The Fig: Fig Genoise, Fig Foam, Bittersweet Chocolate Sorbet, and Les Frères Panna Cotta

METHOD:

For the Les Frères Panna Cotta:

Combine the heavy cream, sugar, honey, vanilla and Les Frères cheese in a saucepot. Bring to a boil and turn the heat off. Add the bloomed gelatin, stir, and strain into a bowl. Chill over an ice bath until it has set 60%. Reserve in a plastic container in the fridge until fully set, about 5 hours.

For the Bittersweet Chocolate Sorbet:

Combine the syrup, water, and cocoa powder in saucepot; bring to a boil while stirring, making sure the cocoa powder does not burn. Add the chocolate and stir to melt. Strain and chill over ice bath. Process in a Carpigiani ice cream machine. Freeze.

For the Fig Genoise:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Using a mixer, whip the egg whites while adding the sugar in 3 intervals until a thick satin meringue has been achieved. Add the yolks and continue to whip for another 5 minutes. The mixture should look very fluffy and have a soft ribbon. Sift the cake flour over the egg mixture in 2 intervals, folding delicately in between while making sure each addition is fully incorporated. Add the butter, fig purée and vanilla and fold until mixture is even, being careful to fold the bottom over the top to incorporate all the ingredients. Bake in a half-sheet pan for 15 minutes or until the top springs back when touched.

For the Muscovado Jelly Sheet:

Combine all ingredients except the gelatin in a saucepot and bring to a rolling boil for 30 seconds. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir to melt; strain and chill over an ice bath until the temperature is slightly colder than room temperature. Pour onto a very flat sheet pan lined with a Silpat. Chill until set and slice or punch into desired shapes.

For the Candied Pecans:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine all ingredients in a saucepot and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Strain and bake at on a prepared sheet pan until the pecans are toasted. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

For the Fig Cloud:

Combine all ingredients together and mix with an immersion blender until fully emulsified. Transfer to a Hobart mixer and whip until it has reached look and feel of an Italian meringue.

To Assemble and Serve:

Plate fig genoise and panna cotta and top with a slice of the muscovado jelly sheet. Place a quenelle of chocolate sorbet on one side of the dish and a quenelle of fig cloud on the other. Top with candied pecans.