Pandan Chiffon with Coconut Mousse

Separate the solid coconut cream and reserve the liquid.

If using sheets, bloom and melt them in a little reserved coconut liquid. If using Knox, use 1¼ tsp (about half an envelope), bloom it over 2 tbsp cold water, then melt it gently before whisking it into a little reserved coconut liquid.

Whip coconut solids with sugar, salt, vanilla, and miso. If using xanthan, blend it first with the sugar so it disperses cleanly.

Whip the heavy cream cold on its own to soft peaks — you do not need to add anything extra. A cold bowl helps. Stop when it holds a soft curl that droops over, not a firm stand-up peak.

Whisk the cooled melted gelatin into the whipped coconut mixture first, then fold the soft-peaked heavy cream into that mixture in two additions. Keep it airy and do not overwork. Chill overnight.

For day-of piping, keep the mousse cold and bag it once fully chilled; the xanthan is only there to give a slightly firmer, more stable hold.

Day before — pandan extract: blend the pandan leaves with the coconut milk for 2 full minutes, then strain through muslin and squeeze hard. You want 120ml vivid green liquid; top up with a little extra coconut milk only if needed.

Day before — prep and yolk batter: heat the oven to 170°C, line the tray or pan with parchment, and lightly grease the sides. Whisk the yolks with 100g of the sugar until pale and thick, then stream in the oil while whisking. Add the pandan extract, then sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk until completely smooth.

Day before — meringue and fold: in a clean bowl whisk the whites with cream of tartar until foamy, then add the remaining 80g sugar gradually and whisk to stiff glossy peaks. Fold one third into the yolk batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two additions, stopping as soon as the batter is even and no white streaks remain.

Day before — bake: spread gently into the lined tray and do not tap. Bake until the top springs back and a skewer comes out clean. In a 30×40cm tray this is usually 18–22 minutes; in a 37×27cm pan the batter sits slightly thicker, so start checking from 20 minutes and expect more like 20–26 minutes.

Day before — invert and chill: the moment it comes out, invert the pan onto a wire rack and leave it fully upside down until completely cold. Run a palette knife around the edges, unmould gently, wrap tightly, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before portioning.

Day of — portion: cut clean 8×5cm rectangles with a cold sharp serrated knife, using a light sawing motion and wiping the blade between cuts. Keep covered until plating so the sponge stays soft and clean-edged.

Cook brittle and break into shards once cool.

Pre-scoop matcha ice cream before service.

Plate mousse first, then chiffon, then ice cream and brittle shard.

Finish with sesame, salt, lime zest, and warm pandan syrup tableside.