Into the Harvest by Jaime Schick

Candy Cap Mushroom Parfait, Butternut Squash Sorbet, Cider Poached Butternut Squash, Pumpernickel Sponge Cake, Sea Buckthorn Sauce, Maple Gelee, Sea Buckthorn Glass

Assistant Professor, International Baking and Pastry Institute, Johnson & Wales University,  Providence, RI

“This dessert features one of my favorite savory ingredients to work with – candy cap mushrooms. I was first introduced to them about eight years ago. I remember the first time I smelled them, I couldn’t believe it was a mushroom, the aroma was slightly sweet, reminiscent of maple syrup with earthy and woodsy undertones. I really enjoy pairing candy cap mushrooms with fall flavors to accent and enhance the maple flavors from the mushroom.

In addition to candy cap mushrooms, the final dessert features a rye-molasses sponge made to resemble the flavor of pumpernickel bread. This sponge cake uses coffee flour to create a depth flavor but does not impart the traditional coffee flavor. Coffee flour is unique, it is made from the outer husk of the coffee fruit which is normally discarded. Lastly, sea buckthorn, a small orange berry known for its nutritional value and high vitamin C content, provides a tart and acidic balance to this dish.

At first, incorporating such a savory ingredient like mushrooms into dessert felt unnatural, but also exciting. When I first started creating savory-sweet desserts, I stayed with more approachable and familiar flavors, such as chocolate and caramel. As I became more comfortable and confident, my desserts and flavor pairings became bolder.”

Yield: 8 servings

Candy Cap Mushroom Parfait

• 5 sheets gelatin
• 120 g white chocolate
• 71 g milk
• 5 g candy cap mushrooms
• 45 g egg yolks, pasteurized
• 21 g maple syrup
• 96 g heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
• 96 g egg whites, whipped to soft peaks

1. Bloom gelatin in cold water.
2. Partially melt white chocolate and set aside.
3. Combine milk and candy cap mushrooms in a pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and infuse for 5 minutes.
4. Return to a simmer, remove from heat and add bloomed gelatin Strain. Temper yolks with warm milk mixture and pour over white chocolate. Allow to sit for 1 minute and stir until lump free. Stir in maple syrup. Fold in whipped cream and whipped whites in stages. Pipe into desired molds and freeze before unmolding. Serve partially frozen.

‘Pumpernickel’ Sponge Cake (makes 3 cakes)

• 2 large eggs
• 4 g coffee flour
• 8 g rye flour
• 14 g molasses
• 25 g granulated sugar
• 1 g salt

1. Completely perforate 3 paper coffee cups over their entire surface.
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Place mixture into siphon and charge with two N₂O cream cartridges. Shake until thick. Fill each cup 1/3 of the way with batter. Bake in microwave for 45 seconds. Remove from microwave and flip cup upside down until cool.

Cider Poached Butternut Squash

• 908 g butternut squash
• 128 g brown sugar
• 255 g apple cider
• 128 g water

1. Peel butternut squash and cut in half. Remove the seeds and save for later use. Scoop the flesh of the butternut squash with a small Parisienne scoop. Reserve the remaining squash for later use.
2. In a small pot, combine sugar, apple cider and water and bring to simmer to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved, add the butternut squash scoops. Cover with parchment or cheesecloth and cook just until fork tender.
3. Once fork tender, shock squash in ice bath. Store in cooled cooking liquid until needed for plating.

Butternut Squash Puree

• Reserved butternut squash (from poached squash)

1. Utilizing the reserved butternut squash remaining from the poached squash, boil the squash in water until soft. Strain and puree in a high-powered blender until smooth, adding a small amount of water if necessary, to achieve a smooth puree.

Butternut Squash Sorbet

• 200 g water
• 42 g brown sugar
• 8 g sorbet stabilizer
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 425 g butternut squash puree
• Pinch of salt
• Apple cider or lemon juice, to taste

1. Place water and brown sugar in small pot and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, place sorbet stabilizer with granulated sugar in bowl and whisk together. Once the water simmers, add sugar and stabilizer and return to a simmer. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Once cool, add syrup to butternut squash puree until desired Brix of 22-26˚ is reached. Taste and adjust with salt and acid, if needed.
3. Cool base before processing in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Sea Buckthorn Sauce

• 3 g cornstarch
• 140 g sea buckthorn juice or puree
• 70 g granulated sugar

1. Place the cornstarch in a bowl and add a small amount of juice or puree to make a slurry. Boil the remaining juice or puree and sugar. Stir the slurry into the boiling mixture and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. Adjust consistency with a small amount of puree if needed before plating.

Maple Gelée

• 2 sheets gelatin
• 125 g maple syrup
• 75 g water
• Pinch of salt

1. Prepare lids by lightly dampening with water and then lining with plastic wrap. Set aside.
2. Bloom gelatin in cold water.
3. Place maple syrup and water in a pot and bring to a simmer. Squeeze excess moisture from gelatin and add to hot maple syrup along with a pinch of salt. Strain and divide evenly into molds. Let set in refrigerator for 6 hours, or overnight.
4. When ready to use, cut into cubes with a paring knife. If gelee sticks to the knife, dip the knife into cold water before cutting.

Sea Buckthorn Glass

• 132 g sea buckthorn juice or puree
• 22 g tapioca maltodextrin
• 30 g confectioners’ sugar
• 40 g Isomalt

1. Blend all ingredients together in a high-powered blender. The mixture will be thin. Allow the mixture to sit refrigerated overnight.
2. Spread mixture evenly on acetate and dehydrate overnight in a food dehydrator at 165⁰F. Carefully release from acetate and break into shards. Store in an airtight container.

Candied Butternut Squash Seeds

• 54 g butternut squash seeds (reserved from poached butternut squash)
• 55 g granulated sugar
• 10 g water
• 2 g cocoa butter
• 1 g salt

1. Toast seeds in a 300⁰F oven for 5-6 minutes; the seeds will have little to no color. Keep warm.
2. Place the sugar and water in a pot and cook to 240⁰F.
3. Once the sugar has reached 240⁰F, stir in the warm seeds while mixing constantly. The sugar will crystalize. This is normal. Continue to stir until the large clusters of seeds fall apart and each seed is evenly coated in sugar. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sugar caramelizes to a golden brown color. Remove pot from the heat and stir in cocoa butter. Pour onto parchment paper and spread into a thin layer for even cooling. Sprinkle with salt and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

“Pumpernickel” Soil

• 15 g almond flour
• 15 g coffee flour, coarsely ground
• 30 g rye flour
• 30 g dark brown sugar
• 3 g cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 35 g unsalted butter, melted

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Slowly add the melted butter and mix with your hands until all ingredients are evenly mixed. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Plating

1. Place a spoonful of Sea Buckthorn Sauce in the center of the plate. Using the spoon, gently tap into the middle of the sauce to create a splatter effect.
2. Place one semi-frozen Candy Cap Mushroom Parfait in the center of the splattered sauce. Gently rip the sponge cake into small tufts, and place three around the plate, arranging one on top of the parfait and two on the sides.

3. Garnish the plate with small piles of the Poached Butternut Squash, Candied Squash Seeds and Maple Gelée. Place a spoonful of soil next to the parfait to anchor the sorbet. Scoop or quenelle the sorbet and place onto the larger pile of soil. Finish the plate with a broken shard of Sea Buckthorn Glass on the quenelle.
   

Photography by Jean-Luc Derron

Student Assistants: Amanda Stabile, Jessica Jones, Maya Rodriguez

About Jaime Schick

Jaime Davis Schick is a noted young pastry chef that has achieved local and national acclaim for her inspired yet straightforward approach to dessert. Schick began her culinary career at Johnson & Wales University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in pastry and baking. After graduating in 2007, Schick worked at several bakeries and hotels in New England before moving to Chicago to work under Chef Gale Gand at Tru. In 2009, Schick joined the pastry team at No. 9 Park, where her passion, skill, and hard work earned her the title of Pastry Chef in 2010. In 2012, she was nominated for Food & Wine’s People’s Best New Pastry Chef award and counts overhauling No. 9 Park’s bread program as well as developing and executing Sugar Rush 2013, a showcase of local pastry chefs, among her recent achievements. In 2013, Schick joined the team at Deuxave as Exectuve Pastry Chef, Schick bringing a unique approach to pastry that emphasized balance through contrasting flavors and textures. Since 2015, Schick has taken on the title of Pastry Chef Instructor at her alma mater, teaching and influencing future culinarians.