Apple and Pecan Gratin with Macerated Fruits in Citrus-Honey Consommé
Dessert lovers who delight in the combination of flavors, textures, and temperatures will adore these warm little apple-nut cakes served with chilled fruits. The dessert is served in a pretty bowl, building from citrus-honey consomme and macerated fruits to the apple-pecan cakes to a topping of toasted cinnamon-scented cream.
Ingredients
- Citrus-Honey Consomme
- Fresh Orange Juice - 2 cups
- Grapefruit Juice - 1-1/2 cups fresh
- Lemon Juice - 1/4 cup fresh
- Ginger - 2 tablespoons, minced fresh
- Honey - 1/3 cup
- Rum - 1/4 cup
- Macerated Fruits
- Green Grapes - 1 cup
- Kumquats - 1/2 cup, sliced
- Blueberries - 1 cup
- Orange - 1/2 cup orange segments
- Banana - 1, cut into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices
- Star Fruit - 1, cut into thin slices
- Granny Smith Apple - 1, cored, quartered, and sliced paper-thin
- Citrus-Honey Consomme, above
- Apple and Pecan Gratin
- Unsalted Butter - 4 tablespoons, at room temperature
- Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Pecans - 1/4 cup, ground
- Egg White - 1
- Granny Smith Apples - 2
- Lemon Juice - 1 tablespoon
- Topping
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/2 cup
- Cinnamon - 1-1/2 teaspoons, ground
- Egg Yolk - 1, beaten
- Raspberry - 4 fresh
- Mint - 8 large leaves, cut into fine julienne
- Mint - 4 small sprigs
Instructions
To make the consomme: Combine all the ingredients in a medium non-aluminum saucepan and bring the mixture to a rapid boil. Turn off the heat.
To macerate the fruit: Combine all the fruit in a large bowl and pour the hot consomme over them. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
To make the apple and pecan gratin: Place the butter in a small bowl and stir until it is creamy. Add the sugar and pecans and stir together, then mix in the egg white. Refrigerate this mixture for about 30 minutes, until it firms up.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Quarter, peel, and core the apples. Using a mandoline or V-slicer, cut the apples into thin julienne. If the apples have a lot of moisture, squeeze them with your hands to remove some of it. Toss the apples with the lemon juice, then mix the pecan mixture into the apples. Place four 2-inch ring molds on the prepared pan. Fill the rings with the apple mixture, pressing the mixture in tightly (it is not necessary to butter the rings because of the amount of butter in the mixture).
In a deep bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold in the cinnamon and egg yolk. Dollop a spoonful of this mixture on top of each cake. Place 1 raspberry in the center of each. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the glaze turns golden brown. Remove from heat.
To serve: Ladle some of the macerated fruits and consomme into each of 4 shallow soup bowls, arranging the fruit slices attractively. Leave space in the center. Carefully lift the ring molds from the gratins and place a warm gratin in the center of each bowl. Sprinkle julienned mint around the bowls. Place a mint leaf in each bowl.
