Botanical pastry: three proposals by Francisco Moreira with infusions, fermentations, and dehydrated foods

Francisco Moreira, director of the Chocolate Academy in Brussels, suddenly realized that walnut trees have leaves, and thought that perhaps these would be very interesting in terms of pastry uses.

Much of the credit for this immersion into nature goes to Cécile, owner of Tiers Paysage, a tiny, one-woman business dedicated to the production and wild harvesting of flowers and plants in small areas, in tune with the seasons and respecting the life of the soil, biodiversity, and the environment.

In so good.. magazine 34, the chef unveils his collection of Herbarium cakes, surprising due to the unexpected nature of these discoveries (leaves that taste of vanilla and aniseed, roots that smell of tonka bean, flowers that recall the taste of pineapple…). In this project, he carries out fermentations, infusions, and dehydrations with plant leaves, not with fruit. 

Aesthetically, “I came up with the idea of ​​depicting the variety of plant or flower used in each case on the surface of the cake, as if it were inserted into a book. Hence the chocolate plaques with slightly bent tips. And to make each flower shine, I used the crystallization technique, which also adds a new crispy caramel texture.”

Discover these three proposals and immerse yourself in the exciting world of botanical pastry!

Discover so good.. magazine 34

Dehydrated and fermented Matricaria discoidea / Honey-fermented pears / Milk chocolate

Matricaria discoidea is a highly aromatic annual herb belonging to the Compositae family. It is similar to chamomile.

“We use the center of the flower and dehydrate it to better extract its flavor when infused. When tasted, the flavor of pineapple is unmistakable. I chose pear as an accompaniment for its sweeter, milder flavor. I found it a really interesting combination, perhaps because many people find pear boring, which isn’t true. In this case, we fermented it to bring out the depth of the pear flavor, and added honey to provide more food for fermentation”.

Moreira added a very fine milk chocolate crémeux to give the cake a warm touch and complement the overall freshness of the pear, but without being overpowering.

Discover the recipe in so good.. magazine 34

Walnut tree leaves infusion / Milk chocolate

Walnut tree leaves are deciduous, alternate, and compound with five to nine leaflets, always in odd numbers (impinnate). They are oval and have entire margins.

“I decided to try the infusion as a method of extracting the flavor. What surprised me most at first is that the flavor is difficult to explain—it is unlike anything I have ever tasted”. 

We could say that it’s a warm flavor, very unique, with a lot of personality, very pronounced, a very round flavor, with some nutty notes, and very smooth. The sensation is slightly milky even though the infusion is made with water.  It could be similar to almond milk. “A flavor with so much personality made me want to pair it with milk chocolate, which not only doesn’t cancel each other out, but actually enhances each other”.

Discover the recipe in so good.. magazine 34

Dehydrated Anthoxanthum Odoratum / Fresh cheese mousse / Vanilla sablé / Vacuum-baked mango

Anthoxanthum Odoratum is a plant from the grass family. In this case, we are talking about a much more subtle and delicate flavor. The recommendation is to dehydrate it. 

In terms of flavor, the plant has notes of vanilla, very light anise, and a pronounced hint of cereal and hay. “That hint of cereal took me straight to yogurt, fresh cheese, that kind of dairy product… And I opted for a light, fresh cheese mousse with a slightly salty but fairly neutral flavor.

The sablé brings the buttery note and the toasted touch, and to refresh the whole thing Moreira thought of mango, but with the presence of dehydrated Anthoxanthum Odoratum. “This is a kind of compote cooked at a very low temperature, which enhances the flavor of the plant and keeps the pieces of fruit solid, like they’ve been turned into confit”.

Discover the recipe in so good.. magazine 34