Episode 152: Fruity Desserts

Rhubarb & Anise Hyssop Custards
Grilled Pineapple w/ Tequila Brown Sugar Glaze w/ Ginger Lime Mascarpone Mousse
Flaming Berries Served w/ Crepes
Pear Strudel / Chestnut Cream / Par Chips & Blue Cheese

RHUBARB & ANISE HYSSOP CUSTARDS

1-pound rhubarb cut in ½ inch (1cm) pieces - (500grams)
½ cup cranberry juice - (125ml)
1/3 - ½ cup whipping cream - (75 - 125ml)
1 cup dried anise hyssop - (250ml)
4 egg yolks
1/3-cup sugar - (75ml)
½ teaspoon vanilla - (2.5ml)

Preparation time is 15 minutes, Resting time overnight; cooking time 35 minutes

In a non-aluminium pot combine the rhubarb and cranberry juice. Let boil for 10 minutes or until rhubarb is very tender. Strain the liquid into a large measuring cup or a glass bowl. Do not press on rhubarb, for it will make liquid cloudy. Discard the rhubarb and add dried hyssop before liquid cools.

Gently stir the whipping cream, to generate at least 1½ cups in total liquid. Cover with plastic wrap, and let flavours to infuse overnight in the fridge.

Bring the flower infused cream to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 325°F

Combine egg yolk, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and stir gently with wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. With the mixture at room temperature, strain into the bowl with the egg yolk mix and press on the flowers to release their flavour.

Transfer this new mixture into four ½ cup ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour boiling water into the dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place them in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Let cool on rack then refrigerate until time to serve.

For rhubarb compote, combine juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over a medium heat to dissolve sugar. Add rhubarb, cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until barely tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Garnish desserts with edible flowers and shaved chocolate.

Yield: 4
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GRILLED PINEAPPLE WITH TEQUILA BROWN SUGAR GLAZE WITH GINGER LIME MASCARPONE MOUSSE

Ginger lime mascarpone mousse:
¼ cup cold water - (60ml)
2 packages (1/2 oz) unflavoured gelatine - (120ml)
1 ½ cups apple juice - (375ml) Reduced over med.heat- 20 min- to 1 cup
½ cup sugar - (125ml)
1 (1 inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
Graded zest of 2 limes
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier - (30ml)
2 cups mascarpone - 500ml)
2 cups heavy cream whipped to soft peaks - (500ml)

Grilled pineapple:
¾ -cup tequila - (175ml)
¾ cup (packed) golden brown sugar - (175ml)
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract - (7.5ml)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon - (1.25ml)
½ large pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into 4 thick rings

Preparation time is 45minutes, cooking time 30min

Line four ramekins in plastic, leaving enough surplus to cover the top once full

In a medium saucepan place ¼ cup of water and add gelatine, let sit for 5 minutes to soften. Stirring constantly, add apple juice, sugar, ginger, lime zest, and limejuice to gelatine and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and dunk the pot into an ice bath to stop the cooking and bring to room temperature. Gradually stir in the Grand Marnier. Continue stirring until the mixture is cooled all the way through.

Strain this liquid through a cheesecloth-lined bowl and discard the solids. Slowly and gently whisk in your mascarpone into your gelatine mixture. This must be done gently to avoid turning the mascarpone into butter. Next, fold in the beaten whipped cream.

Pour the mousse into the plastic lined ramekins and take them to the fridge to set for 4 hours.

Preheat Grill 25 minutes before serving.

Combine tequila, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl and mix until sugar dissolves.

Oil the grill and place pineapple rings on the grill. Using a pastry brush, baste them with the tequila mixture. Grill pineapple until brown, turning occasionally. (about 10 minutes)

Transfer pineapple from grill to serving to plates. Remove mousses from fridge and using the plastic wrap as a guide carefully pull them from their molds. Place the chilled mousses on top of the hot pineapple rings.

Serve and enjoy!

Yield: 4
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FLAMING BERRIES SERVED WITH CREPES

For Crepes:
1-½ cups of all-purpose flour - (375ml)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon - (5ml)
½ teaspoon salt - (2.5ml)
1-½ cups of milk - (375ml)
2 /3 stick of sweet butter, melted
½ cup of cold water - (125ml)

Flamed Banana's:
3 cups of fresh mixed berries
1 stick sweet butter
1/3-cup sugar - (75ml)
Juice of 1-½ limes
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup of water - (60ml)
1/3 cup of Grand Marnier - (75ml)

Preparation 25min Cooking 15min

Preheat oven to 400°F

For crepes, place flour in a large bowl. Break eggs in a separate bowl to ensure they are clean and no shells get into the mix. Add the eggs to the flour. Add sugar, salt, and half of the milk. Whisk until smooth and thick batter. Add the remaining milk, melted butter, and water. The consistent should be that of light syrup.

Make the crepes. Heat a small non-stick pan on a medium to high flame and do not grease pan. Hold the pan slightly tilted and pour about 3 tablespoons of batter on to the high side. Quickly tilt pan so that the batter covers the residual surface, before it has a chance to harden.

Give it shake to force expansion, the thinner the coat the better the crêpe. Cook each crepe for about 50 seconds. To release the crepe and flip it, bang the pan down on a cushioned surface such as a folded towel. Flip the crepe and cook it on the other side for approximately 30 seconds.

Stack the crepes with the first cooked side down so that it is the display side when rolled.

When all of the crepes are made, melt the butter for the berries in a large skillet. Add sugar, fresh limejuice and fresh lemon juice and water to skillet. Reduce for approximately 5 minutes until caramelized.

Add berries to caramel sauce and using a spoon, coat the berries with the sauce.

Add Grand Marnier and flambé. Baste the fruit until the flame subsides. Serve one spoonful of berries with a two folded crepes and spoon sauce on top.

Enjoy!

Yield: 6
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PEAR STRUDEL / CHESTNUT CREAM / PAR CHIPS AND BLUE CHEESE

1 ½ pounds fresh figs, stemmed, each cut into 6 wedges - (755grams)
3 ½ cups (about 3 large) of firm, ripe pears, peeled, cored, cubed- (755grams)
½ cup sugar - (125ml)

Strudels
¼ cup dry breadcrumbs (60ml)
2 tablespoons and roasted filberts - (30ml)
4 tablespoons vanilla infused sugar - (60ml) (sugar with a vanilla bean stored in it)
1-½ teaspoons ground cinnamon - (7.5ml)
10 frozen Phyllo sheets, thawed
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted - (175ml)

Preparation 20min Cooking 20min
Preheat oven to 375F

Place the filberts on baking tray. Toast and cool.

Generously butter a large baking sheet. Cut figs into wedges and place them and the pears on the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar and take them to the oven to roast until tender and beginning to brown around edges, about 20minutes. Transfer the baked fruit and any juices to medium bowl and let cool.

Place the cooled toasted filberts to a mini processor and blend to obtain a coarsely chopped mix. Combine the chopped nuts with the breadcrumbs. Add 3 tablespoons of vanilla infused sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Set aside in a small bowl.

For the phyllo pastry, first butter another large baking sheet. Place kitchen towel on a work surface. Lay one phyllo sheet on the towel with the short side toward the edge of the working surface. Brush the sheet with melted butter and then sprinkle with 1/8 of the bread and nut mixture. Place a second phyllo sheet on top and brush it with butter. Sprinkle another layer of breadcrumbs and filberts. Replicate process with 3 more phyllo sheets, creating a 5 layer structure. For the top layer brush with melted butter but don't sprinkle with chopped nut mix.

With a spoon, spread a 3 inch strip of the fig/pear mixture from the short end to the far end of the phyllo stack.. Be sure to leave a 1 - inch plain border on long sides.

Dust with ½ tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon over fig/pair mixture. Fold the long sides of phyllo in over filling enclosing the filling completely. Brush the exposed sides with melted butter.

Starting at short side, roll up phyllo, folding it in completely. With melted butter brush all over. Repeat for other strudel.

Place the rolled strudels down on baking sheet, with the seam facing down and bake in the center of the oven for about 20min. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and garnish with mint.

Serve and enjoy!

Yield : 8 Servings
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Recipes courtesy of Chef Michael Bonacini of Toronto’s Oliver Bonacini Restaurants, including ‘Canoe’; ‘Auberge du Pommier’; ‘Biff’s’; ‘Jump Café’; & ‘Steakfrites’