Sifa
Named after the Greek word for 'zero,' this French dessert pairs Tanba black beans with vanilla mousse, accompanied by anise tuiles and sable cookies.
Ingredients
Unsalted cultured butter (softened at room temperature)
500g
Fine granulated sugar
430g
Salt
6g
Vanilla extract
1cc
Whole eggs (beaten)
190g
Cake flour
625g
Almond powder
250g
Baking powder
6g
Almond cream (refer to page 49)
about 1000g
Processed black beans (refer below)
100~120 pieces
Milk
600cc
Vanilla bean (split open)
1 pod
Vanilla paste
2.5g
Egg yolks
8 portions
Brown sugar
50g
Gelatin powder (bloomed)
12g
35% fat fresh cream (whipped to stiff peaks)
500cc
Roasted whole almonds
100~120 pieces
Cake flour
30g
Unsalted butter
100g
Malt syrup
100g
Anise liqueur
40cc
Fine granulated sugar
220g
Cake flour
220g
Almond powder
180g
Unsalted cultured butter (cold butter cut into 2cm cubes)
180g
Anise liqueur
20cc
Chantilly cream (made with 45% fat fresh cream)
as needed
Neutral glaze
as needed
Instructions
1
Make the tart shell dough
Soften the butter at room temperature. Add the fine granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Gradually add the beaten whole eggs in several batches and mix thoroughly, taking care to avoid breaking the emulsion. Add the cake flour, almond powder, and baking powder that have been sifted together beforehand, and mix roughly until just combined. Knead into a dough, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for half a day to 1 day.
2
Fill with almond cream and bake
Roll out the tart shell dough to a thickness of 1.75mm, then cut out rounds using an 8cm diameter round cutter. Line a 7cm diameter tart mold, pipe in the almond cream until about 70% full, and place 2–3 processed black beans in each mold. Bake at 180°C for approximately 15 minutes, then immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool.
3
Make the vanilla mousse
Add the split vanilla bean and vanilla paste to the milk, heat until just before boiling, then remove from the heat. Whisk together the egg yolks, fine granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg mixture in several additions, then return the mixture to the saucepan. Whisk continuously while heating to 85°C, then add the bloomed gelatin powder and stir until dissolved. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, place the bowl over an ice bath to cool down, then stir in the vanilla extract. Whip the fresh cream to stiff peaks, fold 1/3 of it into the bowl and mix thoroughly, then gently fold in the remaining cream. Place processed black beans and crushed almonds in the bottom of a 6cm diameter hemispherical mold, then pipe in the vanilla mousse to fill the mold completely. Smooth the surface and refrigerate until set.
4
Bake the anise tuile
Combine all ingredients except the cake flour in a saucepan and heat, stirring until emulsified, then remove from the heat. Add the cake flour all at once and mix until combined. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat, spread into a thin, even layer, and bake at 220°C for 7–8 minutes. Let cool.
5
Bake the anise sable
Cut the cold butter into 2cm cubes and add to the fine granulated sugar, cake flour, and almond powder that have been mixed together and sifted. Add the anise liqueur partway through mixing and stir until a loose, crumbly mixture forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for half a day. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and bake at 200°C for approximately 15 minutes, then immediately remove from the baking sheet to cool.
6
Assembly
Spread a thin layer of the whipped chantilly cream over the tart base. Unmold the vanilla mousse and coat it with neutral glaze, then place it on top. Arrange the anise sable around the base of the tart, and decorate the mousse with the anise tuiles standing upright.
