Prep. time: 2 hours (including the ice cream and the vanilla infusion)
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Full name
Tonka bean ice cream with “clafoutis“ cookie, half-candied pink grapefruit and salted butter caramel

Creative context
Perfume maker Thierry Mugler is presenting for the first time his concept of "gourmand perfume," re-conceiving four of his iconic fragrances. Taking this exercise in style a step further and establishing a genuine parallel between haute cuisine and "haute perfumery," Thierry Mugler Parfums invited Hélène Darroze to invent four recipes inspired by the new interpretations of these four fragrances.

She responded by creating a totally "Muglerian" meal, giving free rein to her talent and imagination. Four dishes for a dinner centered on the Taste of Fragrance...

Hélène's Inspiration
Listening to your description, I immediately think of a dessert… I want creaminess and delicacy, a perfect harmony between citrus, flowers and this dark note, which awaken the salted butter caramel. A bean could be at the heart of the recipe to translate the cashmeran wood. It will be a surprise!

Here is the dessert that captures the spirit of Alien, a perfume of carnal sensuality

Ice cream

1. In a saucepan, bring the milk, cream and  vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, to a boil. Set aside and cover. Let infuse for one hour.
2. Combine the egg yolks and sugar and beat until the mixture is light and pale.
3. Add the infused milk and cream then cook over gentle heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture coats the spatula.
4. Let cool, process in a blender and let set in the freezer.

Almond crumble

1. Combine the sugar and flour then blend in the softened butter.
2. Let sit before crumbling the dough into small irregular pieces.
3. Place the crumble on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 325°F (160°C) oven.

Clafoutis cookie

1. Blend the softened butter and almond powder.
2. Add the powdered sugar, then the egg, then the flour and finally the liquid cream (a mixer can be used) and let sit for one hour.
3. Pour the mixture into small non-stick tartlet molds and bake for 6 minutes in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C).
4. Place a small amount of the crumble on each “Clafoutis“ cookie and continue baking in the oven for another 5 minutes.

The little extra

1. Pour the sugar into a pan and melt until caramelized.
2. Deglaze with the butter.
3. Add the grapefruit juice.
4. Reduce until the mixture becomes syrupy.

Presentation

1. Position the “clafoutis“ cookie in the middle of the plate and place a scoop of ice cream on top of it.
2. Grate the tonka bean, as you would for nutmeg.
3. Place two grapefruit supremes on the side.

Taste as is first, then top with a thin ribbon of caramel.