Carrot Sponge with Chamomile Cream

Make the carrot sponge base

Start: T-23h (03/21 2:00pm) | Duration: 1h 45m

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours

Equipment: microplane, vacuum sealer, quarter sheet pan, parchment paper, medium bowl, stand mixer, whisk attachment, paddle attachment

Ingredients Steps
  • 0.5 lbs carrots - peeled and very finely grated
1. Peel and finely grate the carrots with microplane
  • 2 gram Kosher Salt
2. Vacuum seal carrots and salt, let sit for 30 minutes, gently squeeze to remove excess liquid (carrots should remain moist, not dry)
3. Preheat oven to 325°F
  • neutral oil (vegetable or grapeseed oil)
4. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper using the "double sling" method, lightly grease.
  • 90 gram buttermilk
  • 49 gram lillet blanc
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, lillet blanc, and vanilla extract.
  • 100 gram cake flour
  • 0.75 teaspoon baking powder
  • 0.25 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2.5 gram Kosher Salt
6. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • 2 count large eggs
  • 110 gram granulated sugar
7. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed to ribbon stage (until pale, thick, and the batter falls in a ribbon that briefly holds on the surface)
  • 20 gram honey
8. Drizzle honey in slowly on medium speed while preserving as much volume as possible (do not overmix)
  • 100 gram neutral oil (vegetable or grapeseed oil)
9. Emulsify the oil by pouring in a thin stream while mixing on medium speed, reducing to low as the emulsion forms
10. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, incorporate the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, until just combined
11. Incorporating the grated, drained carrots by hand with a spatula, folding gently to avoid deflating the batter
12. Rest the batter for 10-15 minutes to allow the flour to fully hydrate
13. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly to ~½–¾ inch thickness, and bake for 12–18 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, and the surface springs back lightly when pressed

Check on the cake frequently after 10 minutes
14. Let cool completely before handling

Make the candied carrot curls

Start: T-23.5h (03/21 1:30pm) | Duration: 1h 45m

Storage: Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Equipment: vegetable peeler, small saucepan, silpat, half sheet pan, metal straw

Ingredients Steps
  • 1 count purple carrot - peeled
1. Peel the carrot and use a vegetable peeler to shave it into thin ribbons
  • 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
  • 0.5 cup water
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
2. In a small saucepan on high heat, bring lemon juice, water, and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved
3. Add carrot strips and reduce heat to medium-low, stir to ensure all ribbons are coated in syrup
4. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, until just pliable
5. Remove from heat and strain, reserving the syrup
6. Preheat oven to 225°F
7. Arrange the candied carrot ribbons in a single layer without overlapping on a silpat lined baking sheet and bake for 25–35 minutes, until dry on surface but still flexible
8. Allow ribbons to cool briefly until warm but not hot to the touch
9. While still warm and pliable, curl the carrot ribbons around a metal straw (lightly greased) to form tight spirals. Let cool completely to set the shape.
10. Being careful not to brown them, return to sheet pan and bake for an additional 30–45 minutes, checking and turning every 15–20 minutes, until completely dry and crisp with no tackiness
11. Let cool completely before handling or removing from the straws

Make the chamomile cream

Start: T-24h (03/21 1:00pm) | Duration: 4h 30m

Storage: Store in siphon whip in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours, shake well before dispensing

Equipment: vacuum sealer, sous vide immersion circulator, coffee filter, fine mesh strainer, 2 cup siphon whip, 1 N₂O cartridge

Ingredients Steps
  • 60 gram heavy cream
  • 8 gram chamomile
1. Combine the cream and chamomile in a vacuum bag and seal
2. Cook sealed bag in sous vide bath at 60°C / 140°F for 45–60 minutes.
3. Strain very well with coffee filter
  • 25 gram honey
  • Kosher Salt
4. While still warm, stir in honey and a pinch of salt to taste
  • 30 gram mascarpone
5. Whisk mascarpone into warm base until fully smooth
  • 240 gram heavy cream
6. Add remaining cold cream and whisk until fully combined
7. Chill completely in fridge, at least 2 hours (or until ≤4°C)
8. Pass through a fine mesh strainer into the siphon whip canister, to ensure the cream is perfectly smooth
9. Charge with N₂O cartridge, shake well
10. Refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours before service

Assemble and serve the carrot sponge with chamomile cream

Start: T+1.42h (03/22 2:25pm) | Duration: 5m

Follows: make-sponge, make-candied-carrot-curls, make-cream

Equipment: elliptical cookie cutter

Ingredients Steps
1. Cut the sponge using an elliptical cookie cutter (2.5")
  • carrot sponge (see above)
2. Place the carrot sponge slightly off-center on the plate
  • reserved syrup from candied carrot curls (see above)
3. Very lightly brush (do not saturate) the sponge with the reserved syrup from the candied carrot curls, allow syrup to absorb for ~1 minute
  • chamomile cream (see above)
4. Dispense a small, centered mound of chamomile cream on top of the carrot sponge directly from the siphon (do not spread)
  • candied carrot curls (see above)
5. Garnish with 2–3 candied carrot curls as a single cohesive element, building vertical height, on top of the cream