refrigerator.
Cocoa streusel
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and cinnamon; then using the beater attachment, combine all the ingredients to obtain a crumbly mixture; stop, spread out and then freeze. Before each service, bake the required quantity in a fan oven for fifteen minutes at 175°C; when cool, store in an airtight container until required.
Lemongrass jelly
Finely chop the lemongrass stalks, set aside; bring the sugar and water to the boil; remove from the heat and add the lemongrass; leave to infuse for 12 hours covered with cling film. Then add the sheets of gelatine, previously softened in cold water, by heating a small quantity of the infusion. Pour onto a sheet with sides and place in the refrigerator. At the time of the service cut small 1 cm cubes to garnish the cocoa pods.
Lemongrass sorbet
Finely chop the lemongrass stalks and bring the water to the boil, add the lemongrass and infuse for 24 hours, the next day pass through a very fine sieve, heat one third of the infusion and add the sugar mixed with the stabilizer, recombine the liquids and place in an ice-cream maker, store in the ice-box at -10°C.
Illanka chocolate mousse
In a bowl, whisk the eggs into the mascarpone one by one.Bring the cream to the boil with the caster sugar and cocoa powder.Pour the warm cream in several batches over the chocolate and then combine with the mascarpone.
Sieve and then place in a siphon.Gas three times taking care to mix thoroughly before adding each gas cartridge.Keep cool at 10°C for at least two hours before use. (20 g for each pod).Using the tempered Illanka couverture chocolate, lightly fill the chocolate pod moulds and refrigerate. Unmold the pods and scratch them with a wire brush before brushing them with a mixture powder of gold dust and cocoa powder. Set aside and then use the same chocolate to make the leaves and stalks.Use a brush to apply a mixture of gold and metallic green powder to the leaves.
To serve
In the bottom of each pod, pipe 15g of lemongrass ganache, add 5g of streusel pieces and 6g of the cubes of lemongrass jelly, then pipe 12g of lemongrass sorbet and cover with 20g of Illanka chocolate mousse, lightly sprinkle with cocoa powder and add the 5 lemongrass ganache beans before covering with the top of the pod for service. Serve quickly before the lemongrass sorbet starts to melt.