Seabuckthorn & spice hot chocolate

Lieven Lootens never does things the easy way. This is his take on a gastronomic hot chocolate. He jazzes up his chocolate broth with winter spices, and adds a lovely fruity taste and acid notes with locally grown sea buckthorn berries. Can be served as drink or dessert.

Level:: Difficult

1 l

milk
Q.S.

tilmut pepper
3 pod(s)

cardamom
1 piece(s)

star anise
1

cinnamon stick
1 pod(s)

Tahitian vanilla
1 pinch

ground chili pepper
1 pinch

ground nutmeg
1 spoon(s)

grated ginger
Q.S.

verbena

Grill the cardamom and Timut pepper in the pan. Add the milk and the rest of the spices (except verbena). Leave to simmer at 80°C (prevent from boiling) for a few minutes. Take away from the heat and leave to infuse under cover for another 10 minutes. Add the Verbena just the last few minutes to preserve its delicate aromas. The leave to cool.

180 g

Callebaut Dark Origin Chocolate - Ecuador - 2.5kg Callets
200 g

coconut blossom sugar (gula java)

Sieve the milk and pour over the chocolate. Heat together under stirring until 75°C. Finish to the taste with the Gula Java.

100 g

ginger syrup
100 g

sugar
300 g

milk
300 cl

water
450 g

sea buckthorn berries

Mix the ingredients and heat until 80°C until the Sea Buckthorn berries have completely opened up. Sieve very finely and leave to cool. Pour in an espuma jug. Keep in the fridge.

500 g

sea buckthorn berries
750 g

water
500 g

sugar
75 g

sorbet stabilizer

Mix the ingredients and bring to the boil. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes on a gentle heat. Strain and let the mixture cool down. Turn into sorbet in the ice cream maker.

Serve the hot chocolate in flute shaped glasses and top with espuma of Sea Buckthorn. Serve with a scoop of Sea Buckthorn sorbet at the side. The delicate harmony of this chocolate drink with its sweet and sour flavours, and cold and warm contrast is truly amazing.