Cold-Infused Roasted Macadamia Mousse with Tart Passion Fruit & Salted Brittle

Instructions

1. 1

   Place 120g roasted macadamia nuts (coarsely crushed) into a glass bowl or jar. Pour over 240g cold heavy cream. Cover tightly, label with painter's tape, and transfer to the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours to cold-infuse.

   5 min

   Tip: Cold infusion pulls out pure, sweet roasted macadamia fats without scorching the dairy or extracting bitter tannins. Do not heat this cream.

2. 2

   In a small dry saucepan over medium heat, melt 70g granulated sugar undisturbed until the edges liquefy, then swirl gently until it reaches a deep amber color. Immediately take off the heat, stir in 15g unsalted butter, 80g roasted macadamia nuts (finely chopped), and 1g flaky sea salt. Pour onto a silicone baking mat, press thin with an offset spatula, and sprinkle the remaining 1g flaky sea salt over top. Let cool completely.

   10 min

   Tip: Work swiftly. Sugar goes from amber to scorched in ten seconds. Spreading it wafer-thin ensures instant crispness.

3. 3

   Heat the remaining 120g heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low until barely simmering (around 80°C / 175°F). Remove from heat, whisk in 2g sheet gelatin (squeezed dry of excess water) until dissolved, then pour over 100g white chocolate and 1g fine sea salt. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk from the center outward until completely smooth. Let cool to room temperature (about 28°C / 82°F).

   8 min

   Tip: Why this works: White chocolate provides body and sweetness; the gelatin provides hold. We cool it so it doesn't melt our cold whipped cream on contact.

4. 4

   Pour the chilled macadamia-cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a chilled bowl, pressing firmly on the nuts with a flexible spatula to extract every drop of aromatic fat. Discard the spent solids. Whip the infused cream to medium, soft peaks.

   5 min

   Tip: Stop at medium peaks. Stiff whipped cream leads to a gritty mousse texture when folded into the chocolate base.

5. 5

   Gently fold one-third of the whipped infused cream into the cooled white chocolate base using a rubber spatula to lighten it. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold until completely homogenous with no white streaks. Divide evenly between 4 chilled glasses or dessert coupes. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until softly set.

   5 min

   Tip: Two motions: cut down the middle, sweep around the bottom of the bowl. Be gentle to keep all that incorporated air.

6. 6

   In a small bowl, stir together 80g fresh passion fruit pulp and 5g fresh lime juice. Shatter the cooled brittle into sharp shards. Spoon 20g fresh passion fruit pulp mixture over the top of each chilled mousse and anchor 2-3 brittle shards directly into the cream just before serving.

   4 min

   Tip: Assemble the crunch at the last minute so moisture from the mousse doesn't dissolve the brittle. Maximum contrast, zero sogginess.