Photo by David Moore

When Wright’s at the Biltmore reopened last November, the kitchen took the opportunity to revamp the menu. Many venerable Wright’s favorites made the cut, including the old-school chocolate soufflé. At the same time, Executive Pastry Chef Shane Ward added a few newfangled sweets inspired by traditional desserts, including an elegant mint chocolate pâté ($10), made in the manner of a French silk pie (but crust-free), and sporting layers of chocolate infused with mint. The silky-smooth, buttery dark chocolate layer is made with 58 percent-cocoa coverture chocolate, sugar, eggs, cream and a splash of mint extract. Ward then creates a lighter chocolate layer by cutting the dark chocolate silk with high-quality white chocolate. He fills the half-dome terrine mold with a dark layer, then a light, repeating until he has five layers of lusciousness.

A swath of vanilla cream on the plate holds the two pâté slices in place, and an orange-tinged raspberry coulis on the side swirls in a touch of tartness. To add texture, Ward tops the pâté with a crisp corkscrew tuile cookie and a sprinkling of toasted, chopped hazelnuts.

“I envisioned this dessert as a palate cleanser, with a refreshing hint of mint,” Ward says. Mission accomplished.

DETAILS
Wright’s at the Biltmore
The Arizona Biltmore
2400 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix
602-955-6600
arizonabiltmore.com