When I was thinking about a summery dessert, I was inspired by both sea salt ice cream from Kingdom Hearts and salted coconut-butterfly tea lattes. There is just something about that blue-white contrast that really reminds me of sunny skies and blue seas. The name “blue dreams” came from a song of the same name.

For the different layers to this dessert, we have butterfly tea chiffon cake doughnut, salted coconut mousse, salted coconut-butterfly tea mirror glaze, butterfly tea veil, and butterfly tea bubble sugar. I really wanted to capture that “fun in the sun” sort of vibe with this dessert, and I felt like the veil and bubble sugar really help give the dessert that pop-art aesthetic that it greatly needed.

For the chiffon cake:
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butterfly tea or 3 tablespoons coconut milk + 1 1/2 tablespoons butterfly tea powder
2 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons canola oil

Whip egg yolks with canola oil, baking powder, vanilla, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar until it forms stiff peaks.

Whip the egg whites with the remaining sugar until that reaches stiff peaks as well. Sift the flour. Fold everything together. Pipe into silicone doughnut molds and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool completely before unmolding.

For the mousse:
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin powder + 2 tablespoons coconut milk
1/3 cup heavy cream; whipped stiff

Bloom gelatin in coconut milk, then melt into the remaining coconut milk and salt. Temper in the egg yolks and granulated sugar. Whip over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, strain, then cool down to room temperature. Mix in vanilla extract, then fold in the whipped cream. Pipe into the cooled down doughnut molds, and then press the cakes into the mousses. Freeze solid.

For the mirror glaze:
1/3 cup coconut milk + 2 tablespoons butterfly tea powder or 3 tablespoons butterfly tea flowers
1 cup white chocolate
3 tablespoons gelatin powder + 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt

Melt gelatin into the coconut milk; steeped with the butterfly tea powder. Pour through a strainer into the white chocolate and allow to sit until the white chocolate is fully melted into the liquid. Strain to remove any excess lumps. Keep at 90 degrees F for pouring.

For the veil:
1 cup butterfly tea
1/4 cup agar agar
a pinch of salt

Combine ingredients and bring to a simmer. Pour over a sheet tray and allow to set. Cut into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch circles.

For the bubble sugar:
1/3 cup butterfly tea
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons mizuame
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
parchment paper

Crumble up parchment paper with the vanilla extract. Simmer the tea, sugar, and mizuame until it reaches 280 degrees F. Pour over the parchment and allow the sugar to set before removing.

Assembly:
Glaze the frozen doughnut cake mousses, then garnish with the veil and bubble sugar.