Sweet Cicely Ice Cream and Chocolate Mousse
User Reviews
4.9
138 reviews
Excellent
Sweet Cicely Ice Cream and Chocolate Mousse
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This recipe combines a smooth chocolate mousse with sweet cicely-flavored ice cream, caramelized pineapple cubes, pineapple gel, raisin compote, and a chocolate crumble. The chocolate mousse is made using whipped egg yolks and whites blended with melted dark chocolate and cream, while the ice cream incorporates sweet cicely herb for a subtle aromatic tone. Together, these components create a sophisticated dessert with complementary textures and fruity, creamy flavors.
Description
The chocolate mousse is prepared by cooking a sugar syrup to soft-ball stage and slowly whisking it into a mixture of whole eggs and yolks to create a stable base. This is combined with warm melted dark chocolate mixed with hot cream, then cooled and set. The pineapple cubes are lightly caramelized in a caramel sauce and simmered with Pedro Ximenez wine for sweetness and depth.
The sweet cicely ice cream mixes milk, cream, caster sugar, egg yolks, and chopped sweet cicely herb to infuse a gentle licorice-like flavor. Additional elements include pineapple gel made with agar-agar, a raisin compote flavored with passion fruit, and a chocolate crumble made from butter, flour, cocoa, brown sugar, and salt, all contributing diverse textures and flavors.
Combined on plating, these elements provide a layered taste experience balancing rich chocolate, fruity acidity, herbal perfume, and crunchy textures, creating a complex, elegant dessert suitable for fine dining or special occasions.
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Ingredients
Chocolate mousse:
- 6 egg yolk
- 2 egg
- 200 grams caster sugar
- 100 grams water
- 500 grams cream
- 375 grams dark chocolate Michel Cluizel, 65% cocoa
Pineapples:
- 1 pineapple del monte
- 225 grams caster sugar
- 75 ml pineapple juice
- 25 ml Pedro Ximenez
Ice cream:
- 1000 ml milk full fat
- 100 grams cream
- 150 grams caster sugar
- 95 grams egg yolk
- 100 grams sweet cicely
Raisins:
- 100 grams raisins
- 150 ml water
- 150 grams caster sugar
- 2 grams passion fruit
- 35 ml passion fruit juice
Pineapple gel:
- 400 ml pineapple juice
- 1 agar-agar used as % of final pineapple juice weight
Chocolate casing:
- 200 grams dark chocolate Michel Cluizel, 65% cocoa
Chocolate crumble:
- 60 grams butter room temperature, unsalted
- 50 grams flour
- 50 grams cocoa powder
- 50 grams brown sugar
- 1 pinch sea salt flaky
- 200 ml pineapple juice
Instructions
Mousse:
- Place the sugar and the water in a pan and boil to 119˚C (246° F). Meanwhile, add the eggs and the egg yolks to a food mixer and whisk on full speed. Once the sugar and water has reached 119˚C (246° F), pour slowly onto the eggs while continuing to whisk on a medium speed until cool
- In a separate bowl, add the cream to a pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour onto the room temperature chocolate. Stir gently to combine and allow to cool until lukewarm
- In a large bowl, fold the egg sugar mixture into the chocolate and transfer to a container to set and cool in the fridge
Pineapple:
- Melt the sugar in a small deep pot over a medium heat until a dark caramel forms, approximately 170˚C (340°F). Add the pineapple juice to dilute and bring to the boil, ensuring all the caramel and juice are combined
- Meanwhile, cut the pineapples into large cubes and simmer gently in the caramel for 10 minutes. Add the Pedro Ximenez, stir to combine and remove from the heat. Transfer to a bowl, wrap in cling film and set aside until ready to serve.
Ice Cream:
- In a pan, combine the full-fat milk and cream and bring to the boil. Add the sweet cicely, remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, whisk the eggs with the sugar until creamy and pale in colour. Bring the cream mixture back to the boil, then pass through a fine sieve onto the eggs, whisking to combine. Add to a pan and heat to 65˚C (150°F). Once it reaches 65˚C (150°F), remove from the heat and allow to cool. Freeze in a Pacojet container and churn once ready to serve.
Raisins:
- Boil the water with the sugar in a pan to create a sugar syrup. Add the raisins to the syrup and allow to cool. Once the mixture has cooled, add the Malibu and the passion fruit pulp, including the seeds
Pineapple Gel:
- Heat 200ml (4/5 cup) of the pineapple juice in a pan over a medium heat. Reduce for 20 minutes until it darkens and begins to caramelise. Remove from the heat and refresh with the remaining 200ml (4/5 cup) of juice, whisking to incorporate. Weigh the final juice solution and add 1% agar agar.
- Return to a low heat and blitz to incorporate. Simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat, transfer to a suitable container and allow to set in the fridge
- Once the gel has set, blitz in a blender to form a smooth gel. Add to a squeezy bottle and set aside until ready to plate.
Chocolate Casing
- Prepare the acetate into 6 strips measuring 6cm x 12cm (2⅓ x 5 in). Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie until is reaches 54˚C (130° F)
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool evenly to 27˚C (80°F), then reheat to 32˚C (90°F) , smooth onto the acetate to a depth of approximately 1.5mm (0.05 inches)
- While the chocolate is still wet, shape the 6 strips into open bottomed cones, sealing at the bottom. Place onto a tray and refrigerate until dry
- Preheat the oven to 160˚C/gas mark 2/ 320° F.
Chocolate Crumble:
- Blitz the butter with the cocoa and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Pulse in the brown sugar and salt. Spread thinly over a lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until crunchy. Remove from the oven, allow to cool then pulse in a food processor to form fine, crunchy crumbs. Set aside in a container until ready to use
Final & Plating:
- Before serving, remove the mousse from the fridge. Whisk thoroughly to aerate and place in a piping bag. Remove the chocolate cones from the fridge and place in the middle of each plate. Fill the cones with the whipped mousse and top with chocolate crumble
- Arrange a piece of pineapple in its liquid next to each chocolate cone and add the raisins, passion fruit and a few drops of the pineapple gel. Sprinkle on the crumble and finish with a scoop of ice cream. Serve immediately
Notes
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
138 reviews
Excellent
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