Michelin Star Series — Spring Edition
Jasmine and lychee is one of the great perfumed pairings in fine dining — floral meeting floral, each amplifying the other without competition. This délice builds that pairing across five components: a jasmine tea ganache at the centre, surrounded by a lychee gel that sets clean and bright, lifted by a coconut dacquoise base, finished with a jasmine cream quenelle and crystallised edible jasmine flowers. It is the kind of plate that stops a dining room.
The Concept
A délice is a French term for a set ganache dessert — typically moulded, smooth-sided, and designed to be sliced or unmoulded at the table. The jasmine version works because jasmine tea, when steeped in hot cream, transfers its floral, slightly smoky character directly into the ganache without requiring any extract or flavouring. It is a completely clean technique that produces an extraordinarily refined result. The lychee gel — made from fresh lychee purée set with agar — cuts through the richness of the ganache with a precise, crystalline brightness that white chocolate alone could not achieve.
Why This Works at Michelin Level
Every element on this plate earns its place through flavour logic. The coconut dacquoise base is not merely textural — its tropical sweetness bridges the floral jasmine and the fruit-forward lychee, preventing either from feeling isolated. The jasmine cream adds a second floral layer at a different temperature and texture to the ganache, creating depth without repetition. The crystallised flowers are the visual punctuation: they signal to the diner what they are about to taste before the first bite arrives.
Ingredient Notes
Jasmine tea: Use a high-quality loose-leaf jasmine pearl or jasmine green tea. Cheaper tea bags produce a thin, slightly bitter infusion. The cream steep time is 8 minutes — longer and the tannins become dominant.
White chocolate: Valrhona Opalys 33% is the correct choice here — its low sugar content and clean dairy notes let the jasmine infusion lead. Standard supermarket white chocolate will overwhelm the floral notes with sweetness.
Lychee: Fresh lychees produce a cleaner, more vibrant purée than canned. If using canned, drain thoroughly and blend with a small squeeze of fresh lime juice to restore brightness.
Agar agar: Used instead of gelatin for the lychee gel — it sets firmer and cleaner, produces a more precise cut edge, and is suitable for vegetarian and vegan guests.
Edible jasmine flowers: Source food-grade, unsprayed. Rinse gently and dry on kitchen paper before plating. Crystallised in egg white and caster sugar, they hold their shape for up to 48 hours.
Ingredients
Jasmine Tea Ganache
- 200ml heavy cream (35% fat)
- 12g loose-leaf jasmine pearl tea
- 220g Valrhona Opalys 33% white chocolate, finely chopped
- 30g unsalted butter, softened
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Lychee Gel
- 300g fresh lychee purée (approximately 20 lychees, peeled, stoned, blended and strained)
- 30g caster sugar
- 2g agar agar powder
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
Coconut Dacquoise
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 80g caster sugar
- 60g desiccated coconut, finely ground
- 40g ground almonds
- 20g icing sugar
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Jasmine Cream
- 200ml heavy cream, cold
- 8g loose-leaf jasmine pearl tea
- 20g icing sugar
- 2g gelatin sheets, bloomed
Crystallised Jasmine Flowers
- 12–16 food-grade jasmine flowers, rinsed and dried
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 60g caster sugar
Method
Day 1 — Crystallised Flowers
Brush each jasmine flower gently with egg white using a fine pastry brush — coat both sides evenly. Dust lightly with caster sugar and place on a wire rack. Leave at room temperature for 24 hours until stiff and glittering. Store in an airtight container.
Day 1 — Jasmine Tea Ganache
Heat cream to 80°C — do not boil. Add jasmine tea, stir briefly, cover and steep for exactly 8 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing gently on the leaves. Weigh the infused cream and top back up to 200ml with fresh cream if needed. Pour over the chopped white chocolate in three additions, stirring from the centre out with each addition. Add softened butter and sea salt. Blitz briefly with a hand blender for a glossy emulsion. Pour into individual silicone dome moulds or a lined 15cm square tin to a depth of 2cm. Refrigerate overnight.
Day 1 — Lychee Gel
Combine lychee purée, caster sugar, and agar agar in a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 90 seconds. Remove from heat, add lime juice, and pour into a flat container to a depth of 5mm. Refrigerate until fully set — approximately 1 hour. Once set, cut into precise 3cm rounds or squares using a sharp cutter. Reserve on a tray lined with cling film.
Day 2 — Coconut Dacquoise
Preheat oven to 170°C (fan). Combine ground coconut, ground almonds, and icing sugar in a bowl. Whisk egg whites with salt to soft peaks, then add caster sugar gradually, whisking to a stiff, glossy meringue. Fold the dry ingredients through in two additions using a large spatula — work quickly and do not overwork. Spread to 5mm thickness on a lined baking tray. Bake for 14–16 minutes until lightly golden and just firm to the touch. Cool completely, then cut to match the base of your ganache portions.
Day 2 — Jasmine Cream
Heat 80ml of the cream to 80°C. Add jasmine tea, steep 8 minutes, strain. Squeeze excess water from bloomed gelatin and dissolve into the warm infused cream. Add remaining cold cream and icing sugar. Refrigerate until cold — at least 2 hours. Whip to soft peaks. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round or Saint-Honoré tip.
Assembly & Plating
Unmould or cut the set ganache into clean portions. Place a dacquoise base on the plate and set the ganache on top. Position the lychee gel disc alongside — not on top — so its colour reads separately. Pipe a quenelle of jasmine cream beside the ganache. Place three crystallised jasmine flowers at considered points across the plate. Finish with a very light dusting of icing sugar if desired — keep the plate clean and uncluttered.
Serving & Storage
Serve the ganache at just below room temperature — remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before plating. Cold ganache loses its silky mouthfeel and the jasmine aroma becomes muted. The assembled plate holds for up to 20 minutes before the dacquoise begins to absorb moisture from the gel.
Components can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored separately in the refrigerator. The crystallised flowers keep for up to 48 hours in an airtight container at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use gelatin instead of agar for the lychee gel? Agar is strongly recommended here — it produces a cleaner cut edge and a slightly firmer texture that holds on the plate. Gelatin sets softer and the disc may lose its shape at room temperature. If using gelatin, use 3 sheets and do not boil.
Where can I find food-grade jasmine flowers? Specialist tea suppliers, Middle Eastern grocery stores, and online edible flower suppliers. Never use flowers from a florist or garden centre — these are treated with pesticides not suitable for consumption.
Can I substitute the white chocolate? Valrhona Opalys is ideal but any high-quality white couverture (31% cocoa butter minimum) will work. Avoid compound white chocolate — it contains vegetable fat rather than cocoa butter and will not emulsify correctly.
Can the dacquoise be made gluten-free? It already is — there is no flour in the recipe. Dacquoise is naturally gluten-free.
Chef’s Note
The 8-minute steep is precise for a reason. Under-steep and the jasmine is a whisper; over-steep and the tannins from the green tea base become bitter and angular. Set a timer. Taste the cream before it goes over the chocolate — it should smell and taste unmistakably of jasmine, clean and floral, with no bitterness at the back of the throat.
Explore more Michelin Star Series recipes on allcookings.com — including the Earl Grey & Yuzu Texture Study and the Complete Michelin Star Guide.
Part of the Michelin Star Series — restaurant-quality plated desserts for the home kitchen, by allcookings.com
