Poppy Seed and Apple Tartlets with Fruit Compote from Schenna and Apple Espuma

For the Tartlets:
150 g flour
70 g hazelnuts, finely ground
25 g poppy seeds, ground
½ packet baking powder
100 g soft butter
120 g sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
A pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
50 g sugar (for the meringue)
300 g apples, peeled and diced
A little butter and sweet crumbs for the molds

For the Apple Espuma:
700 ml freshly pressed apple juice
200 g applesauce
Lemon juice, to taste
Sugar, to taste
5 sheets gelatin
300 ml cream
2 gas cartridges

For the Apple Compote:
300 g apples, peeled and diced
50 g sugar
150 ml water
½ vanilla pod
A dash of white wine or sparkling wine for deglazing
1 tbsp honey

For Garnishing:
Fresh berries
Vanilla sauce

Tartlets:
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, poppy seeds, and ground hazelnuts. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the soft butter with the sugar, vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt until creamy. Finely grate about half the zest of a lemon and add it to the mixture. Gradually beat in the egg yolks until a smooth, creamy batter forms.

In another bowl, whip the egg whites with 50 g sugar until stiff. Gently fold the flour-nut mixture into the butter-egg batter alternately with the meringue, taking care to keep the mixture light and airy. Butter the baking molds and dust them with crumbs. Fill the molds to about three-quarters full. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C (top/bottom heat) for about 35 minutes, depending on mold size.

Apple Espuma:
Bring the apple juice to a boil with the applesauce, lemon juice, and sugar. Soak the gelatin in cold water, squeeze out the excess liquid, and stir into the warm mixture until completely dissolved. Add the cream, pour the mixture into a siphon (cream whipper), and chill for at least 3–4 hours before inserting the gas cartridges.

Apple Compote:
Dice the apples and place them in water with a little lemon juice. In a pan, combine the sugar with 150 ml water and bring to a boil. Add the vanilla seeds and cook until slightly caramelized and golden. Add the drained apples and toss several times. Deglaze with white wine or sparkling wine, stir in the honey, and cook briefly. Set aside to cool.

To serve, spread some vanilla sauce on each plate, spoon the apple compote on top, and place a tartlet in the center. Garnish with fresh berries, a touch of applesauce, and a light swirl of apple espuma.