Spice (72 page)

4.
Slowly and little by little, add the remaining½ cup sugar and continue whipping until the egg whites form soft peaks.

5.
Gently fold ½ of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. When combined, add the rest of the whites, folding as before.

6.
Fold in the whipped yogurt mixture carefully, trying not to deflate the mixture.

7.
Pour the yogurt into a plastic container and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight. You will have more than 8 servings of frozen yogurt, but you won’t be able to achieve sufficient volume doing the recipe with fewer eggs.

To Make the Rose Petal Jam

1.
Combine the remaining 3 cups simple syrup, the rosewater, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Add the rose petals, pressing them down with a large spoon.

2.
Reduce the heat to medium and keep the syrup at a low boil for 25 to 30 minutes, until reduced by 1/3. To check for thickness, spoon some syrup onto a plate; if you can then run the spoon through the syrup and the line remains, remove the jam from the heat.

3.
Cool the jam to room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Refrigerate the jam overnight in a small bowl or plastic container.

4.
The next day, taste the syrup. If it’s too sweet, add another squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You will have more rose jam than you need for 8 servings, so freeze the remaining cup or so for future use. Try it tossed with fresh local strawberries.

To Assemble the Dessert

1.
Freeze 8 parfait cups or glass dessert dishes for at least 30 to 40 minutes.

2.
Place a scoop of granité into each dessert dish and create a well in the center with the back of a spoon. Place a scoop of frozen yogurt in the well and top with a tablespoon of rose jam. Serve immediately.

Frozen Jasmine Soufflé with Tropical Fruit Syrup

Maura likes to serve this impressive frozen soufflé in the winter, when there are no locally grown fruits. I’ve noticed that the tropical flavors cheer people up and out of their winter blues. So does the addition of light spices, which perks up the syrup and pairs with the exotic jasmine.

The recipe is actually easier to make than it appears, but it does take some time. It is a soufflé in that the egg whites create the airiness; the finished product is more like light ice cream. Once you have mastered the technique, you can play with the recipe by infusing the cream with other flavors, such as lavender, ginger, or mint.

You’ll need to infuse the cream with the jasmine tea at least 1 day and up to 3 days before preparing the dessert. You will also need ten to twelve small soufflé molds that can hold 4 to 6 ounces or use professional ring molds; see Maura’s suggestions on page 325.

M
AKES
1½
QUARTS TO SERVE
10
TO
12

¼ cup loose jasmine tea

2½ cups heavy cream

8 egg yolks

22/3 cups sugar

3 egg whites

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

3 whole star anise pods

6 whole cloves

6 black peppercorns

½ vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

Grated zest (see page 72)and juice of 1 lime

Pinch of salt

2 kiwi fruits, peeled and diced into ¼-to ½-inch cubes

1 pineapple, peeled and diced into ¼-to ½-inch cubes

1 mango, peeled and diced into ¼-to ½-inch cubes

1.
Prepare the jasmine cream by heating the loose tea and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just boiling. Remove from the stove, cover the pan, and let the jasmine steep and infuse in the cream for at least 1 to 2 hours.

2.
Strain the cream through a fine sieve into a small bowl or container and refrigerate it overnight.

3.
Using a handheld mixer or a KitchenAid fitted with a whip attachment, whip the jasmine cream to form soft peaks. Refrigerate in a small bowl or container.

4.
Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Begin whipping the yolks on high speed.

5.
Meanwhile, make the syrup by cooking ½ cup of the sugar, the corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring once to dissolve the sugar, for about 5 minutes, until the temperature reaches 245°F on a candy thermometer. Remove the syrup from the heat.

6.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and pour the syrup over the yolks, trying not to hit the whisk but aiming for the side of the bowl. When all the syrup is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is pale yellow and has doubled in volume, and the mixing bowl is cool to the touch. This will take 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and clean the work bowl.

7.
In the clean, dry work bowl, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed.

8.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, make the simple syrup by boiling ½ cup of the sugar and ¼ cup of water, stirring once to dissolve the sugar. Continue to cook without stirring until the temperature reaches 245°F on a candy thermometer.

9.
By this time the egg whites should be at soft peak stage. Decrease the mixer speed to low and slowly pour the simple syrup into the whites, trying not to hit the whisk and aiming for the side of the work bowl.

10.
Once the simple syrup is incorporated, increase the mixer speed to high and beat the whites until they are soft-peaked and shiny and the bowl is cool to the touch. This will take 4 to 5 minutes.

11.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped jasmine cream into the egg whites and then fold this mixture into the egg yolks, half of it at a time.

12.
When the mixture is combined, pour the soufflé into ten to twelve 4-to 6-ounce soufflé molds and freeze them overnight. See Maura’s tips on molding frozen desserts below.

13.
Place the star anise pods, cloves, and peppercorns in a plastic bag. Crush the spices with a rolling pin until they are coarsely broken.

14.
Combine the spices with 4 cups of water and the remaining 12/3 cup of sugar, the vanilla bean, and lime zest and juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring once to dissolve the sugar, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the syrup for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to steep and infuse for at least 1 hour at room temperature.

15.
Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a medium bowl to remove the spices, and add the salt.

16.
Stir the fruit pieces into the syrup and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

17.
Just before serving, take the soufflés out of their molds by running them under hot tap water for a minute. Turn them out into shallow bowls and top each with ½ to 1 cup of fruit coated with plenty of syrup.

MAURA’S TIPS ON MOLDING FROZEN DESSERTS

1.
Professional stainless steel rings or other individual molds are available at specialty stores such as Sur La Table, if you choose to invest in them.

2.
As a substitute for these fancy rings, you can purchase PVC pipe from a hardware store and have it cut into 3-inch rings. PVC pipe cannot be used for baking, however. Lightly oil the PVC pipes with a neutral oil, such as canola, and then place them onto a baking sheet. Before filling the rings with soufflé mixture, line each ring with plastic wrap, so that you can easily remove the frozen soufflé from the ring mold.

3.
You can also use a soufflé ramekin, but the frozen dessert can be difficult to remove from the mold. It’s often better to serve the dessert in the ramekin than to try to remove it.

4.
The last option—and aside from the professional rings, perhaps the best—is to use 3-to 5-ounce paper drinking cups. Tear them away once the soufflé is frozen.

Strawberry Lavender Tart

This recipe is a celebration of the delightful combination of strawberries and lavender. It’s worth waiting for your local strawberry season, which, in New England, runs from June through early July. Strawberries trucked across the country out of season from other locales are just not as good. If you’ve ever tasted a strawberry picked fresh out of the garden, you’ll know that it’s worth delaying your gratification until local strawberry season.

This tart is also good with raspberries, blueberries, cherries, and blackberries.

The pastry is finished by hand, so it’s important to freeze the butter in small pieces for a half hour before making it. Freezing keeps the dough moist but crumbly and prevents it from becoming tough. The pastry can be made 1 to 2 days in advance.

The best tart pan to use for this recipe is one with a removable bottom and short, fluted edges.

You can pair this dessert with a sweet, slightly effervescent Brachetto d’Acqui wine from the Piedmonte region of Italy.

M
AKES ONE
9
-İNCH TART TO SERVE
8