Black Sesame Royale, Concord Grape-Yuzu Granité, and Cocoa Nib-Sesame Crumble

METHOD:

For the Black Sesame Royale:
In a pot over medium heat, bring the milk, cream, and sesame flour to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and steep the mixture for 1 hour. In a bowl, sift together the sugar and carrageenan. Return the sesame-cream mixture to a boil and stream in the sugar-carrageenan mixture. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes; buzz with the immersion blender. Pass the mixture twice through a chinois. Pour into small, circular silicone molds and freeze.

For the Vanilla Sabayon:
Bloom the gelatin in an ice bath. In a pot over medium heat, bring the cream and the vanilla to a simmer, remove from the heat, and steep for 1 hour. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites with the sugar. Temper the vanilla-infused cream into the egg whites. In the same pot, gently cook the sabayon while whisking until it reaches a temperature of 80°C. Remove the pot from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin. Strain the mixture, cool, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until very well set. Reserve.

For the Concord Grape-Yuzu Granité:
In a pot over medium heat, bring the Concord grape juice to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the gellan gum, and, using an immersion blender, combine thoroughly to hydrate the gellan gum. Return the pot to the stove and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the yuzu juice and reserve some of the gel in a squeeze bottle for garnish. Pour the remaining mixture onto a half hotel pan to set. Once set, cube the gel and blend in a food processor with the yogurt. Transfer the mixture to an iSi canister and charge with 3 cream (N2O) chargers. Discharge the mixture into a liquid nitrogen bath and remove. Smash the Granité into rock-like pieces between 2 trays.

For the Sesame-Cocoa Nib Crumble:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Preheat a deep fryer to 325°F. Toast the cocoa nibs in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Coarsely grind the cocoa nibs in a food processor. Make a light caramel with the sugar, and fold in the toasted nibs. Cool on a silicone baking mat. In a pot over medium heat, bring the simple syrup to a boil and cook the black and white sesame seeds in the simple syrup for 3 to 4 minutes. Thoroughly dry the sesame seeds between paper towels. Once dry, deep fry the blanched sesame seeds in soybean oil.

Cover a tray with paper towels, and spread the seeds onto the towels, making sure they don’t clump up. In a bowl, combine the fried sesame seeds with the caramelized cocoa nibs.

To Assemble and Serve:
Unmold the Vanilla Sabayon into a bowl, whisk to form soft peaks, and transfer to a pastry bag. Arrange a tempered chocolate disc on the serving plate. Unmold the Black Sesame Royale onto the disc. Arrange some of the grapes around the disc. Pipe the Vanilla Sabayon in small mounds across the plate and around the Black Sesame Royale. Squeeze some of the reserved Concord Grape-Yuzu gel in dots across the plate. Arrange the broken pieces of Concord Grape-Yuzu Granité around the plate. Garnish with the Sesame-Cocoa Nib Crumble.