Chef Barry Tonkinson bakes a classic combination of flavors — fig and goat cheese — inside a feuillete case with a balsamic fluid gel for pops of acidity.
This hydrocolloid has the correct viscosity when it forms a teardrop shape that’s bulbous at the bottom. Pipe the fluid gel atop a rich puff pastry for more of an impact than the typical drizzle of balsamic.
Watch Chef Barry demonstrate the technique and get his complete recipe below.
Ingredients
- 300 grams Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
- 3 grams agar agar
Directions
- Setup sauce pan with probe attachment on Polyscience control freak
- Add balsamic, sprinkle with agar agar. Set probe to 92 C/198 F. Once temperature is reached, hold for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Place into a container. Chill until set like a jelly.
- Once set, place jelly in Vita-Prep. Blend. Once a vortex has been created, sprinkle in xantham gum to create a thick and smooth fluid gel.
- Funnel into a squeeze bottle for use.
Feuillette Case
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 2 egg yolk
Directions
- Cut two 4-inch circles using a fluted pastry cutter.
- Cut another 3-inch circle in the center of one.
- Discard the center piece of pastry.
- Dock the complete circle and brush the edge with egg wash.
- Place the remaining ring of puff pastry on top.
- Place onto a piece of parchment and brush well with egg yolk.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F until risen, brown and crisp.
Mission Fig Jam
Ingredients
- 260 grams mission figs, diced
- 50 grams sugar
- 50 grams water
- 60 grams lemon juice
- 1 piece dried orange peel
Directions
- Place diced mission figs, water, orange peel, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Place on medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Cook down to a thick, glossy jam.
- Remove orange peel. Leave to cool.
To Assemble
Ingredients
- 3 mission figs, diced
- 60 grams crumbled Crottin de Chavignol cheese
- Picked lemon thyme
- Sorrel leaves
- Fig jam
- Balsamic fluid gel
- Feuillette case
Directions
- In the base of the feuillette case, spoon in a half-inch-thick layer of fig jam.
- Add diced mission figs and cheese.
- Sprinkle with lemon thyme.
- Bake at 135 C/275 F for 5 minutes until warm.
- Top with piped fluid gel and sorrel leaves.
Study with Chef Barry in ICE's Culinary Arts program.