Fogliame - Chef Recipe by Shawn Sheather

Ingredients

Finger Lime and Apple Cider Panna Cotta:

450 ml cream
55 ml Wild Cider Finger lime and Apple Cider
110 g (1/2 cup) sugar
1/4 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
8 g powdered gelatine

Chocolate Leaves:

500 g Dark chocolate
100 g white chocolate
50 g yellow chocolate
50 g red chocolate
50 g cocoa powder

Biscotti Soil:

250 g plain flour
5 g baking soda
85 g sugar
1 egg
115 g butter, melted

Biscotti Flavours/Colours:

Colour 1 - 8 drops of brown, 2 drops Vanilla essence, 2 Tbs Cocoa powder
Colour 2 - 4 drops of black, 2 drops of aniseed flavour
Colour 3 - 2 drops of brown, 2 drops of yellow. 75 g unsalted pistachios, shelled. 2 Tbs Orange Zest in short zest pieces. 2 Tbs Lemon Zest in short zest pieces.

Chocolate Ground Debris:

200 g Dark chocolate
10 ml Orange cognac
Strands of dry vermicelli noodle

Hibiscus Flowers:

8 Hibiscus flowers, in Syrup

Method

Finger lime and apple cider panna cotta:

In a medium sized, wide based saucepan, over medium heat, add the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla pod and scraped seeds. Heat and stir until all the sugar dissolves.

Bring only to a simmer till all the sugar dissolves, continue to stir. Remove from the heat, add the Cider, sprinkle in the gelatine. Whisk well. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a jug.

Pour the mixture into your moulds or in a flat tray depending on your desired look. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours, or until firm.

Chocolate leaves:

Using a muffin tray, place the chocolates in each cup making a colour palette. Melt safely using a tray with water creating a double boiler.

Select safe leaves, I recommend rose, Grape Vine, Sage or Mint. Give them a good wash under cold water, and pat dry. Place them in the fridge.

Select a leaf, painting the back using the paints to create the desired colour.

Place the leave on a tray and place back in the fridge. Repeat this step with the other leaves.
Paint more chocolate over the back of the leaves to provide strength.

Once the chocolate is set, simply place the leaf in your hand and peel away the leaf.
Using cocoa powder brush the leaves creating a realistic look.

Biscotti soil:

Increase oven temperature to 175C.

Combine the sugar, plain flour and baking soda. Mix with an electric mixer on a low speed, add the egg, then the melted butter, mix until its well combined.

Form the dough into three equal amounts, add the colour / flavour ingredients. Roll the coloured dough into logs on a lined oven tray.

Place on the middle shelve and bake for 25 minutes until firm. Let cool for 10 minutes.

To make the biscuit crisp reduce oven temperature to 75C. Using a bread knife, cut about 1/2 cm thick biscotti from each coloured log and lay it back on a fresh lined oven tray. The cuts don’t need to be perfect as it is going to be crumbled.

Place back in oven until dry (approximately 70-90 minutes). Once crisp and dried, break or crumble into soil appropriate sizes, store in separate containers.


Chocolate ground debris:

Break the vermicelli noodle to the desired length and shape, place them in the freezer.

Heat and melt the chocolate till it reaches 45-50 degrees, pour it into a bowl and add orange cognac. Toss the cold noodle through, place on a tray in the desired size and shape required.

Presentation hints:

Hibiscus flowers:

Using Nicholson Fine Foods Hibiscus flowers in syrup, allow the excess liquid to drain away.

Finger lime:

Using First Food Co Finger limes, cut lengthways and carefully remove the pearls, place these on the plate and over the Panna Cotta.

Pine Nettles:

Select small pine nettles, wash well and place them on the dish. Thin nettles are best.

You can serve this recipe in many different ways, including in a glass. I have selected an organic plate and have combined real edible pine nettles for flavour aroma and presentation.

Credits: AGFG Resident Chef Shawn Sheather

Photo Credits: Nelly le Comte Photography for Byron Bay - A Taste of the Region