Oat Milk Chocolate Mousse

1. Gently melt chocolate over water bath (in a saucepan with about 2 inches of water, fit with a heatproof bowl to melt chocolate).
2. In another saucepan, heat milk and pour over melted chocolate. Add salt and whisk until homogenous. Whisk in vanilla extract.
3. Blend sugar and cream of tartar together, reserve.
4. Whisk by hand (or in a stand mixer or a hand mixer) the reduced and chilled aquafaba and cream of tartar.
5. Once soft peaks have been reached, “rain/ sprinkle” in sugar with cream of tartar mixture while continuing to whip. Whip aquafaba meringue to glossy firm peaks.
6. Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the melted and cooled chocolate mixture, leave streaky.
7. Pour lightened chocolate mix into meringue bowl (off to the side, not on top of the meringue so as not to deflate the aeration). Gently fold together with a spatula until homogenous but maintaining aeration.
8. Pour mousse into piping bag then carefully dispense into silicone molds (avoiding air pockets).
9. To Use: Freeze until completely solid. Unmold and place on serving dish. Let come back to fridge temperature when ready to use.

1. Wash and dry asian pear. Quarter and core, leaving skin intact.
2. Bring to water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer.
3. Place pear quarters in simmering liquid and place a *cartouche on top. Reduce heat to low.
4. Cook the pears to knife-tender with resistance (not mush, needs to be sliceable and hold shape).
5. Let pears cool in pickling liquid. Chill until use. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
6. To use: Remove a pear quarter and slice thinly. Fan and place on top of plaated mousse.

*A cartouche is a parchment paper “lid” that sits flush with the liquid in a pot. Used to trap steam and or submerge a component in the liquid. Helps to reduce evaporation and helps prevent the formation of a skin.

1. Place cleaned currants in pot with water and sugar. Heat on medium until sugar has fully dissolved.
2. Bring temperature down to a very light simmer and reduce liquid until syrupy (some currants will still have their shape while others have become liquid).
3. Add pinch of salt to balance.
4. Cool, then press through a fine mesh sieve to “juice” and strain, should become a smooth sauce. Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Evenly spread buckwheat and cacao nibs on a parchment lined sheet pan.
3. Bake for 3-5 mins, then shake pan to toss, repeat until fragrant and toasted. Roughly 10-13 minutes.
4. Once cooled store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

1. Add a small pool or swoosh of currant sauce to the plate.
2. Place unmolded frozen mousse on top of sauce.
3. Place sliced and fanned out pickled pears on top of the mousse.
4. Garnish with toasted buckwheat and cacao nibs on the plate and a few currants on top of the pears.
5. Enjoy!