Passion-Fruit Gelée with Basil Cream |
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Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 135 Minutes |
Ready In: 180 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Though this recipe owes a debt to that icon of childhood desserts, Jell-O with whipped cream, the interplay of floral passion fruit and herbal basil is nothing if not elegant. Ingredients:
1 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-oz envelope) |
1/4 cup water |
2 cups passion-fruit nectar (preferably looza brand) |
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves |
1/2 cup sugar |
1 1/2 cups well-chilled heavy cream |
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from another 1/4-oz envelope) |
2 tablespoons water |
garnish: 4 fresh basil leaves (optional) |
Directions:
1. Make gelée: Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan and let stand 1 minute to soften. Cook over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon passion-fruit nectar at a time until gelatin mixture is cool, then whisk in remaining nectar.
2. Transfer to a metal bowl and set bowl into a larger bowl half-filled with ice and cold water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until gelée is consistency of raw egg white, 15 to 25 minutes.
3. Put egg carton in a shallow baking pan and arrange glasses in carton, then tilt glasses to a 45-degree angle. Divide gelée among glasses. Carefully transfer pan with glasses to refrigerator and chill until gelée is set, at least 1 hour.
4. Make cream when gelée has set: Pulse basil, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely chopped, then transfer to a bowl and add cream, stirring just until sugar is dissolved.
5. Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan and let stand 1 minute to soften. Cook over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon basil cream at a time until gelatin mixture is cool, then whisk in remaining cream. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl, pressing hard on solids and then discarding them.
6. Set bowl in a larger bowl half-filled with ice and cold water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cream is consistency of raw egg white, 15 to 25 minutes.
7. Holding 1 glass of gelée at a 45-degree angle, slowly fill glass with basil cream, gradually righting glass as filled. Fill remaining glasses in same manner. Chill, covered, until set, at least 1 hour.
8. Cooks' note: Gelées with cream can be chilled up to 2 days.
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