Lobster Tail Dessert – Michelin Recipe from Restaurant MOTA

This lobster tail dessert recipe is not what you expect.

Created by Claus Henriksen, head chef at Michelin-starred Restaurant MOTA in Denmark, this award-winning dish was named Dessert of the Year 2024. It combines lobster, chocolate, and almond ice cream into a refined fine dining dessert inspired by the iconic lobster tail pastry shape.

Unlike traditional Italian lobster tail desserts (such as sfogliatella), this version is completely reimagined for modern kitchens. Instead of pastry, the dessert is built using a frozen yogurt parfait shaped in a lobster tail silicone mold, coated in lobster-infused chocolate, and served with a smooth quenelle of almond ice cream.

Dont worry if you do not have a quenelle spoon – check our quenelle selection HERE!

If you’re searching for:

how to make a lobster tail dessert
a unique restaurant dessert recipe
or a Michelin-style plated dessert

this recipe delivers both technique and creativity.

Despite its complexity in flavour, this is a no-bake dessert recipe that relies on precision, temperature control, and professional tools — making it ideal for chefs and ambitious home cooks alike.

Have you seen our ice cream recipe?

STEP 1: Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients

75 g sugar
100 g egg yolks
200 g drained yogurt
200 g heavy cream
50 g heavy cream (for gelatin)
3 sheets gelatin

Instructions

Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 5–10 minutes.
Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Heat the 50 g of cream gently and melt the soaked gelatin into it.
Pour the warm cream-gelatin mixture into the whipped yolks while stirring.
Fold in the drained yogurt gently.
Whip the 200g cream to soft peaks and fold it carefully into the yogurt mixture.
Fill the mixture into lobster tail silicone mold and freeze completely.

STEP 2: Infused Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

80% dark chocolate
Cocoa butter
Lobster shells

Instructions

Melt cocoa butter gently in a saucepan.
Add clean, dried lobster shells and infuse over low heat for 20 minutes.
Strain the shells out and keep the infused cocoa butter.
Melt the chocolate and mix in 35% cocoa butter relative to the total chocolate weight.
Unmold the frozen parfaits and dip the lobster tail directly into the chocolate coating.
Reserve leftover coating for use in the sauce.

STEP 3: Lobster Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

Reserved lobster chocolate from the coating
Lobster stock
Sugar
Butter
Salt

Instructions

Warm the leftover lobster-infused chocolate gently with a splash of lobster stock.
Whisk in butter to emulsify and adjust the texture to your desired consistency.
Season with a pinch of salt and a touch of sugar to balance the flavors.

STEP 4: Almond Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 L whole milk
140 g sugar
25 g glucose syrup
150 g blanched almonds

Instructions

Heat 200 g of the milk with all the sugar and glucose until dissolved.
Pour the hot sugar milk into the remaining 800 g of cold milk to cool it down faster.
Chill the full base until completely cold.
Fill a Pacojet beaker with 150 g of almonds and top up with the chilled ice cream base.
Freeze solid, then pacotize (run on Pacojet) twice for smooth texture.

STEP 5: Caramelized Almonds With Lobster Stock

Ingredients

200 g almonds
150 g sugar
50 g lobster stock

Instructions

Place almonds, sugar, and lobster stock in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir continuously – the mixture will boil, and sugar will begin to crystallize and turn white.
Lower the heat and continue stirring until part of the crystallized sugar caramelizes and coats the almonds.
Spread almonds onto parchment paper and allow them to cool.
Once cooled, crush or blend the almonds slightly to create a crunchy base for placing the ice cream.

Enjoy your Lobster dessert

FAQ – Lobster Tail Dessert Recipe

FAQ – Lobster Tail Dessert & Technique

What is a lobster tail dessert?
A lobster tail dessert can refer to both a traditional Italian pastry (sfogliatella) and modern fine dining interpretations. In this recipe, it refers to a Michelin-style plated dessert shaped like a lobster tail using a silicone mold.

How do you make a lobster tail dessert without pastry?
Instead of pastry, this recipe uses a frozen yogurt parfait shaped in a lobster tail mold, then coated in lobster-infused chocolate. This creates a clean, modern version of a lobster tail dessert.

Is this an Italian lobster tail dessert?
No. Traditional Italian lobster tail desserts are made with laminated pastry. This version is a modern Nordic interpretation used in fine dining kitchens.

Why use lobster in a dessert?
In fine dining, savoury ingredients like lobster are used to add depth and umami. When paired with chocolate and dairy, lobster creates a balanced and unexpected flavour profile.

How do you get a perfect lobster tail shape?
Using a high-quality silicone lobster tail mold ensures clean edges, consistent structure, and an accurate shape after freezing.

Can you make lobster tail dessert at home?
Yes, but precision is key. Temperature control, proper freezing, and the right tools are essential to achieve a professional result.

What is the difference between lobster tail pastry and this dessert?
Lobster tail pastry is baked and layered, while this dessert is frozen and coated in chocolate. The shape is similar, but the technique and texture are completely different.

Why is blast freezing important for this recipe?
Blast freezing ensures the parfait holds its shape and releases cleanly from the mold, which is essential for professional plating.

What tools are needed to make this dessert?
A lobster tail silicone mold, quenelle spoon, and plating tweezers are recommended for achieving a Michelin-level result.