So when I was conceptualizing different desserts that would use salted duck egg, one of them that I had in mind was with injeolmi, which is a roasted grain mix from Korea, similar to misugaru, but with a less earthy flavor profile. I was first introduced to injeolmi by my friend, Ann, who ordered it with her bingsu! It tastes similar to kinako(toasted soy bean powder, which also tastes like peanut butter), and is often used in Korean desserts. My friend Ellie was kind enough to gift me with a bag of her grandma’s homemade injeolmi, so I felt like I had to honor it in this dessert, by using it in both a mousse with Valrhona’s Almond Inspiration, and in a tuile. Luckily, Ellie approved of the dessert when I sent her a picture of the finished product, so that was a huge green light to go ahead and publish it for the world to see!

For the rest of the dessert, I wanted to feature cape gooseberries. Also called golden berries, or husk cherries, these little bright yellow spheres have a slightly savory sour taste to them, almost like a tomato. They normally are surrounded by a thin shell, kind of like a tomatillo, which is why they are referred to as husk cherries from time to time. I wanted this dessert to be a play on black forest, using those husk cherries, and the Almond Inspiration(which as an almond-flavored chocolate, replaces both the chocolate and the almond liquor). The components include a liquid core of gooseberry puree, surrounded by Injeolmi-Almond Inspiration mousse, gooseberry glaze, and resting on gooseberry curd, Almond Inspiration-Injeolmi crumble, and hiding underneath Injeolmi tuiles to replicate the appearance of a cape gooseberry/husk cherry. Ironically, when you cut into the dessert, it resembles an egg, which still is a loose homage to the original concept which would have featured a duck egg custard instead of the gooseberry puree.

Makes enough for 7 servings:
For the gooseberry core:
3 oz cape gooseberries, husks removed
1/4 tspn xanthan gum
a pinch of salt

Puree into a fine liquid. Pour into silicone half-inch half-dome containers and freeze solid, at least 2 hours. Press the half spheres together to form your cores.

For the Injeolmi tuile:
2 tbsp Injeolmi powder
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 egg white
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
a pinch of salt
1/4 tspn xanthan gum

Mix to form your batter. Pour the batter into your tuile molds(I used pavoni molds) and bake at 350 degrees F for at least 10 minutes. Allow the tuiles to cool down for 1 minute at room temperature before attempting to unmold.

For the Almond Inspiration-Injeolmi crumble:
1/4 cup crushed tuile
2oz melted Almond Inspiration

Mix almond meal, oil, sugar, salt, and water together to form a dough. Crumble into small pieces and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Mix with the Almond Inspiration until every crumb is coated and pour onto a nonstick surface. Freeze for at least 10 minutes before chopping up into smaller pieces. Keep in an airtight container.

For the Almond Inspiration-Injeolmi mousse:
1 tspn gelatin powder + 1 tbsp cold water
1/4 cup almond milk
3 tablespoons Injeolmi
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup Almond Inspiration
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped stiff

Mix gelatin with cold water. Place into a pot with almond milk and bring to a simmer. In a bowl, whip Injeolmi with the egg yolk. Pour half of the almond milk over the egg yolk mixture while whisking. Pour the egg mixture into the pot with the remaining almond milk and whisk for 2 minutes on low heat. Take off heat and whisk in the Almond Inspiration and salt. Strain and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Fold the heavy cream into the mixture. Pour into your 1-inch sphere molds and place in the cores. If using half molds, fill the half molds and place into each your halved cores. Freeze until solid. To assemble the half spheres using using the half sphere molds, use a heated surface to partially melt the flat sides of the half spheres and then press them together to melt the two halves into a whole. Keep frozen until glazed/

For the mirror glaze:
2oz gooseberries, pureed
1 packet gelatin powder
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup white chocolate chips
a pinch of salt

Heat up all of your ingredients on low heat in a pot until fully melted. Pass through a sieve and allow your glaze to come down to just above room temperature. Skewer each of the frozen mousse balls and dip into the glaze, allowing it to set before carefully removing with a fork.

For the gooseberry curd:
1oz gooseberries, pureed
1oz lemon juice
1 tbsp cold water
a pinch of salt

Whisk everything together on low heat until combined. Transfer into a piping bag.

To plate:
Start with some crumble and curd on the bottom, then place on your glazed sphere, and the tuiles to finish.