Fall Desserts part 2

The Hazelnut: On the plate is a swoop of a fig gastrique, which is a syrupy reduction of carmelized sugar and vinegar. On top of the gastrique is placed the creamiest cheesecake with a hazelnut cake base/crust. Small piles of mission figs are placed around the cheesecake. The cylindar tube is made out of brix dough, lined with white chocolate and brushed with gold dust. The tube is then filled with frangelico (a hazelnut liguor) caramel with candied hazelnuts folded into the caramel. To garnish on this dessert caramel lace is placed in the cheesecake. In the 3 years that I have been working here this is the first dessert that does not have a scoop of either ice cream or sorbet!

The peanutbutter: Starting on the left we have thin sheets of milk chocolate rectangles which separate squares of flourless chocolate cake and piped peanutbutter mousse. Chocolate crumbs and broken toffee bits craddle the large scoop of peanutbutter ice cream which is soooooo good! The garnish here is a super fragile toffee tuile, I swear sometimes all you have to do is look at it the wrong way and it breaks.

The Grape: This dessert was only on for a month because the quality of grapes didn't last that long. On the right we have a small pile of muskat, redflame and concord grapes that have been slightly roasted and then tossed in a vanilla white wine sauce. On the left a chevre goat cheese cheesecake that has been placed on top of a small pile of chopped candied walnuts. And to finish it off is a small scoop of grape sorbet that was made from the same grapes.

In other news the surgery went well yesterday and Jeff of course was amused by me. He said that he wished he had a video camera to record everything I said and did while I was coming out of my deep sleep.

The body truely is an amazing thing! I feel like all I did yesterday was sleep on the couch and then I still managed to be in bed at 10pm and sleep nearly another 12 hours. Today's agenda; continue to sleep, relax and heal. I am very much looking forward to reading and watching a few Christmas movies today and tomorrow.