Frozen Lime-Ganache Parfait with Chocolate Tuiles
Silky-smooth ganache centers put a touch of surprise in smooth, frozen lime parfaits. Fruit sauces add color and bright flavor notes. Begin a day ahead to allow time for freezing.
Ingredients
- Ganache
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Sugar - 2 tablespoons
- Bittersweet Chocolate - 12 ounces, chopped
- Lime Parfait
- Unflavored gelatin - 1 envelope
- Cold Water - 2 tablespoons
- Egg Yolks - 3
- Cornstarch - 2 tablespoons
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1⁄3 cup
- Sugar - 1⁄3 cup
- Fresh Limes - juice of 4 large fresh limes (about 2⁄3 cup)
- Egg Whites - 3
- Sugar - 1⁄4 cup
- Chocolate Tuiles (makes 24 to 30 medium cookies)
- Unsalted Butter - 3⁄4 cup (1-1⁄2 sticks)
- Sugar - 2 cups
- Egg Whites - 6
- Vanilla Extract - 1⁄4 teaspoon
- All-Purpose Flour - 2 cups
- Cocoa Powder - 1 cup
- Garnish
- Peach Sauce - 1 cup (see Fruit Purees, Basics)
- Strawberry Sauce - 1 cup (see Fruit Purees, Basics)
- Kiwi Sauce - 1 cup (see Fruit Purees, Basics)
- Crème Anglaise - 1 cup (see Basics)
- Pansies - 6
- Fresh mint - 2 sprigs
- Chocolate Tuiles
Instructions
To make the ganache: In a deep, heavy pan stir together the cream, butter, and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Reserving 1 cup for garnish, roll the ganache between your hands to form six walnut-size balls. Refrigerate.
To make the parfait: Soften the gelatin in the water. In the top of a double boiler or a medium metal bowl whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch until the cornstarch is absorbed. In a deep, heavy pan over low heat stir the cream and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the cream mixture into the eggs and cornstarch. Place over a double boiler with simmering water and whisk gently for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened. Whisk in the lime juice and the softened gelatin, whisking until the gelatin is completely melted and dissolved in the custard. Remove the pan from the heat and place the pan or bowl in a large bowl of ice water to cool. In a deep bowl beat the egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form. Add the egg whites all at once to the cooled lime custard and fold until blended; the egg whites will lose about half their volume. Fill six 3 x 2-inch round molds three-quarters full with the lime parfait mixture, and press a ganache ball into the center of each. Finish filling the molds with the parfait mixture, and smooth with the back of a spoon to seal. Freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight.
To make the chocolate tuiles: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using an Xacto-type blade or razor, cut a pleasing design in a thin plastic lid of the type that covers tubs of butter. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. In the large bowl of a mixer or a food processor cream the butter and sugar. Slowly beat in the egg whites. Add the vanilla. Stir in the flour until blended. Add the cocoa powder and stir until the color is uniform.
Place the stencil on the parchment paper and spread the batter over the stencil. Lift and repeat to use all of the batter. Bake 10 minutes or until the tuiles are semi-firm. Remove from the oven and immediately lift the tuiles with a spatula, placing them over a rolling pin or bottles to mold them.
To serve: Prepare the dessert plates. Warm the reserved ganache until liquefied and place it in a squeeze bottle. Draw a multi-petaled flower or other pleasing design on each plate with the ganache. Place each fruit sauce and the crème Anglaise in a separate squeeze bottle. Fill in the “petals” of the design with a mosaic of different colored fruit sauces, ending with a center of crème Anglaise.
Dip each mold up to the rim in warm water for 5 to 7 seconds to loosen, then unmold onto a large plate or platter. Cut through about one quarter of one parfait. Place both pieces on one of the serving plates, separating the pieces to reveal the ganache center. Garnish with a pansy and mint leaves. Repeat with the remaining molds