MILK CHOCOLATE CRUNCH CAKE

Directions

Peanut Dacquoise

1. Whip whites & sugar using a French meringue method. 2. Sift powdered sugar. Add hazelnut flour to it.

3. Fold sugar mixture into meringue without deflating.

4. Gently spread onto half sheet pan lined with a silpat and half sheet extender.

5. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top. 6. Pour 575 grams of finished mixture per half sheet pan.

7. Bake at 325°F for about 20 minutes.

Praline Chocolate Crunch Layer

1. Melt chocolate to 104°F (40°C). 2. Fold in peanut butter. 3. Fold in melted butter.

4. Fold in rice krispies. 5. Spread an even layer over cooled dacquoise, about 625 grams per half sheet. 6. Allow to cool overnight. 7. Cut into 1.5” x 4” bars.

Pineapple Braise

1. Place sugar, butter, vanilla beans, salt, & pink peppercorns in large rondo. Allow to melt and slightly simmer. 2. Add nicely trimmed pineapple. 3. Baste and rotate every 15 minutes for 2 hours. Never allow this to rapidly boil. 4. After 2 hours, pull pineapple. Reserve liquid for below. 5. Allow to cool overnight. 6. Cut on meat slicer into nice thin sheets (#1 on slicer).

Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Dust

1. Melt chocolate and peanut butter together to 89.6°F (32°C). 2. Place milk chocolate mixture in robot coupe. 3. Start with half the amount of tapioca maltodextrin and pulse. Keep adding until it becomes a nice powder. 4. Add sea salt.

Drageed Peanuts

1. Place sugar & water into rondo. Cook until 240°F (116°C). 2. Add peanuts and turn off heat. 3. Stir to agitate and crystalize sugar around peanuts. 4. Put back on low to medium heat to slowly melt crystals to create a caramel coating around peanuts. 5. Once caramelized, add butter. Pour onto silpat to cool.

Pineapple Agar Gel

(For the syrup) 1. After braising pineapple, from above, take juices left in pan and place in 4 quart container. 2. Allow to sit room temperature for 15 minutes so fat can separate then place in fridge to allow the fat to firm up to remove completely from sugar syrup. 3. Reserve fat and sugar mixtures separately for recipes. (For the gel) 1. Place puree, salt, and sugar syrup together in a sauce pan. Cold hydrate agar. 2. Bring to boil for 45 seconds. Allow to cool in fridge until firm. Vita prep on high until smooth.

Alunga Cream

1. Heat heavy cream to a boil. 2. Pour on top of chocolate. 3. Whisk to combine. Reserve.

4. The next day, whip like chantilly.

Mother Ice Cream Base

1. Mix milk powder, ice cream stabilizer, and sugar together. 2. Place cream, milk, and glucose in a pot over medium heat. 3. Once cream mixture comes to a boil, whisk in sugar mixture. Take mixture to 185°F (85°C). 4. Take off heat and chill in ice bath.

Roasted Pineapple Ice Cream

1. For pineapple puree, take whole roasted pineapple from above and cut around the core. Place in vita prep and puree till smooth.

2. Add puree to roasted pineapple sugar syrup, the bi-product from roasted pineapple. 3. Burr mix with ice cream mother base. Spin.

Assembly & Plating

1. Place cut cake in center of plate. 2. Pipe whipped Alunga cream on top of cake using petal tip (128). 3. Sprinkle caramelized peanuts on top of cake. 4. Pipe pineapple gel in dots around cake (grouping dots in threes). 5. Place dust around edge of plate. 6. Create flower shape with pineapple by cutting single line from center of pineapple to edge, turning pineapple until it creates a cone shape. Place two on the plate by the cake. 7. Place candied peanuts on side of cake. Place scoop of pineapple ice cream down. 8. Sprinkle togarashi on sliced pineapple and more milk chocolate dust to finish.