Tennessee Corncake with Moonshine Syrup, Burnt Meringue, Buttermilk Ice Cream, and Citrus Segments

METHOD:

For the Buttermilk Ice Cream:
In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and ice cream stabilizer. In a medium pot combine water and inverted sugar and bring to a simmer over low heat. Whisk in sugar mixture and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and chill in an ice bath. Mix in buttermilk and lemon juice, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Process mixture in ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions.

For the Blood Orange Curd:
In a large bowl, combine blood orange juice, eggs, sugar, and salt. Cook, whisking constantly, over steam bath until mixture reaches 180°F. Pass curd through a chinois and cool in an ice bath to 140°F. Using an immersion blender, blend in butter until emulsified; chill.

For the Moonshine Simple Syrup
In a medium pot, combine sugar, water, and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. When cool, add your favorite moonshine to taste.

For the Tennessee Corncake:
Heat oven to 300°F and set fan at half speed. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle, combine butter and 300 grams sugar and cream until smooth and fluffy. Add lemon zest, salt, and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between additions and scraping bowl as necessary to obtain a homogenous, aerated mixture. In a separate bowl, sift together all purpose flour, cornmeal, and baking soda, then add to butter mixture; mix until combined. Slowly add buttermilk, followed by lemon juice. Separately, combine remaining 35 grams sugar with egg whites and whip to stiff peaks. Fold meringue into batter. Transfer to a parchment-lined half-hotel pan and bake until cake is set and springs back when gently pressed, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly then soak with Moonshine Simple Syrup three times over the course of an hour to saturate; cut to desired servings.

For the Burnt Meringue:
Combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and heat over a double boiler, whisking often, until mixture reaches 180°F. Affix bowl on stand, attach whisk, and whip meringue to stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with #3 plain tip, pipe onto Tennessee Corncake pieces, and caramelize with a torch.

To Assemble and Serve:
On a chilled plate, spread Blood Orange Curd over a square plastic stencil using an offset spatula. Rest a piece of Tennessee Corncake at the edge of the curd. Arrange citrus segments around the plate, pipe a few dollops of meringue on the plate and caramelize with a torch. Garnish with a white chocolate plaque, micro celery, and violas. Set a small scrap of Corncake on the plate and set a quenelle of Buttermilk Ice Cream on top.