In Kermadec Brasserie I have the Creme Brulee which is firmly rooted on the menu, I cant touch it, it wont come of the menu as it is by far way to popular, maybe tweak the Garnish here and there but essentially it has to be on there to keep the customers happy.
Moving to the restaurant The Sorbet Balloon is much the same, the first I heard of this technique was from Ben Roche on one of Moto Restaurant many youtube videos, after much practice trying to perfect the balloons i figure out a cost effective, consistant way to make them. and then bought the injection kit for the siphon which meant I could fill the Balloon with an Espuma. This is now the dish I cant really take off menu now. As with the Brulee the flavours change with the seasons.
We are entering Winter here in New Zealand and with that feijoas are in full flow, part of the Guava family they grow in many New Zealanders back gardens and seems they are as much a part of the kiwi lifestyle as the Kiwifruit. The Balloon on the new winter menu is Feijioa, filled with a Salted Caramel Espuma, comes with Dulce de Leche in dedication of my Argentinian sous Pastry Chef Juan, Poached Granny smith Apple, Apple tuile that i have shaped into an apple leaf using a leaf press, Ginger Ice Cream and Feijoa Microwave cake. I think it is one of the most modern interpretations of the fruit much loved by the kiwis.
The Feijoa microwave cake is made using Freeze dried Feijoa from Tommy at Fresh as, get some, it is so good, I powder it, blend egg whites, almond powder , fructose, Freeze dried feijoa, and a little flour and charge it in a siphon letting it rest for 1 day then releasing some into a plastic cup , microwave for thirty seconds and you get the mi cake, Adrias technique my interpretation.
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Posted by: Roz | 06/15/2010 at 12:19 AM
Chef, for this technique are you loosening the balloon with any pressurized gas before filling with the iSi Espuma? or just filling it then tying it directly, and "soaking" in Nitrogen? Then for service do you keep them in the balloon and pop to order?
Posted by: JC | 07/12/2010 at 07:03 PM
hey man, no you dont need to fill it with pressurised gas, its very simple really,
I half fill a balloon with sorbet mix, then pump it up with a very simple balloon pump, nothing to crazy, then roll it in the liquid nitro so it freezes evenly, then when frozen i slice around the balloon with a sharp knife and peel balloon off If any part sticks (frozen to the balloonI just place the balloon in the freezer and as it defrosts down to -18c it falls off.
I keep some ready for service in an air tight container then as the dish is plated i fill the balloon with whatever espuma I have on the menu. pop it on the plate and send.
hope this answers your question
Posted by: Brian Campbell | 07/12/2010 at 07:37 PM