• Pre heat under bench oven to 180°C.
• Pre heat under bench oven to 160°C.
• Set blast freezer to -40°C.
• Set dehydrator to 48°C.

Oak Tree Sweet Potato Chocolate Leaf

• Wrap the sweet potato in foil and place in the oven at 180°C for approximately 1 hour or until the centre is soft.
• Once sweet potato is cooked, remove from the oven and let sit on the bench to cool.

Crystalised Carrot Fronds

• Line a small pizza tray with baking paper and set aside on the bench.
• Pick carrot fronds until you have at least 3 fronds. Wash and rinse the fronds in cold water then spin dry through a salad spinner.
• In a small stainless-steel bowl, lightly whisk egg whites until foamy. Set aside.
• Sprinkle superfine sugar onto a medium pizza tray and set aside.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly coat carrot fronds with a very thin layer of egg white then place them into the sugar to lightly coat. Shake the leaves to remove any excess sugar.
• Place sugared carrot fronds onto prepared pizza tray then into the dehydrator for approximately 2 hours or until dry. Discard any remaining egg white and sugar.

Carrot Ginger Sorbet

• Trim and discard tops of carrots then peel and discard peelings. Cut the carrots into approximately 3cm lengths then juice and weigh 333g of carrot juice. Set aside on the bench. Discard any remaining carrot juice.
• Peel the ginger and discard peelings. Cut the ginger into approximately 3cm lengths then juice and weigh 33g of ginger juice. Set aside on the bench. Discard any remaining ginger juice.
• Pour water into a medium saucepan, place over medium heat and bring to the boil.
• Add caster sugar, glucose, stabiliser and stir over heat to dissolve sugar.
• Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender to combine.
• Add 333g carrot juice, 33g ginger juice and yuzu juice and blend with a stick blender to combine.
• Pass through a fine strainer into a bowl over ice to cool, stirring until cold then transfer to a pacojet steel beaker. Place in the blast freezer for approximately 1½ hours to freeze solid then transfer to a freezer.

Carrot Cake

• Grease and line the base and sides of an 11cm x 21.5cm gold loaf tin and set aside on the bench.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the brown sugar, caster sugar and butter until creamy, scraping the sides if required.
• Meanwhile, finely chop walnuts and set aside.
• With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time until all eggs are added and mixture is combined.
• Sieve the self-raising flour, baking powder, bi-carb soda, salt, ground cinnamon, mixed spice and ground ginger into a medium stainless-steel bowl then add to the mixer bowl and mix to combine.
• Trim and discard tops of carrots then peel and discard peelings. In a food processor fitted with the grater attachment, grate carrots. Weigh 330g of grated carrot then add to the mixer bowl along with the chopped walnuts and mix to combine.
• Transfer 750g mixture into the prepared tin and bake at 160°C for approximately 40 – 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Discard remaining mixture.
• Once cooked, remove the carrot cake from the tray and place on a cooling rack in the fridge to cool.

Charcoal Crumble

• Place the butter and raw sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix until mixture is light and creamy, scaping the sides if required.
• With the motor running on low speed, slowly add the flour and almond meal then mix until combined.
• Add the ground cinnamon, ground ginger and charcoal powder and mix on medium speed until combined and evenly coloured.
• Transfer approximately half of the mixture onto a lined 23cm x 33cm baking tray and crumble evenly over the base. Discard remaining mixture.
• Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.
• Once the crumble is cooked, remove from the oven and cool on the bench.

Chocolate Branches

• To temper the chocolate, place 150g of dark chocolate into a large plastic bowl. Place in the microwave and melt in 30 second increments until the chocolate is 45°C, stirring to disperse the melting chocolate.
• Add the remaining 50g of dark chocolate and mix until fully incorporated and the temperature drops to 28°C.
• Place the melted chocolate back into the microwave and warm to 32°C.
• Pour the warmed chocolate into a piping bag and tie the end to seal.
• Sieve the cocoa powder in a thin and even layer onto a 23cm x 33cm baking tray. Cut the tip of the piping bag 3mm in diameter and pipe at least 3, approximately 5cm three pronged branches and at least 2, approximately 5cm single stem branches onto the cocoa.
• Dust with additional cocoa to cover the branches and leave to set on the bench.

Sweet Pickle Liquid

• Combine water, caster sugar and white wine vinegar in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into a small measuring jug and set aside on the bench to cool.

Oak Tree Sweet Potato Chocolate Leaf (continued)

Cooked Sweet Potato

• To make the tuille mixture, remove the Sweet Potato from the foil then scoop out the flesh and weigh 200g into a Thermomix jug, discarding remaining flesh and skins.
• Add the remaining ingredients and blend for 2 minutes on speed 5, scraping the sides if required.
• Place the oak tree leaf silicon mould onto a gold flat baking tray. Spoon a small amount of the tuille mixture onto at least 1 of the leaf cavities then use a small offset palette knife to spread the mixture until you have at least one cavity filled. Scrape any excess mixture off the mould.
• Place tray into the oven at 160°C and bake for approximately 10 minutes until crisp.
• Once cooked, set aside on the bench to cool.

Yoghurt Foam

• Place gelatine into a small stainless-steel bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside to soften for approximately 5 minutes or until pliable. Once pliable, drain the gelatine and squeeze to remove excess water.
• Combine buttermilk and caster sugar in a medium saucepan. Halve the vanilla pods, scrape the seeds and add to the saucepan. Discard the pods. Place over low – medium heat and warm to 40°C, stirring occasionally.
• Add the bloomed gelatine and whisk until gelatine dissolves.
• Add the yoghurt and xanthan gum and whisk to combine.
• Pour mixture into a stainless-steel bowl placed over a bowl of ice and stir until mixture is cooled.
• Pour mixture to ½ fill an isi gun fitted with a plain nozzle. Discard remaining mixture.
• Place isi gun into an iced water bath then place in the fridge.

Carrot Ribbons

Cooled Sweet Pickle Liquid

• Peel the carrot and slice at least 3 long ribbons, 2mm thick on a mandolin.
• Cut the carrot ribbons to 8cm long x 1cm wide and place at least 3 ribbons into an airtight container. Pour the Sweet Pickle Liquid to cover and set aside on the bench.

Carrot Cake (continued)

Cooled Carrot Cake

• Once cooled, place 50g of Carrot Cake in an airtight container and set aside on the bench. Discard remaining Carrot Cake.

Charcoal Crumble (continued)

Cooled Charcoal Crumble

• Crumble the Charcoal Crumble into soil consistency, place in an airtight container and set aside on the bench.

Chocolate Branches (continued)

Set Chocolate Branches

• Remove at least 3, three-pronged Chocolate Branches and at least 2, single stem Chocolate Branches from the cocoa powder, place in an airtight container and set aside on the bench.

Oak Tree Sweet Potato Chocolate Leaf (continued)

Cooled Oak Tree Sweet Potato Chocolate Leaf

• Remove at least 1, Oak Tree Sweet Potato Chocolate Leaf from the silicone mould, place in an airtight container and set aside on the bench.

Garnish

• Pick at least 5 phlox flowers, place in an airtight container and place in the fridge.

Plating

• Place steel beaker with the Carrot Ginger Sorbet into the plastic handled beaker and insert into the pacojet with the handle on the right-hand side. Turn the plastic handled beaker clockwise to secure. Press the green start button.
• Break the Carrot Cake into 4 – 5 small pieces and place in the centre of the wooden serving plate.
• Hold the isi gun upside down and charge with 2 cream chargers, shaking the bottle after each charge. Dispense Yoghurt Foam from the isi gun, covering the top of the Carrot Cake.
• Sprinkle approximately 2 tablespoons of Charcoal Crumble over the yoghurt foam to cover then sprinkle approximately ½ tablespoon of Charcoal Crumble on the right-hand side of the Yoghurt Foam covered Carrot Cake.
• Remove the Carrot Ribbons from the sweet pickle liquid and place on paper towel to drain then arrange on top of the Charcoal Crumble.
• Place 3 Three-Pronged Chocolate Branches around the Charcoal Crumble, using the carrot cake underneath to secure.
• Place 2 Single Stem Chocolate Branches around the Charcoal Crumble, using the carrot cake underneath to secure.
• Place 3 Crystalised Carrot Fronds around the Charcoal Crumble.
• Lay the Oak Tree Sweet Potato Chocolate Leaf horizontally, on top of the Charcoal Crumble in the centre of the dish.
• Arrange 5 Phlox Flowers around and on top of the Charcoal Crumble.
• Place a small Rocher of Carrot Ginger Sorbet on top of the Charcoal Crumble on the right-hand side.