The inspiration for this month's dessert came easily. I was shopping in Costco a few days ago and spotted this great deal on kumquats. I candied them that very evening and decided to build a dessert around these lovely orange little jewels. The chocolate dessert was inspired by the Mexican hot chocolate pucks I purchased a few weeks ago. I recently found an (almost) flourless chocolate cake recipe that I like after many attempts. However, flourless chocolate cake is on practically every dessert menu in every restaurant. I wanted something more special so I decided to perk up the recipe with a healthy amount of cinnamon, just like the Mexican hot chocolate.
Cinnamon Chocolate Cake served with Cinnamon Crème Anglaise Foam and Chocolate Spiced Streusel
The chocolate cake is based on La Maison du Chocolat's Gateau au Chocolat Grand-Mère that is oh so fudgy and deep and chocolatey. I spiced the cake with lots of real cinnamon. Typically, the "cinnamon" that you can get are actually cassia. However, I prefer the more subtle flavour of Ceylon cinnamon which works very well with the melt-in-the-mouth chocolate cake. To highlight the cinnamon theme in this dessert, I decided to pair the cake with a cinnamon crème anglaise. For a more interesting textural constrast, I used the iSi siphon to make the custard sauce into a light airy foam. The chocolate spiced streusel further emphasized the spicy aspect of the dessert. This streusel was made with very dark Valrhona cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cracked black pepper. The combination of chocolate and spice is one of my recent favourite flavour combination.
Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta served with Candied Kumquats, Candied Pecans, Pecan Shortbread, and Caramelized Banana
The candied kumquats tasted great on its own with it nice balance of tart and sweet. Since it made a pretty strong statement, I want a milder main component to temper the kumquats. A panna cotta is a great choice with its irresistably wobbly smooth texture. However, a plain panna cotta is just a little too bland so I made a crème fraiche version instead and flavoured it with just a little Grand Marnier and orange flower water to echo the citrusy kumquats. Next, I decided to add another layer of flavour by introducing pecans into this dessert. The buttery rich flavour of pecan is a nice companion to crème fraiche. I used this flavour in two different ways, candied pecans and pecan shortbread. The candied pecans had a subtle citrus flavour because I candied them using the kumquat poaching syrup. The pecan shortbread was meltingly tender with an almost maple flavour due to the deep toasting of the nuts. Last but not least, the caramelized mini banana round out the tart, sweet, creamy, and rich profile of this dessert with just a little bitterness from the caramel.
I am very pleased with both desserts. Both are inspired from a rather simple idea that I built into a complete plated dessert with complex layers of flavour and textural contrast. The preparation is easy compared to some of my previous dessert nights at Linda and I managed to finish everything ahead of schedule. It certainly feels good to find my motivation again.
