Goat's Cheese Mousse with Honey Cake Tartlet

DAY AHEAD (OR AT LEAST 4 HOURS BEFORE SERVING)

Step 1 — Roast and juice the golden beetroot (sorbet base)
Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Wrap the golden beetroots individually in foil and roast for 50–60 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Allow to cool slightly, then peel using gloves. Roughly chop the flesh and blend with 100ml of the water until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve lined with muslin, pressing firmly — you need approximately 300ml of clear golden juice.

Make the sugar syrup: combine the caster sugar and remaining 50ml water in a small pan, bring to a simmer, stir until dissolved, and remove from heat. Combine the beetroot juice, sugar syrup, lemon juice, glucose syrup, and salt. Taste — it should be earthy, sweet, and bright in balance. Chill completely. Churn in an ice cream machine until softly frozen, then transfer to a container and freeze until firm (at least 2 hours). If no machine: freeze in a shallow container, whisking vigorously every 45 minutes for 3–4 hours to break up ice crystals.

Step 2 — Make the goat's cheese mousse
Bloom the gelatin leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. In a bowl, beat the goat's cheese and cream cheese together with a spatula until completely smooth — no lumps. Beat in the truffle honey, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper. It should be clearly savoury with just a background of sweetness.

Squeeze the excess water from the gelatin, place in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the cream, and warm gently over low heat, stirring until fully dissolved — do not overheat. Pour the dissolved gelatin into the cheese base, whisking quickly to incorporate. In a separate bowl, whip the remaining cold cream to soft peaks. Fold into the cheese mixture in three additions using a large rubber spatula, maintaining as much volume as possible.

Transfer to a piping bag. Pipe into hemisphere silicone moulds, smoothing the tops flat. Tap gently to release air bubbles. Press cling film directly onto each surface. Freeze for at least 2 hours until solid.

Step 3 — Make the truffle honey jelly
Once the mousses are frozen solid, bloom the gelatin leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, warm the water to just below a simmer — do not boil. Add the truffle honey and stir until fully dissolved. Squeeze excess water from the gelatin and add to the pan, whisking off the heat until completely melted. Add the white wine vinegar and a pinch of salt.

Allow to cool to room temperature — aim for 20–22°C / 68–72°F. The jelly must be liquid but not warm: too warm and it sets instantly on the frozen surface creating a cloudy, uneven shell; too cool and it thickens before coating evenly. Unmould the frozen mousse domes. Working quickly, dip each dome into the jelly, coating fully. Place on a rack over a tray. Repeat for a second coat. Return to the fridge (not freezer) for 30 minutes until the jelly is fully set and the mousse interior has softened to a creamy, wobbly texture.

SAME DAY — TARTLET SHELLS AND FILLING

Step 4 — Make the sweet pastry for tartlet shells
Sift the flour, icing sugar, and salt into a bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining — do not overwork. Make a well in the centre, add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of ice water, and bring together quickly with a fork, adding more water a teaspoon at a time if needed. The dough should just come together without being sticky. Shape into a flat disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pastry to 3mm thickness. Cut circles slightly larger than 8cm / 3 in loose-bottomed tartlet tins and press gently into the tins. Trim the edges and prick the bases with a fork. Chill again for 20 minutes. Line with baking paper and baking beans; blind bake at 375°F / 190°C for 12 minutes. Remove beans and paper; return to oven for 5 minutes until pale gold. Cool completely before filling.

Step 5 — Make the honey cake filling and bake
Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Beat the softened butter and honey together until light and creamy — honey acts as both sweetener and emulsifier. Beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Sift in the flour and salt; fold until just combined, being careful not to overmix — the batter will be thick. Spoon evenly into the blind-baked shells, filling each to just below the rim. Bake for 14–16 minutes until risen, set, and golden, with a slight spring when pressed. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

When cool to the touch, drizzle each tartlet lightly with truffle honey and finely grate aged goat's cheese directly over the top using a Microplane. The cheese will settle onto the honey in a delicate, fragrant layer.

Step 6 — Cook the truffle figs in port syrup
Score each fig from the top in a cross shape, cutting down about halfway. Combine the ruby port, caster sugar, thyme sprig, and star anise in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the figs cut-side down and cook gently for 6–8 minutes, basting occasionally, until the figs are just tender and the syrup has reduced to a glossy, clinging consistency. Remove the figs carefully. Discard the thyme and star anise. Stir the truffle honey into the warm syrup off the heat. Set aside at room temperature.

TO SERVE

Step 7 — Temper the mousses and plate
Remove the jelly-coated domes from the fridge 10 minutes before plating — they should be cool but no longer frozen solid, the mousse inside soft and wobbly. On each plate, place one jelly dome off-centre. Position the honey cake tartlet alongside, grated cheese and honey visible on top. Arrange one or two port-glazed figs beside or partially overlapping the tartlet, spooning a little port syrup around the plate. Using two hot spoons or a small ice cream scoop dipped in warm water, form a quenelle of the golden beetroot sorbet and place on the other side of the plate. Add micro herbs or edible flowers with a light touch. Serve immediately.