Olive Oil Cake
Apple Compote, Plum Jam, Fennel Pastry Cream, Plum Sorbet, Sunflower Tuile, Candied Fennel
Pastry Chef Russell Johnson of Ambra and Southwark | Philadelphia
Adapted by StarChefs | january 2024
INGREDIENTS
Candied Fennel
Yield: 100 portions
200 grams granulated sugar, plus more for dusting
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
Plum Sorbet
Yield: 2 quarts
400 grams granulated sugar
80 grams lemon juice
850 grams plum purée
Sunflower Tuile:
Yield: 2 cups
5 ounces sunflower seeds
1½ ounces all-purpose flour
4 ounces butter, room temperature
5 ounces granulated sugar
5 ounces glucose syrup
Apple Compote:
Yield: 4 cups
400 grams granulated sugar
200 grams plum purée
5 grams pectin
20 grams lemon juice
600 grams Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
Plum Jam:
Yield: 2 cups
240 grams sugar
400 grams wild plum, pitted
12 grams pectin
40 grams lemon juice
Fennel Pastry Cream:
Yield: 4 cups
130 grams granulated sugar
30 grams cornstarch
500 milliliters whole milk
150 grams egg yolk
¼ teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 orange, zested
30 grams butter
Olive Oil Cake:
Yield: 16 portions
315 grams all-purpose flour
330 grams granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup olive oil
1 orange, zested
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Olive oil
METHOD
For the Candied Fennel:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar and 100 grams water to a boil. Add fennel and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, strain mixture, squeezing out any excess liquid from the fennel. Transfer fennel to a mixing bowl. Toss with enough sugar to coat. Let dehydrate overnight.
For the Plum Sorbet:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar, lemon juice, and 200 grams water to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar has fully dissolved. Place plum purée in a nonreactive container. Pour syrup over the purée. Add 200 grams water and using a refractometer, adjust until the mixture reaches 32 brix. Process mixture in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
For the Sunflower Tuile:
Heat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, pulse together seeds and flour until well combined. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, and glucose. Mix until combined, then fold in ground seed mixture. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Once chilled, portion mixture into 5-gram balls and set on a silpat-lined sheet tray. Bake until golden brown. Let cool slightly, then using a circle pastry cutter, punch out sixteen circles. Reserve.
For the Apple Compote:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar, plum purée, pectin, and lemon juice to a boil. Add apples and cook until the mixture has thickened and begins to bubble. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Plum Jam:
In a saucepan over medium-heat heat, bring all ingredients to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. Return pan to medium heat and cook until mixture thickens and desired consistency is achieved. Strain and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Fennel Pastry Cream:
In a mixing bowl, combine 65 grams sugar, cornstarch, and a splash of milk. Mix until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Whisk in egg yolk and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring remaining sugar, fennel seed, vanilla, zest, remaining milk, and butter to a boil. Temper egg yolk mixture with the hot milk mixture, then incorporate the egg mixture into the pan, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and strain. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate.
For the Olive Oil Cake:
Heat oven to 325°F. Prepare and grease sixteen 4-ounce cylindrical silicone molds. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, sift together sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, olive oil, and orange zest. Combine wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the mixtures are fully incorporated. Fill the prepared molds halfway with the mixture. Bake 12 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown. Remove from molds and let cool. Once cooled, trim the tops and bottoms of each cake. Using a circle cutter, punch out sixteen circles that match the diameter of Sunflower Tuile. Discard middles and reserve outer rings.
To Assemble and Serve:
Heat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm Apple Compote. Brush 1 Olive Oil Cake ring with olive oil. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake until Olive Oil Cake is lightly toasted. Let cool, then transfer to the center of a small serving plate. Fill center with warmed Apple Compote. Top Apple Compote with Fennel Pastry Cream and 1 Sunflower Tuile. Top with additional Fennel Pastry Cream to create a wave effect. Dot with Plum Jam, then top with 1 quenelle Plum Sorbet. Garnish with desired amount Candied Fennel.
