Strawberry, pistachio and white chocolate

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Lee Westcott riffs on bass notes of strawberry, white chocolate and pistachio to create a technically outstanding dish. The pistachio sponge is a particular highlight, using a siphon gun and a microwave to produce pillowy sponges that are ready in a matter of minutes.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Sorbet

Tuile

White chocolate mousse

  • 60g of white chocolate
  • 1/2 gelatine leaf
  • 17g of cream
  • 7g of icing sugar
  • 85g of cream, semi-whipped

White chocolate cannelloni

Pistachio sponge

Pistachios

To garnish

White chocolate powder

Equipment

  • Sugar thermometer
  • Siphon bottle or cream whipper
  • Paco jet
  • Microwave
  • Sil-pad mat
  • Gas cartridges

Method

1
For the sorbet, combine the strawberry purée with the water, Trimoline, sugar and gellan gum in a pan
2
Heat the mixture to 80°C/176°F, then strain into a bowl. Once cool, place in Pacojet containers and freeze. Process in the Pacojet for 30 minutes before plating
3
Preheat the oven to 122°C/252°F/gas mark 1/2
4
For the strawberry tuile, cream the butter and sugar. Fold in the flour, then add the strawberry purée until a smooth paste forms. Spread evenly onto a sil-pad mat and bake for 15 minutes until cooked. Once cool, break into shards
5
For the white chocolate mousse, melt the white chocolate in a bain marie, then leave to cool slightly. Dissolve the gelatine by warming the cream slightly and stirring in the gelatine to dissolve. Combine with the icing sugar and add the cooled chocolate to the cream. Strain into a bowl set over ice, and once the mix has semi-set, fold in the semi-whipped cream
  • 60g of white chocolate
  • 1/2 gelatine leaf
  • 17g of cream
  • 7g of icing sugar
  • 85g of cream, semi-whipped
6
To prepare the white chocolate cannelloni, combine the wild strawberry purée, stock syrup, water and elastic (SOSA) together in a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally
7
Once the mixture is boiling, pour it onto a warm, cling film-lined flat black tray and allow to cool completely. As it cools, the sosa (elastic) will allow the mixture to form into a jelly. Once cool, cut the jelly sheet into 10cm x 7cm rectangles
8
Pipe the white chocolate mousse down the length of one side of the jelly sheet and roll the sheet over, forming cannelloni-like tubes. Store in parchment to keep dry and maintain the shape
9
For the white chocolate powder, melt the white chocolate using a bain marie. Once melted, slowly add the maltosec, whisking continuously until a fine powder forms. Use your hands to break up into a finer powder and push this through a tamis sieve to remove any lumps. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve
10
To prepare the sponge, add the pistachios, egg whites, egg yolks, sugar and flour to a bowl and mix until smooth and combined. Transfer to a pan and heat the batter slowly, mixing continuously and taking care not to overheat and cook the eggs. Place into a large siphon gun and charge with 3 gas canisters. Pipe the batter into a 1kg purée container and cook in the microwave for 90 seconds on full power. Allow to cool, then freeze
11
Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F/gas mark 4
12
Toast the blanched pistachios in the oven until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes
13
Place the sugar in a pan and cook until a golden caramel forms. Remove from the heat, add the toasted pistachios and stir well. Quickly spread the pistachios evenly onto baking paper and allow to set
  • 10g of sugar
14
Unroll the cannelloni from the parchment paper and trim the ends with a hot knife. Place the cannelloni in the centre of each plate and surround with large broken chunks of the pistachio sponge. Arrange the pistachios alongside and using a spoon, sprinkle the powder all over
15
Slice the strawberries into quarters and add to the plates, along with the tuiles to create depth and height. Add a quenelle of the strawberry sorbet to each plate and serve immediately

After formative years with Tom Aikens at his eponymous two Michelin-starred restaurant in Chelsea, Lee Westcott rose to fame at The Typing Room before launching Pensons – a beautiful restaurant with rooms on the Netherwood Estate in Worcestershire.

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