Miso caramel, muscovado, mandarin & turmeric tartelette

Required recipes

• Chocolate tart shell - Replace cocoa powder with 50% of wheat flour and 50% of speculaas mix (alternatively you can use just cinnamon).

It's recommended to have the tart shells ready before starting this recipe. They can be prepared even 1 week in advance and kept at room temperature in an airtight container.

Equipment

• Tart ring. Here I'm using DeBuyer oblong tart ring Ht 2cm

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Mandarin & Turmeric compote

500g Whole untreated mandarins (approximately 5 medium fruits)

75g Granulated Sugar

10g Lemon juice

1g Turmeric powder (or 3g fresh turmeric, grated)

6g Cornstarch

12g Water

1. Wash the mandarins thoroughly, then using a microplane or a sharp vegetable peeler, remove the zest. If using a peeler, ensure you scrape away any white pith from the back of the strips. Aim for approximately 15g of clean zest.

2. Place the zest in a small pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then immediately strain. Repeat this process two more times with fresh water. This removes the bitter oils while retaining the floral aroma. Finely mince the blanched zest.

3. Peel the remaining fruit and discard the skins, including the thin skin between segments. Then remove the pits.

4. In a bowl, collect the clean pulp and any juice released during the process. You are looking for approximately 300g of pulp and juice combined. If you have slightly more, you can include it; if you have less, squeeze one more mandarin.

5. In a small saucepan, combine the 300g pulp/juice, the 15g minced blanched zest, 75g sugar, 10g lemon juice, and 1g turmeric powder.

6. Place over medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use your spatula to gently break down the larger pulp segments. The mixture should reduce until it looks like a thick, glossy syrup surrounding the fruit pieces.

7. In a small container, whisk the 6g cornstarch and 12g water until smooth. While stirring the compote, pour in the water with the starch. Continue to cook and stir for 1-2 minutes. The compote will thicken and turn from cloudy to a vibrant, translucent orange.

8. Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the compote. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set the texture.

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Muscovado crémeux

90g Heavy cream (35% fat)

60g Whole milk

20g Muscovado sugar

2 Egg yolks

1g Gelatine sheet (platinum, 250 bloom, 1 sheet = 1,75 g)

1. Soak the 1g of gelatine in a bowl of very cold water for at least 5-10 minutes until soft. If using powder, bloom it in 5g of cold water.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the 90g heavy cream, 60g whole milk, and 20g muscovado sugar. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid is just beginning to simmer.

3. While the dairy is heating, place the egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly pour about one-third of the hot dairy mixture over the yolks, whisking constantly to "temper" them so they don't scramble.

4. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining dairy. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula. Heat until the mixture reaches 82°C to 84°C. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.

5. Remove from heat immediately. Squeeze the excess water from the hydrated gelatine and stir it into the hot custard until completely dissolved.

6. For the smoothest texture, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. If you have an immersion blender, give it a quick pulse to ensure a perfect emulsion.

7. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

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Whipped miso caramel ganache

100g Heavy Cream (1)

150g Granulated Sugar

10g Glucose / Corn Syrup

20g Water

30g Butter

150g Milk chocolate

1.2g Gelatine sheet (platinum, 250 bloom, 1 sheet = 1,75 g)

28g Miso Paste

260g Heavy Cream (2)

1. Soak the 1.2g gelatine in ice-cold water until soft (about 5–10 minutes).

2. Bring the 100g heavy cream (1) to a simmer in a small pan. Keep it warm.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine 150g sugar, 10g glucose, and 20g water. Cook over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally (do not stir) until it reaches a deep, rich amber color.

4. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk in the warm cream (1). It will bubble intensely. Continue whisking until the caramel is smooth.

5. Add the 30g butter and whisk until melted. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine and stir it into the hot caramel until dissolved.

6. Place the 150g milk chocolate in a tall container. Pour the hot caramel over it and let it sit for 30 seconds. Add the 28g miso paste.

7. Pour in the 260g cold heavy cream (2). Use an immersion blender to emulsify everything until perfectly silky.

8. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface (to prevent a skin) and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours, or ideally overnight.

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Assembly

1. Spoon a layer of the mandarin and turmeric compote into the bottom of the tart shell.

2. Use the back of a small spoon to spread it into an even layer. It should fill no more than 1/2 of the depth of the tart shell.

3. Whisk the muscovado crémeux very briefly to loosen it, transfer to a piping bag, and pipe over the compote. Smooth it with a small offset spatula.

4. Take the chilled Miso Caramel Ganache from the fridge. Whisk on medium speed until it reaches stiff peaks. Do not over-whip. The miso and milk chocolate make it set very firmly very fast. Stop just as the whisk leaves clear tracks in the bowl. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with your choice of nozzle (in my case I'm using a star nozzle). Pipe the ganache generously over the muscovado layer.

5. Decorate with mandarin zest or candied mandarin.