You can enjoy the centerpiece of the New Year’s table as a dessert. Yulia Posazhennikova, the pastry chef at Queens restaurant, shares a method to recreate Mandarin in a way that mirrors its classic form and keeps the look iconic.
Start with the rum soak. The basic components are water, rum, and sugar. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, then let the syrup cool slightly before stirring in the rum. This fragrant soak is designed to moisten the sponge and bring a gentle warmth to the cake layers.
For the sponge, the recipe calls for two eggs, one egg yolk, trimoline, sugar, almond flour, baking powder, cream, butter, and white chocolate. Dry ingredients are sifted together. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, sugar, and trimoline until the mixture lightens and nearly doubles in volume after about 10 to 12 minutes on medium speed. Melt the chocolate and butter, then fold them with the cream into the egg mixture. Finally, incorporate the dry mixture gradually until a smooth batter forms. The process blends air into the batter, creating a tender crumb that will stay moist after baking.
The batter is divided into two 22 cm molds and baked in a preheated oven at 160°C for 15 to 20 minutes. After cooling, a 5.5 cm circle is carefully cut from the sponge to act as the base of the mandarin centerpiece.
Next comes the tangerine ganache. The setup includes cream, white chocolate, gelatin, and fruit puree. Gelatin is soaked in ice water while half the cream heats in a saucepan. The hot cream is poured over the chocolate, gelatin is added, and the mixture is blended until smooth. The remaining cream and tangerine puree are folded in, then the ganache is covered and chilled for 12 to 24 hours to stabilize and develop a glossy, velvety texture.
A tangerine compote, crafted from lemon puree, sugar, agar-agar, candied orange peel, and slices of tangerine, is used to layer flavor and color within the dessert.
The dessert also needs a glaze that will coat the filling and evoke the look of a peeled tangerine. The glaze is built from white chocolate, cocoa butter, and oil-soluble orange coloring. Cocoa butter is melted to 45–50°C, then poured over the chocolate and whisked with the color until the glaze is perfectly uniform.
The final, most creative stage is assembly. The tangerine compote is set in a silicone mold and frozen until firm. The tangerine ganache is whipped in a stand mixer with a whisk until it becomes light and fluffy, then poured into the tangerine-shaped mold. A scoop of tangerine compote is placed on top and lightly enveloped in ganache. The rum-soaked sponge cake is then added, and the whole creation is inverted from the mold onto a skewer. It is briefly dipped into the tangerine glaze at 45–50°C, then a velvet effect is achieved by applying a spray glaze and finishing with a neutral glaze. The dessert rests in the refrigerator for 12 hours before serving and is garnished with tangerine stems and leaves for a fresh, seasonal finish.
When describing the process, the pastry chef emphasizes the careful balance of textures and aromas that make this dessert stand out on a festive table. [Citation: Queens restaurant]
In related notes, one might also consider classic holiday dishes and their modern interpretations, including Olivier with duck, which is another example of festive comfort reimagined for contemporary menus. [Citation: Queens restaurant]