White chocolate délice, pumpkin and cardamom choux buns, bitter chocolate sorbet – by Robert Thompson

Ingredients
(Serves six)
For the délice
125ml single cream
225g white chocolate
1 leaf gelatine, soaked
1tbs kirsch
190ml double cream (lightly whipped)
For the chiboust
150g crème pâtissière infused with five cardamom pods
75g purée of pumpkin and butternut squash
75g Italian meringue
100ml double cream, lightly whipped
For the bitter chocolate sorbet
200g sugar
450ml water
125g Valrhona 70% dark chocolate
25g extra bitter cocoa powder
To garnish
96 miniature choux buns
6 ultra fine caramel plaques

Method
To make the dèlice, melt the cream and chocolate together. Melt the gelatine and kirsch, then mix with the single cream and white chocolate and then combine with the whipped cream just before it sets. Pour into six rectangular moulds and set in the fridge.
To prepare the chiboust, combine the purée of pumpkin and squash into the crème pâtissière, then blend this with the meringue and double cream. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a fine plain nozzle.

To make the bitter chocolate sorbet, combine the stock syrup with chocolate and cocoa powder, mix until very smooth. Allow to cool and then churn in a sorbet machine.

To plate, fill the choux buns with the cardamom and pumpkin chiboust. Place a rectangle of dèlice on each plate, line four rows of four choux buns on each dèlice. Place a caramel plaque on top and quenelle the chocolate sorbet on to each plate.

Robert Thompson, head chef, Winteringham Fields, Winteringham, Lincolnshire