White Chocolate Bavarois, Pistachio Brittle, Rose Scented Fig
Now apart from being a damn nuisance to pronounce, by and large bavarois are not on most people’s radar. You may know it perhaps by its English name, Bavarian cream… considerably easier to pronounce maybe, but we’re still none the wiser.
On my menus I refer to it as a ‘custard panna cotta’ which is not far off the mark in truth; after all it’s a cream-based dessert set with gelatine. The difference however is that a bavarois is always made with a custard base, or more specifically a crème Anglaise, and is usually enriched with softly whipped cream giving it a more mousse-like texture than a panna cotta. They’re richer, lighter and can incorporate other flavours and fruits that might otherwise separate or sink in a panna cotta or be too heavy to be supported by a mousse.
This version includes white chocolate (although you could omit that and add a teaspoon of vanilla paste instead) and pistachios, which like most nuts work really well with chocolate. Turning them into a brittle brings a contrast in texture and the figs, steeped in a Turkish delight flavoured syrup complete the ensemble.
All three elements can be made up to two days in advance; the custard will set within a few hours.
Ingredients
(Serves 8)
For the figs
2 – 3 figs per person, depending on size (…of the fig!)
200g caster sugar
2 x tablespoons rose water
3 x tablespoons of lemon juice
For the bavarois
400ml double cream
200ml semi-skimmed milk
6 large egg yolks
100g caster sugar
4 x sheets of leaf gelatine
200g white chocolate
For the pistachio brittle
150g pistachio nuts (not including the shells)
250g caster sugar
Lightly grease 8 individual dariole moulds or ramekins with vegetable oil.
To make the bavarois, heat half the cream with the milk in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whilst that is coming up to temperature, whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar in a bowl until thick and pale. Three minutes with an electric whisk will get the job done.
Break the white chocolate into small pieces in a bowl large enough to take the custard.
Submerge the gelatine in cold water; cut the sheets in half if they don’t fit your bowl.
When the cream reaches just below simmering point, dribble it slowly onto the whisked eggs and stir it in thoroughly using a wooden spoon.
Rinse the pan out to remove any milk proteins and return the custard to the heat. Stir the custard continually over a low heat until it starts to thicken and you can leave a line with your finger on the back of the spoon.
Remove the pan from the heat, remove the gelatine from the water, squeeze to remove excess water and add them to the hot custard, stirring them in to dissolve.
Once the gelatine has dissolved completely, pour the custard on to the white chocolate and continue to stir until completely smooth. Put the custard to one side to cool.
Make the brittle by adding 225ml of cold water to the caster sugar in a pan and setting over a low heat. Swirl the pan ever-so gently to dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat and leave the syrup to bubble.
Line a metal baking tray with baking paper.
Keep an eye on the syrup as it starts to caramelise. Once it reaches a golden amber colour, turn down the heat, toss in the pistachios and move them around with a metal spoon to coat evenly in the caramel, before tipping them on to the baking paper to cool and harden. At no point test the caramel with your finger or be tempted to wipe the spoon with it!!
Make the syrup for the figs by adding 200ml of cold water to the caster sugar and dissolving it over a low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and simmer hard for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the rose water and return to the heat for another minute, then remove and leave to cool.
Wash the figs then cut them in half, or if they’re small cut them almost into quarters, but leave them joined at the base. Place them in a snug fitting jam jar and pour over the syrup once it’s lukewarm.
Whisk the remaining 200ml of double cream in a bowl to soft peaks, then fold into the cooled custard. Pour the bavarois mix in to the dariole moulds and refrigerate.
To serve, dip the base of each mould briefly in a bowl of recently boiled water, then invert on to a plate and release with a gentle thrust. Drain the figs from their syrup and divide amongst the plates.
Break, bash or chop the brittle into rough pieces and sprinkle decoratively over the bavarois.