Blood orange crémeux with crispy tonka

Blood orange is a fruit with many beneficial qualities. The queen of vitamins and nutrients, it is also low in sugar and calories.

When combined with intensely fragrant dark chocolate and enhanced by tonka beans, blood oranges reveal all their bright freshness and tart flavours. In this recipe, it’s easy to achieve the perfect balance by following the steps for making this delicious and deeply satisfying dessert.

Orange balm

• 180g caster sugar
• 60ml water
• 3 blood oranges, juiced and zested
  
  Blood orange lace tuile
• 40g butter
• 55g icing sugar
  
• 40g flour
  
• 35ml blood orange juice and zest
  
  Dark chocolate tonka feuillantine
  
• 60g dark chocolate
  
• 60g pralines
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 tonka bean
• 45g feuillantine
  
  Blood orange crémeux
  
• 100ml blood orange juice
  
• 72g egg yolks (from about 3 eggs)
  
• 40g caster sugar
  
• 150g cream
  
• 17g custard powder
  
• 50g butter
• Zest of one blood orange

Orange balm
Make a simple syrup with the sugar and water, boiling the mixture until it reaches 122°C (252°F). Deglaze with the juice and zest of three blood oranges.

Blood orange lace tuile
Melt the butter, let cool, then add the rest of the ingredients. Make circles on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 5 or 6 minutes.

Dark chocolate-tonka feuillantine
Melt the chocolate in a water bath. With a whisk, add in the pralines, salt and tonka bean. Fold in the feuillantine with a spatula. Place the mixture between two sheets of baking paper and roll out very thinly. Place in freezer.

Blood orange crémeux
Heat the juice in a saucepan. In a mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar, then add the cream and custard powder. Pour the warm juice over the mixture, stir, then pour back into the saucepan. Cook until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat, then stir in the butter and zest. Combine well and place in the fridge.

Assembly
Form a quenelle with the crémeux and place it on top of the chocolate-tonka feuillantine. Drizzle orange balm over the quenelle, then garnish with tuile and some blood orange segments. To finish, lightly dust the the dessert with blood orange zest and grated tonka bean.