White chocolate cubism with pear jam and chrysanthemum cream.

(Serves 6)

For the pear caramel:
7 ounces granulated sugar
1 ounce butter
7 ounces pear juice
1 1/2 teaspoons pear eau de vie
1 1/2 ounces heavy cream
2 1/2 teaspoons licorice powder*
For the pear jam:
10 1/2 ounces unfiltered pear cider
1 teaspoon malic acid**
8 1/2 ounces peeled, chopped Bartlett pears
7 1/2 ounce granulated sugar
3 1/2 ounces glucose***
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the pistachio jaconde:
5 ounces confectioners' sugar
5 ounces Sicilian pistachio flour***
1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/4 ounce pistachio paste***
1 ounce melted butter
4 egg whites
3/4 ounce sugar
For the beer pate de fruit:
2 1/4 cups Belgian white ale, open for two hours
1/2 ounce yellow pectin****
19 ounces sugar
1 1/2 ounces glucose***
1 1/2 ounces trimoline*****
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid***
For the chrysanthemum cream:
7 ounces cream
2 ounces chrysanthemum blossoms
7 ounces milk
1/4 teaspoon carrageenan*****
1 ounce granulated sugar
3 ounces glucose***
1/2 teaspoon salt.
For the beer gel:
7 ounces Belgian white ale
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon tapioca maltodextrin*****
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the licorice caramel syrup:
9 ounces granulated sugar
3 1/2 ounces glucose***
1 ounce licorice powder*
3 1/2 ounces water
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the white chocolate panels:
8 ounces white chocolate
For the garnish:
Licorice powder*

* Available through Terra Spice Company, [phone]

** Available through It's All Wine, [phone] or
www.itsallwine.com

***Available through Pastry Chef Central, [phone] or
www.pastrychef.com

****Available through American Gourmet Foods,
www.americangourmetfoods.com

*****Available through L'Epicerie, [phone] or www.lepicerie.com

For the pear caramel: In medium pot, cook sugar until caramelized. Whisk in butter, stirring until golden-brown. Add pear juice, eau de vie, cream and licorice powder. Bring to boil. Strain through fine-mesh sieve. Pour mixture into 1-inch demi-sphere molds and freeze.

For the pear jam: In medium pot, bring cider and malic acid to boil. Remove from heat and let solids settle. Strain through paper filter-lined fine-mesh sieve. Return mixture to pot and add pears. Simmer over low heat until pears are very soft, about 30 minutes. Puree in blender; strain through fine-mesh sieve and transfer to clean saucepan. Add sugar, glucose and salt and bring to simmer. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Let cool completely.

For the pistachio jaconde: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, pistachio flour and flour. Whisk in eggs, then stir in pistachio paste and butter. In separate bowl, beat egg whites and sugar to stiff peaks. Fold into the pistachio mixture. Spread 2/3-inch thick on Silpat[R]-lined sheet pan and bake six minutes.

For the beer pate de fruit: In blender, combine beer and pectin. Transfer mixture to saucepan and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Boil one minute, then add sugar, glucose, trimoline and salt. Cook two minutes. Add citric acid and cook another minute. Keep warm.

For the chrysanthemum cream: In saucepan, bring cream to simmer and add chrysanthemums. Remove from heat, cover and let infuse 30 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve and transfer to clean saucepan. In blender, mix milk and carrageenan for one minute and add to cream mixture. Whisk in sugar, glucose and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Strain through fine-mesh sieve.

For the beer gel: In medium bowl, whisk ingredients together until dissolved, about two minutes.

For the licorice caramel syrup: In a heavy medium-sized pan, combine sugar and glucose. Stir over low heat until amber in color, brushing down sides of pan with wet brush. Add licorice powder, water and salt. Bring to boil and cook to syrup consistency.

For the white chocolate panels: In stainless steel bowl over simmer water, melt chocolate. Spread thin layer of chocolate onto acetate sheet. When set, cut into 2-inch squares.

To serve: Spread thin layer of pear jam over pistachio jaconde. Using 2-inch square mold, press down on jaconde to cut through. Pour 2/3-inch warm pate de fruit into mold and let cool. Pour 1/3-inch chrysanthemum cream into mold. Top with one frozen pear caramel and cover with another 1/3-inch chrysanthemum cream. Transfer to freezer for several hours. When frozen, unmold by warming sides with torch. Thaw gently in refrigerator. Place on plate and cover all sides of cube with white chocolate squares. Garnish with beer gel and licorice caramel syrup and serve.

Brothers Pear Cider

Bristol, England