 | Empress of HibiscusPastry Chef Tony Anguiano of Nomadè | Austin, TX |
I call this dessert Empress of Hibiscus. This dessert is totally gluten-free. My inspiration for this dessert is the flavors of the tropics—sweet, fruity, bright, and tangy. The sweet Perfect Purée Sweet Hibiscus balances well with the bright Passion Fruit Sorbet, Coconut Foam, and Dragon Fruit Crumble, all coming together to celebrate the floral, sweet, and sour notes of the queen hibiscus.
Ingredients for Hibiscus Curd:
• 200 g. The Perfect Purée Sweet Hibiscus, thawed
• 60 g. sugar
• 66 g. egg yolks
• 2 sheets gelatin
• 20 g. butter
• ¼ tsp. vanilla
Ingredients for Coconut Foam:
• 225 g. water
• 60 g. sugar
• 1 tbsp. coconut extract
• 1½ tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 tsp. Vera Whip
Ingredients for Dragon Fruit Crumble:
• 113 g. butter, cold and cubed
• 113 g. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla paste
• 113 g. masa harina
• 113 g. gluten-free flour
• 4 tbsp. dragon fruit powder, divided
Ingredients for Passion Fruit Sorbet:
• 1040 g. sugar
• 260 g. glucose syrup
• 1670 g. water
• 11 g. stabilizer
• 2000 g. The Perfect Purée Passion Fruit Concentrate, thawed
Ingredients for Guava Gel:
• 1000 g. The Perfect Purée Pink Guava Puree, thawed
• 350 g. sugar
• 5 g. agar agar
To Assemble and Serve:
• Hibiscus Curd
• Coconut Foam
• Guava Gel
• Dragon Fruit Crumble
• toasted coconut
• mixed diced fruit
• edible flowers
• snow sugar
Method for Hibiscus Curd:
Bloom the gelatin in an ice bath. Combine hibiscus purée, sugar, and egg yolks in a bowl over a double boiler. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 165°F and slightly thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in the gelatin, vanilla, and butter until smooth. Transfer to molds and refrigerate until set.
Method for Coconut Foam:
In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine all ingredients and whip on high speed for 5 minutes until foamy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and reserve chilled.
Method for Dragon Fruit Crumble:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, vanilla, masa harina, gluten-free flour, and half of the dragon fruit powder. Mix on low until crumbly. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring every 3–5 minutes. Cool completely, then toss with the remaining dragon fruit powder until evenly coated and bright pink. Store in an airtight container.
Method for Passion Fruit Sorbet:
In a saucepan, combine sugar, glucose, stabilizer, and water. Bring to a boil, then cool and rest overnight. The next day, whisk in The Perfect Purée Passion Fruit Concentrate and spin in an ice cream machine. Store frozen.
Method for Guava Gel:
Mix sugar with agar agar. In a saucepan, combine the mixture with The Perfect Purée Pink Guava Puree and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Pour into a shallow container and allow to set. Once firm, blend with a hand blender, adding a small amount of water to loosen to piping consistency.
For the Assembly:
Dust the plate with snow sugar. Place a quenelle of Hibiscus Curd on the top right of the plate and top with toasted coconut. Surround with Coconut Foam. Pipe five dots of Guava Gel along the lower right edge of the plate. Place Dragon Fruit Crumble on the left side and spoon mixed diced fruit between the crumble and the guava. Add a quenelle of Passion Fruit Sorbet on top of the crumble. Finish with edible flowers.