Honey mousse with roast dates, fig and hazelnuts

1.Whisk egg yolks in an electric mixer until thick and pale (5-7 minutes). Combine honey and 75ml water in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until combined. Bring to the boil (be careful not to boil over) and cook until syrup reaches 115C on a sugar thermometer (7-10 minutes). With motor running, gradually pour syrup over yolks (reserving about 2 tbsp in saucepan). Squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to reserved syrup, stir to dissolve, then add to yolk mixture, whisking continuously until cold (7-10 minutes). Gently fold through cream, then spoon mousse into a 1.5-litre container, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set (1-2 hours).

2.For roast dates, preheat oven to 180C. Bring a small saucepan of water and ground spices to the boil. Add dates, then remove from heat and stand for 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel, remove seeds and place in a small baking dish. Combine fruit juices, sugar, cardamom pods, 225ml water and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour over dates, cover with aluminium foil and roast until tender (6-8 minutes). Remove from oven, remove foil and cool completely in syrup. Remove dates with a slotted spoon and strain syrup through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Bring syrup back to the boil over medium heat and cook until reduced by half (15-20 minutes). Add olive oil and whisk to combine.

3.Serve quenelles of honey mousse with roast dates and figs scattered with hazelnuts and drizzled with spiced syrup.