My next dessert is Italian-inspired. I'm planning my trip to Italy, so let's just say Italy is on the brain. I love rosemary in dessert more than I do savory dishes, it pairs so beautifully with sugar. It is such a strong flavor profile that it can get a bit tricky to balance. Shown is a pine nut salted caramel tart, red wine sauce, blueberry compote, rosemary cream, & crumble. The caramel tart is chewy, crunchy & gooey. I love the rich & buttery taste of pine nuts paired with salted caramel. Honestly the filling is addictive. The red wine sauce adds acidity to cut all the richness. The blueberries are lightly poached, until the outside is cooked but the fruit is still firm. It adds a burst of freshness. The rosemary cream adds an edge to the dish, one that makes it interesting and memorable.

Vacherin mont blanc is a classic dessert of meringue & chestnut cream layers. Topped with some warm poached cherries, it's the perfect winter indulgence. While this dessert is great on it's own, I wanted to add my own twist to this classic. Why not duck? Chestnut and cherries go perfectly with duck. I added crispy duck skin as a garnish that would change the dimension of the dish, with the vacherin still the main focus. This dessert is comprised of meringue shards, chestnut cream, cherries poached in spiced wine, and crispy duck skin that was glazed in passion fruit. This is a light and creamy dessert, with cherries that are sweet & spiced. The glazed duck skin acts like bacon on top, with an acidic touch. An unassuming dessert, with a twist.

in the kitchen x pine nut caramel, rosemary cream, & red wine

in the kitchen x vacherin mont blanc with a twist