This dessert is the cherry on top to a 13-course meal, literally! The Cherry Blossom Bonsai, the newest course to bloom at Chicago’s Michelin-starred moto restaurant, strikes the perfect balance between science and art.
From the creative mind of pastry chef Claire Crenshaw, the dessert is a feast for the eyes and mimics the aesthetics of the traditional Japanese flora. To make this intricate dessert, Crenshaw starts by infusing cherries with a coffee-based cream and then glazes each berry with a housemade cherry gel. “Once the gel sets, it provides a candied shell for each cherry,” says Crenshaw.
A cherry tuile is used to create individual flower petals that are expertly applied to each glazed cherry, with a hint of orange zest serving as the center. Once each luscious cherry blossom is set, the bite-sized treats are placed amongst the foliage of a miniature cherry bonsai tree, resulting in a decadent dessert.
