Championnat de France du Dessert Cheese Sorbet Recipes

Recipe Kiwi, nettle, and fresh cheese dessert by Adrien Salavert, Champion de France du Dessert 2026

In the latest edition of the prestigious Championnat de France du Dessert, Adrien Salavert, from Les Belles Perdrix de Troplong Mondot*, in Saint-Émilion, won the title with his dessert Between Prairie and Orchard.

“This dessert has its roots in my native Périgord Noir region, nestled among meadows, orchards, and gardens. The choice of ingredients, based on their origin and seasonality, plays a crucial role in this creation.”

In this dessert, Salavert wanted to highlight “the kiwi from our orchards, a fruit rarely used in pastry, and one that I particularly appreciate. Nettles, often pulled or forgotten, are used here to complement the kiwi, adding a touch of plant freshness. Fresh cheese from the Van der Horst farm, a true childhood memory, brings sweetness and comfort with its natural lactic acidity. Granola, made with fruit from the Lot-et-Garonne region, adds texture and an exquisite touch to every bite. Timut berries are used, as a chef would, to season the kiwi and, in general, the dessert.”

During the tasting, the chef recommends pairing each bite with a little sauce and sorbet to achieve the perfect balance between richness, acidity, and sweetness.

Kiwi, nettle, and fresh cheese

White Cheese Mousse

39 g 35% fat cream (1)
4 g white sugar
44 g glucose syrup
1 organic Madagascar vanilla bean
23 g gelatin
175 g Montcaret white cheese
67 g 35% fat cream (2)

Heat the first cream with the sugar, glucose, and vanilla.

Add the gelatin, the fresh cheese, and finally, gently fold in the second whipped cream.

Pour into molds.

Granola

60 g Périgord honey
30 g Lot-et-Garonne almonds
55 g Castillonnès hazelnuts
10 g rolled oats
8 g coconut oil

Heat the Périgord honey and coconut oil. Pour over the other ingredients. Bake at 140°C, stirring every 10 minutes.

White Cheese Siphon

250 g Montcaret white cheese
100 g 35% cream (1)
30 g 35% cream (2)
44 g Périgord honey
13 g Boiron lime pulp

Dissolve the Périgord honey in a portion of the cream (1).

Mix with the remaining cream (2) and the other ingredients.

Pour the mixture into a siphon with a gas cartridge.

Refrigerate.

Meringue

110 g egg whites
220 g granulated sugar
Nettle powder (to taste)

Heat the sugar and egg whites in a double boiler. Beat with an electric mixer and fill the tartlet molds with the mixture. Dehydrate for 1.5 hours.

Verjus and Timut Berry Glaze

200 g Périgord verjus
10 g tapioca starch
12 g brown sugar
0.45 g Timut berries

Mix the Périgord verjus with the brown sugar, tapioca starch, and Timut berries.

Nettle and Timut Berry Opaline

90 g fondant
60 g glucose syrup
2.5 g nettle powder
1.5 g Timut berries

Cook the fondant and glucose at 160° C. Add the Timut berries and nettle powder, and remove from the heat. Once cool, grind to a fine powder. Spread onto a Silpat mat and bake at 180° C for approximately three minutes. Form a mold.

Kiwis and Kiwi Sauce

8-10 ripe kiwis
Kiwi trimmings

Cut the kiwi wedges into calisson shapes (almond pastries).

Drain and glaze on a Japanese baking tray.

Cut 10 kiwi “calissons” to place under the sorbets.

Blend and strain the trimmings.

Nettle Sorbet

100 g water
45 g glucose syrup
18 g trimoline
60 g white sugar
1.5 g super-neutral sugar
2 g agar-agar
5 g powdered milk
131 g kaffir lime pulp
6 g cucumber vinegar
12 g nettles

Bring the water and powders to a boil. Let cool and blend with the nettle leaves. Pour into a Pacojet and pacotize just before serving.

Nettle Gel

32 g water
50 g Boiron lime pulp
17 g Périgord sherry
10 g white sugar
6 g nettles with stems
7 g pectin
8 g tapioca starch

Blend all the ingredients in a blender without heating them and strain.

Assembly

Fill the sauce boats with 15 g of sauce.

Place the gel on a plate.

Add two fresh cheese mousses.

Drizzle with nettle gel.

Scatter 8 hazelnut pieces and 4 almond pieces.

Place the meringue shells on top. On a Japanese baking tray, glaze the kiwis and gently decorate the right side with citron (Koppert cress) or sorrel leaves.

Fill the meringues with fresh cheese foam and top with the kiwi “calissons,” each crowned with two opaline nettle leaves. Place a quenelle of nettle sorbet on top of the kiwi calisson and finish with a touch of Timut pepper.