I continue on my mission to conquer pastry creams and thickeners. Exec. Producer Jennifer Ferro came back from the market on Wednesday with a little bag of figs for me so I new I needed to make a base that the figs could ride on. Russ Parsons and I had just had a conversation about Frozen Souffles and making Bavarian Cream so I thought, let me try that. The Bavarian Cream part, not the frozen souffle part although I’m sure that will make it’s way into a pie crust as well. So I did what I hadn’t done in a very long time. I made zabaglione. How fun! A few egg yolks in a bowl with just enough sugar and a shot of port set atop simmering water (not touching the bowl). After just a few minutes of vigorously whisking, the eggs magically increase in volume and that fabulous scent of egginess and port fills the air. I love zabaglione. My favorite form is Gelato Zabaglione at Da Crispino in Rome. Let me take a moment of silence to give proper reverence……….
Okay, then I cooled the zabaglione and folded in a mixture of whipped cream that had a bit of gelatin added. While the creamy mass was cooling and starting to set I made a very rich cashew crust, the kind that’s so soft you have to pat it in the tart rings. After the crusts were prebaked I let them cool completely and poured in the Mascarpone Cream. It was still too soft to support the figs so I left them in the Angeli walk-in while I went to Copa d’Oro to meet a lovely bunch of listeners for a a drink.
I woke up, came to the restaurant and made a glaze for the figs with water, lemon juice, cornstarch (RLB). The figs were thinly sliced, set atop perfectly set cream and brushed with the glaze. Look’s yummy