PREHISTORIC CROISSANT, HERBS & FROMAGE BLANC by Edan Leshnick

Preparation

1. PREHISTORIC CROISSANT SHELL

   1. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 10 mm and cross-laminate. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 20 minutes chilled.
   2. Roll out the dough to 1.8 mm and eut circles using a 9 cm ring. Chili the circles in the fridge.
   3. Lightly moisten the cross-laminated side with water and press the herbs (sage, thyme, tarragon, oregano) into the dough so they stick.
   4. Carefully line the dough circles into 67 mm tartlet molds with the herbs facing outward, pressed against the mold. Trim the edges with a sharp knife.
   5. Line the inside of the mold with triple layered plastic wrap and fill with rice to prevent puffng.
   6. Bake upside down at 180°C (360° F) for 20 minutes. Remove the empty tartlet shells on
   top and flip croissant tartlet upside down so it faces up. Keep rice weight on top and bake an additional 5-7min open vent.
   7. Carefully remove the rice weight and unmold tartlet shells. Let cool, then dust with caramel powder, and bake upside down for 1-2 minutes until caramel fully melts.

2. PECAN SPONGE

   1. Prepare a meringue with water, egg white powder, and sugar.
   2. Combine olive oil, praline, egg whites, egg yolks, and vanilla been. Blend with immersion blender.
   3. ln a separate bowl, whisk the pecan flour, cornstarch, baking powder and sait.
   4. Mix bath the olive oil and the pecan flour mixture until a paste is formed.
   5. Fold in the meringue into the paste in 3 to 4 increments.
   6. Place the frame on a silicone mat and pour 670 g of batter into it.
   7. Lightly mist the batter with water and bake immediately at 150°C (300° F) for 14-15 minutes.
   8. Let it cool, then eut out inserts using a 38 mm circle cutter

3. PECAN PRALINE

   1. Toast pecans at 140°C (280°F) for 25 minutes with ventilation.
   2. ln a pot, heat water and sugar to 115°C (240°F), add the warm pecans and cook until starting to crystallize.
   3. Spread the pecans on a silicone mat, and bake at 140°C (280°F) for 10 minutes.
   4. Once fully cool, blend in a food processor until smooth.

4. FROMAGE BLANC CREAM

   1. Mix together pectin, soy lecithin, xanthan gum, sugar, inulin, and sait.
   2. ln a pot, heat water and vanilla bean to 40°C (104° F).
   3. Add the dry ingredients and cook to 82°C (180° F).
   4. Pour the liquid over the fromage blanc and stream in melted coconut oil while blending with an immersion blender.
   5. Blend well until the mixture is shiny and smooth.
   6. Pour into a shallow container and let cool for 8-12 hours.
   7. Before use, gently mix with a spatula to «loosen» the cream before piping.

5. HERB FLUID GEL
   • HERB BASE
     1. Blanch the herbs in boiling water for 1 minute.
     2. Transfer the boiled leaves directly in ice water.
     3. Squeeze the water out of the leaves and set aside.
   • GREENJUICE
     1. ln vitamix, blend ail the ingredients on high speed until smooth (3-5 min.).
     2. Strain and reserve 315g of green juice.
   • HERB FLUID GEL
     1. Blend ail ingredients with an immersion blender until fully homogenized.
     2. Refrigerate until use.
6. ASSEMBLY PROCEDURE

   1. Pipe pecan praline on the bottom of the prehistoric croissant shell.
   2. Place the pecan sponge on top of the praline.
   3. Pipe the fromage blanc in mound on top of the sponge.
   4. Create a cavity in the fromage blanc using a warm spoon and fill with herb fluid gel.
   5. Garnish with fresh herbs.