In the shade of fruit trees, citrus fruits soak up the sun

To bring out the best in winter citrus fruits, from oranges and pink grapefruit to clementines, chef Julien Allano imagines fruit impregnated with olive oil, accompanied by a generous ganache of winter spices and a muscat-vanilla jelly.

This recipe for Impregnated Citrus by Julien Allano, chef at the JU-Maison de Cuisine restaurant in Bonnieux, is from Gault&Millau magazine n°12. Discover the ingredients and step-by-step preparation instructions.

Serves 8
Preparation time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Rest: 1 night

Ingredients for Julien Allano's Citrus Impregnation

This citrus-based recipe is paired with muscatel, vanilla and a white chocolate and spice ganache. Here are the ingredients.

For the citrus fruits impregnated with olive oil

4 oranges
2 pink grapefruits
4 clementines
1 lime (zest and segments)
6 cl olive oil
20 g white sugar

For the muscatel and vanilla jelly

25 cl Beaumes-de-Venise muscatel wine
1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
40 g sugar
3 g gelatin (1.5 sheets)

For the orange lace tuile

50 g powdered sugar
20 g T55 flour
40 g orange juice
20 g melted butter
zest of one orange

For the white chocolate and mulled wine spice ganache

20 g white chocolate
220 g liquid cream
1 star anise
1 clove
cinnamon
nutmeg

For the blood orange sorbet

400 g fresh blood orange juice
80 g sugar
20 g glucose or honey
2 g stabilizer or 1 egg white (optional)

For the finish

QS Bonnieux olive oil
fresh coriander leaves

Julien Allano's preparation for citrus impregnation

Here are the steps to follow for Julien Allano's citrus recipe. It should be prepared the day before, as the ganache needs to rest overnight in a cool place.

Citrus fruits soaked in olive oil. Lift the citrus fruit segments and gently toss with the olive oil and a little sugar. Set aside in a cool place.
Muscat and vanilla jelly. Heat the muscatel wine with the vanilla and sugar. Boil for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the gelatine, rehydrated in cold water for 1 minute. Pour onto a baking sheet 1 cm thick. Leave to chill, then cut into cubes.
Orange lace tuile. Mix the powdered sugar with the flour, orange juice and zest, and melted butter. spread thinly on a baking sheet and bake at 170°C until golden. Set aside on a wire rack.
White chocolate ganache with mulled wine spices. Heat 70 g liquid cream. Cover and infuse the spices for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate. Strain the hot cream and pour over the chocolate. Blend and add the rest of the cold cream. Chill overnight, then whisk until ready to serve.
Blood orange sorbet. Heat the blood orange juice, add the sugar, glucose and stabilizer and whirl.
Finishing and garnishing. Arrange the citrus fruits with sugar and olive oil in the center of the plate, add a few cubes of muscatel jelly and a quenelle of sorbet. Place a lacy tuile garnished with ganache points, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh coriander.