Artichoke Croquant Tarts With Artichoke Sorbet

By corlear

Ingredients

• For the artichoke purée:
• 3 1/2 lb artichokes
• 4 1/2 cups water
• salt
• sunflower oil
• For the artichoke sorbet:
• 2 cups artichoke purée (see previous step)
• 3 tsp. sorbet stabilizer
• 2/3 oz dextrose
• 1/4 cup water
• salt
• For the artichoke crisps:
• 2.2 lb artichokes
• 1 1/4 cup 0.4º olive oil
• For the artichoke croquant:
• 4 oz fondant
• 1/4 cup glucose
• 1/4 cup Isomalt
• 4 1/2 oz broken up artichoke crisps (see previous step)
• To finish:
• Maldon salt

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

For the artichoke purée:
1. Remove the leaves from the artichokes around the stem until you reach the heart. Put the artichokes in water and stop them from turning brown by covering them with enough sunflower oil to form a layer over the surface and stop the air from entering.
2. Cook the hearts in 5 cups of boiling salted water and with a sprig of parsley for approx. ¾ hours until they are tender.
3. Drain and keep the water on one side.
4. Blend the hearts with 1 cup of the water used for cooking them. Season with salt.
Note: We now replace the oil with parsley as a result of its anti-oxidant powers.

For the artichoke sorbet:
1. Dissolve the stabilizer and dextrose in ¼ of the water and part of the artichoke purée.
2. Stirring continuously, heat to 185ºF.
3. Mix with the rest of the purée. Season with salt.
4. Leave to stabilize in the fridge for at least 12 hours.
5. Process in a sorbet maker and then place in an icing bag.

For the artichoke crisps:
1. Remove the leaves from the artichokes around the stem until you reach the heart. Put the artichokes in water and stop them from turning brown by covering them with enough oil to form a layer over the surface and stop the air from entering.
2. Use a meat slicer at the finest possible setting to slice the artichoke heart.
3. Fry in hot oil and drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt.
4. Slightly break up the crisps.

For the artichoke croquant:
1. Heat the fondant and glucose in a pan. Stir until the ingredients have completely dissolved and add the Isomalt.
2. Continue heating the mixture over a medium heat until the thermometer reads 325ºF (the other 40ºF will come from the heat of the mixture).
3. Remove from the heat and when the mixture is no longer boiling, add the artichoke crisps. Stir energetically with a spatula and spread the mixture ½ or ¾" thick over a piece of greaseproof paper.
4. When it is sufficiently cool, cut it into 2" x 2" slices and put to one side until you are ready to use it.
5. Place a square between 2 Silpat liners and bake at 325ºF for 6 minutes.
6. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into 1/20" sheets. Transfer on to greaseproof paper and use a pastry cutter to cut out 1" wide circles. While still hot, shape into ½ high circular concaves.

Finishing Touches & Presentation:
1. Fill the artichoke croquant with the artichoke sorbet.
2. Arrange 3 crystals of Maldon salt on top and drizzle with olive oil.