I was feeling a bit inspired the other day to try a new flavor of petit gateau. I saw so many geode cakes before, and this is my very loose take on that. I used kohakutou to garnish petit gateaus, but used a little bit of gold leaf as well to give them a more “earthy” look. When it came to the flavors, I worked a bit backwards here. I knew I wanted it to be this pink, gold, and white color scheme, so I went with rose and yuzu to match that. I knew that rose and lemon worked because of my dabbling with Middle Eastern desserts, so yuzu being a citrus would not be too far off from that. For the layers, we have kohakutou on top, being a yuzu and rose flavor to tie with the two ingredients that I am using throughout the entire dessert. For the actual dessert, we have a rose and walnut financier, a yuzu-rose curd center, a yuzu cheesecake, and a white rose mirror glaze. I took some inspiration from my friend Bri’s favorite things, being gold, pink, and as one of her favorite restaurants is Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills, I wanted the exterior to be a pristine white color as well. I named the dessert Signal after the ClariS song, but also because the bright flavors of yuzu are like a light that shines through anything.

For the yuzu-rose kohakutou:
2 tablespoons agar agar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons yuzu juice
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon rosewater
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pitaya powder
gold leaf

Simmer ingredients, except pitaya and gold leaf, together until sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture has been reduced into a thick syrup. Take off heat and stir in the pitaya powder. Pour into a silicone bar mold. Freeze for 30 minutes, then remove. Cut up into smaller pieces and allow these to sit on a sheet of parchment in a dry place overnight. Once the kohakutou are crystalized, garnish with gold leaf.

For the yuzu-rose curd:
2 tablespoons yuzu juice
1/2 teaspoon rosewater
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pitaya powder

Reduce everything besides the butter and pitaya powder first. One the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened, whisk in the other ingredients. Spread onto silicone half inch domes and freeze solid(about 1 hour).

For the rose financier:
1 egg white
1/2 cup walnut flour
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown butter
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon rosewater
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Whip egg white with sugar to stiff peaks. Fold everything together. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. Cool down completely before cutting out 5 circles that are slightly smaller than the holes in a silicone petit gateau mold.

For the yuzu soak
1 tablespoon yuzu juice
2 tablespoons warm water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
a pinch of salt

Mix together until sugar has dissolved. Dunk circles of financier into the liquid.

For the yuzu cheesecake:
1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin powder
1 tablespoon warm water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons yuzu juice in three parts
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg yolk
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons ruby chocolate

Mix warm water with gelatin. Place gelatin into a pot with two parts of the yuzu and sugar and heat up until melted. Whisk cream cheese with egg yolk, salt, and vanilla. Pour in the yuzu syrup and continue whipping. Whisk heavy cream to stiff peaks in another bowl and fold through the cheesecake mixture. Melt ruby chocolate with the last part of yuzu and drizzle into a piping bag. Pour in your yuzu cheesecake mixture. Pipe the mixture into silicone petit gateau molds. Press in two half spheres of the curd, and then the circle of the financier. Level off any overflow. Freeze solid.

For the white rose mirror glaze:
1/2 cup white chocolate
1 packet gelatin powder
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup water in two parts
1 teaspoon rosewater
a pinch of salt

Mix half of your water with the gelatin powder. Dissolve that into milk, rose water, salt, and remaining water. Stir in your white chocolate and pass through a sieve. Chill down to 90 degrees F. Pour over your frozen petit gateau. Allow the glaze to set and then garnish with kohakutou to finish.