‘The Diva’ by Jimmy Lelerc

(This recipe appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)

Fresh and seasonal, the combination of poppy seeds and strawberries is one of my favorites. Here it’s featured in a light dessert that is just perfect for summer.

Yield: 20 servings

Soft Biscuit ‘Trocadero’

• 280 g unsalted butter 82%
• 340 g almond powder
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 260 g light brown sugar
• 420 g egg whites, divided
• 140 g egg yolks
• 80 g crème fraïche
• 460 g granulated sugar, divided
• 2 g fleur de sel
• 140 g cake flour
• 8 g baking powder

1. Melt the butter. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the almond powder, vanilla bean seeds, light brown sugar, 60 g of the egg whites, the egg yolks, crème fraiche, 60 g of the granulated sugar and the fleur de sel at medium speed for 5 minutes.

2. In a clean bowl, whip the remaining 360 g of the egg whites with the remaining 400 g of the granulated sugar to form a meringue. Gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture. Fold in the melted butter, and then the cake flour mixed with the baking powder. Spread the batter onto a Silpat with a 11.8ʺ x 9.4ʺ x 0.6ʺ high (30  x 24  x 1.5 cm) frame. Bake at 320˚F (160˚C) for 12-15 minutes. Cool, then cut into 4.7ʺ x 1.2ʺ (12 x 3 cm) rectangles.

Poppy Syrup

• 200 g granulated sugar
• 400 g water
• 1g Sevarome poppy extract

1. Boil together the sugar and the water, then let it cool down to 122˚F (50˚C) and add the poppy extract. Soak the Trocadero biscuit with the syrup.

Strawberry Tuile

• 25 g unsalted butter 82%, room temperature
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 35 g strawberry puree
• 25 g cake flour

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the softened butter with the sugar. Add the puree and the cake flour.

2. Spread batter on a Silpat with a 23.6ʺ x 19ʺ x 0.12ʺ (60 x 48 x 0.3 cm) frame and bake at 338˚F (170˚C). While still warm, cut ino 4.7ʺ x 1.2ʺ (12 x 3 cm) rectangles.

Whipped Strawberry-Poppy Crémeux

• 12 g water
• 2 g powdered fish gelatin (200-bloom)
• 180 g Valrhona Opalys white chocolate
• 12 g cocoa butter
• 30 g fresh milk
• 390 g heavy cream 36%, divided in 3 measurements
• 6 g glucose syrup
• 288 g strawberry puree
• 1.5 g Sevarome poppy extract

1. Mix the water with the gelatin powder and reserve in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

2. Melt the white chocolate with the cocoa butter.

3. In a saucepan, combine the milk, 150 g of the cream and the glucose and bring to a boil. Add the gelatin, whisking to dissolve it, and add to the melted chocolate and cocoa butter. Use a hand blender to emulsify, then mix in 90 g of the cream, the strawberry puree and the poppy extract. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

4. Whip the remaining 150 g cream, then whisk into the cold mixture, whisking for 30 seconds. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 0.78ʺ (20 mm) tip.

Sugar Décor

• 200 g glucose syrup

1. Boil the glucose syrup , spread it on a Silpat and bake it at 338˚F (170˚C) for 10 minutes.

2. Let it cool down and break into pieces.

Assembly

• Fresh strawberries, sliced
• Poppy seeds
• Edible gold leaf

1. Place a rectangle of Strawberry Tuile on the plate, then top with a rectangle of biscuit and then another tuile.

2. Pipe 4 dollops of Strawberry-Poppy Crémeux on top, then garnish with pieces of the Sugar Décor, 3 slices of fresh strawberry, pieces of Strawberry Tuile and a few poppy seeds. Garnish the sides of the biscuit with some gold leaf.

About Jimmy Lelerc

Jimmy Leclerc is the Executive Pastry Chef of Ladurée in New York, NY. Most of his inspiration for new recipes comes with different seasons and with what’s available on the market. He is now currently working a lot with flowers and teas as he believes that there is an infinite world of beautiful combinations he can use with them.