DRIED COCOA HYDRANGEA

Mix:

1 litre water

100 gr cocoa

35 gr albumin

1.2 gr xanthan

100 gr sugar

5 gr salt

Solid bubbles:

320 ml mix

160 gr HP inulin

Hazelnut milk:

750 gr raw hazelnuts

1500 ml milk

Hazelnut cream:

350 ml hazelnut milk

10 gr kuzu

10 gr sugar

25 ml hazelnut oil 

PREPARATION

Mix: Mix the cocoa with the albumin and add the water. When fully dissolved, add the xanthan, sugar and salt. Using a hand beater, beat for 30 seconds at the minimum speed to prevent air from being added. Strain through a superbag and set aside. This mixture can be prepared one day in advance.

Solid bubbles: Pour 320 ml of the mix into a thermal robot. Beat at speed 3 and at 60ºC. When this temperature is reached, quickly sprinkle the mix with the inulin and raise to speed 7 for exactly 30 seconds. Serve into a bowl with the bubble machine working at the minimum speed to make small bubbles.

Using a slotted spoon, lift the bubbles and place on deep glasses, ensuring that the slotted spoon is well drained so that no liquid forms at the bottom. Cover with a tray and chill until the bubbles have solidified. Freeze, then place in the freeze-drier.

30 bubbles fit in the machine, and they should be freeze-dried for 12 hours. After this process, transfer to a warm cabinet at 33ºC for a maximum of 2 days.

Hazelnut milk: Soak the hazelnuts in the milk overnight (12 hours), then liquidise and strain through a superbag. Chill the resulting hazelnut milk.

Hazelnut cream: Boil the hazelnut milk with the sugar. Dissolve the kuzu in a little milk and add, stirring all the time with a spatula to prevent it from sticking. When the kuzu turns honey-like and thickens the mixture, strain through a superbag and add the hazelnut oil while the mixture is still hot. This should be done gently to prevent the mixture from curdling. Cool and transfer to a piping bag. Chill. 

TO SERVE

On a flat plate, serve 5 gr hazelnut cream then very carefully turn onto it the dish of bubbles. Finish with a very light dusting of cocoa powder.