Chef Florian Kraemer: Poached pear, chocolate crémeux and pain d’épices

1. To prepare the espuma pain d’épices: On a baking sheet, place the pain d’épices in the oven to 160°C for 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool and blend to obtain a powder texture. In a pan, warm the cream and add the pain d’épices powder. Stir well. With an electric mixer, whip your cream and refrigerate. Start whisking the egg yolks. Meanwhile, cook sugar and water at 115°C, remove from the flame, and pour over the yolks. Whisk and set aside. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, and cook sugar with water at 118°C. Fold egg whites into sugar and let cool. Blend the cream and the pain d’épices mixture. Pass through a sieve and pour over the egg yolks mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula. Combine to the Italian meringue (egg whites and sugar batter). Add cream at the end and mix. Put in espuma bottle with 2 gaz.

2. Chocolate pear crémeux: In a pan, warm the milk and cream. In a bowl, mix sugar and egg yolks. Pour the cream over the egg yolks mixture. Cook until it reaches 85°C. Pass through a sieve and pour over chocolate. Blend and slowly add pear alcohol. Store in the fridge for 24 hours.

3. Caramelized poached pear: Drain canned pear. Over low heat, warm lime juice, orange juice and vanilla beans. Make a caramel with water and sugar until golden brown. Slowly pour the juice over. Remove from heat and pour on the pear. Store in the fridge for 1 night.

4. Pear Sorbet: Heat water in a pan. In a bowl, mix well all dry ingredients together. Pour into the warm water and bring to boil. Combine to the pear purée and refrigerate for 4 hours. Churn. Spread chocolate pear crémeux in a plate, make ice cream quenelles, arrange caramelized poached pear and garnish with diced fresh pain d’épices.

Chef Florian Kraemer is the pastry sous-chef of the Sky on 57, Marina Bay Sands.

Photo credit: Carré Pain d’Epices