Feedback on dessert creation

[Nishla]

^One of my earlier ideas was to fill the figs with ganache (before I had decided on the blue cheese) but I like the mini scoop of ice-cream better! I could roll the little bit of ice-cream in crushed, candied nuts. That would be a really cute fig flower. Thank-you!

I am thinking of skipping the poaching in port step, because that seems too "autumn" as well. I think I'll just serve fresh figs with the ice-cream, and then maybe drizzle some port syrup on the plate.

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My cousin made a ricotta, honey and lemon ice cream recently that was so good. I think something like that would go great with fruit, and maybe a macadamia cookie.

[Matsu]

Hi everyone,

I have the opportunity to serve a dessert at Mistral for Thursday's service, and would love some help creating something special.

Or, does anyone else have an idea I could use? I am leaning towards a savoury+sweet combination using cheese and fruit.

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If you could prep part of it before, there's a recipe in Charlie Trotter's dessert book for a roasted fig with goat cheese ice cream. It's served with an oatmeal tuile and a spicy fig sauce.

[Ling]

^I've seen that recipe, but I don't have the book so I don't think I can do it this time. The combination sounds delicious though, and I'll have to try it in the future.

I've decided on doing a Cabrales and macadamia sable crust for the tart, filled with a bit of pastry cream. I got some figs and currants at the market today, so I'll top each mini tart with a bruleed fig wedge and brush some port syrup on the currants.

The other side of the plate will have a fig flower with Cabrales ice-cream in the center, rolled in crushed, candied nuts.

I have to use Cabrales because the grocery store was out of stilton! But I like Cabrales anyway so it's not a big deal.

Now I have to get going on the chocolate dome cake I'm making for a birthday tomorrow...lots of baking today! I'm off to Mistral in about 2.5 hours. Wish me luck! Thanks for all the help...I'll post a picture of the plated dessert for you all when I get back.

[Lindacakes]

Too late to do any good (Best of luck, Ling!), but I have a recipe for a fresh fig and thyme pie I've always wanted to make.

Getting that many ripe figs at one time has been a problem.

But I was thinking thyme shortbread . . .

That photograph of figs is absolutely . . . provocative.

[phlawless]

how did everything turn out?

[Ling]

Everything turned out well. I have 2 pictures I've been trying to upload for the past fifteen minutes, but Image Gullet is not working I'll post them later.

Several of the diners last night said they had their doubts when they heard I was serving Cabrales ice-cream, but it turned out to be one of their favourite things that evening!

I was using a pastry cream recipe from Payard that I have memorized for the tarts, but the pastry chef and the chef thought it was too thick (too much cornstarch). The pastry chef suggested I thin it out with some milk, and the chef suggested I fold in some whipped cream to lighten it even further. The consistency was much better after I did what they suggested.

The ice-cream was great...super smooth and creamy, and I rounded out the blue cheese with a few tablespoons of honey. I really liked the consistency. It is an adapted recipe from "The Cheese Diaries" that the person found on EG, actually!

[Kouign Aman]

Hooray!!!!! I'm so happy for you that it was a success. :beaming:

:selfserving icon: Will the icecream recipe go on recipegullet? , or will you save it for your first cookbook?

[Pontormo]

Several of the diners last night said they had their doubts when they heard I was serving Cabrales ice-cream, but it turned out to be one of their favourite things that evening! 

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How wonderful, Lorna, especially about the ice cream. It's always gratifying when you triumph over prejudice and seduce someone like this. Special kudos since the dessert developed out of brain-storming, without the benefit of weeks of trial and error. Sounds as if you got a private lesson, too.

BTW, I noticed too late that Susan Goin includes a recipe for a fig & almond custard tart in her final summertime menu in the new Lucques cookbook. The custard's made simply with heavy cream, eggs & sugar, flavored with vanilla and a touch of Cognac, then with chopped, toasted almonds, poured over quartered figs that were carmelized first on top of the stove, with a vanilla bean added to the butter and sugar.

Edited August 11, 2006 by Pontormo (log)

[Chufi]

Congratulations!

I wish I could have tasted it, especially the icecream.. I still dream about a Gorgonzola icecream I had in Barcelona more than 10 years go, it was the best icecream I ever tasted. I went back the next day and had some more. That, with figs.. must have been heaven.

[Ling]

Kouign Aman: I'll post the recipe for the Cabrales ice-cream here, since I wouldn't feel right putting it in Recipe Gullet and taking credit for it.

This is what I used:

-2 cups of heavy whipping cream

-1/2 cup milk

-1/2 cup sugar

-3 tbsp corn syrup

-3 tbsp honey

-4 oz. Cabrales

-4 yolks

1. In a bowl, combine the yolks and sugar.

2. In another bowl, blend the Cabrales, the honey, and the corn syrup together until smooth. (I used an immersion blender.)

3. Heat the cream and milk until a gentle boil, temper the yolk mixture, and add the yolk + cream mixture back to the pan. Heat until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

4. Add the cheese mixture to the cream off the heat. Strain. Chill the mixture until cold.

5. Churn it in the ice-cream machine for an hour, or until the consistency looks right.

Pontormo: the Lucques recipe sounds great. Figs are one of my favourite fruits, and I will bake with them as much as possible this season!

Chufi: I'll make the Cabrales ice-cream for you when you visit us in Seattle!

I don't like this picture very much, but it's the only one I took with the ice-cream on it.

Edited August 11, 2006 by Ling (log)

[Pontormo]

I'd really like to take care of that scoop of ice cream before it starts to melt onto the plate.

Edited August 12, 2006 by Pontormo (log)

[Abra]

Absolutely beautiful, Lorna. It was a gorgeous touch to use the two different types of figs.

[Kouign Aman]

I'll post the recipe for the Cabrales ice-cream here, since I wouldn't feel right putting it in Recipe Gullet and taking credit for it.

This is what I used:

-2 cups of heavy whipping cream

-1/2 cup milk

-1/2 cup sugar

-3 tbsp corn syrup

-3 tbsp honey

-4 oz. Cabrales

-4 yolks

1. In a bowl, combine the yolks and sugar.

2. In another bowl, blend the Cabrales, the honey, and the corn syrup together until smooth. (I used an immersion blender.)

3. Heat the cream and milk until a gentle boil, temper the yolk mixture, and add the yolk + cream mixture back to the pan. Heat until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

4. Add the cheese mixture to the cream off the heat. Strain. Chill the mixture until cold.

5. Churn it in the ice-cream machine for an hour, or until the consistency looks right.

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Thank you. Pretty!