Pimms Gelée With Raspberries And Fromage Blanc Recipes

PIMMS GELéE WITH RASPBERRIES AND FROMAGE BLANC

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, mix 10 ounces of the raspberries and 1/4 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the raspberries are soft and breaking apart. Let cool.
• Soften the gelatin in 3 tablespoons of the Pimms. In another small saucepan, combine the orange juice and the remaining Pimms. Place over medium heat until very warm, then remove from heat and stir in the gelatin. Place a fine-meshed sieve over the pan and pour in the raspberries and their juice. Mash and press the raspberries to extract as much juice as possible. Pour into a shallow dish and chill until firm.
• Mix the fromage blanc with the remaining sugar. Using a whisk or fork, stir the Pimms gelée until broken into small beads. In each of 4 small tumblers, spoon a layer of Pimms gelée, using it all up. Top with a layer of fromage blanc, followed by a layer of fresh raspberries.

RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Press the raspberries through a sieve, and mix the puree with the sugar and Grand Marnier until the sugar is dissolved. Taste for sweetness and adjust. Chill until ready to use.

BLANCMANGES WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil six 1/2-cup ramekins.
• Spread almonds in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven until pale golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Cool almonds completely.
• In a food processor process almonds with milk 2 minutes, or until mixture is very thick but not completely smooth.
• Rinse a thin kitchen towel in cold water and wring out as much water as possible. Spread towel in a large sieve set over a bowl or large glass measure and pour almond mixture into towel. Wrap towel around mixture and squeeze almond milk (about 1 cup) from towel into bowl or measure, discarding almonds. Stir in almond extract and a pinch salt.
• In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand 1 minute.
• In a small saucepan combine almond milk and sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add gelatin mixture and cook, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved. Transfer almond mixture to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring constantly, just until the consistency of raw egg white. Remove bowl from ice water.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until it holds stiff peaks and whisk about one fourth into almond mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly and spoon mixture into ramekins. Chill blancmanges, covered loosely with plastic wrap, until set, at least 2 hours and up to 24.
• In a blender or food processor purée raspberries with syrup and force through a fine sieve into a bowl. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Fill a small bowl with very hot or boiling water and dip ramekins, 1 at a time, into water 10 seconds. Unmold each blancmange onto a dessert plate and serve with sauce.

RASPBERRY COULIS

Steps:

• In a small pot, combine sugar with 1/4 cup water, and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool completely. Purée raspberries, syrup and liqueur in a blender, then strain through a fine sieve.

RASPBERRIES WITH FROMAGE BLANC

Steps:

• Force half the raspberries through a sieve and sweeten with the sugar, using more or less depending on the sweetness of the berries. Gently fold in the whole raspberries.
• Put a scoop or neat mound of the cheese on each of four plates and spoon the raspberry mixture around it.

RASPBERRY COULIS

Steps:

• Put berries and sugar in blender or food processor, and purée. Add sugar if needed.
• Press coulis through a strainer to eliminate seeds. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a day.

BLANC-MANGER

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water. Have ready a smaller bowl that fits into the ice-water bath.
• Whip cream until it holds soft peaks. Refrigerate.
• Bring milk, almonds and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make certain the sugar dissolves. While milk heats, put gelatin and 3 tablespoons cold water in a microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan. When the gelatin is soft and spongy - it should take about 2 minutes - heat it in a microwave oven for 15 seconds (or cook it over low heat to dissolve). Stir the gelatin into the hot milk mixture, and remove the saucepan from heat.
• Pour the hot almond milk into the small reserved bowl, and set the bowl into the ice-water bath. Stir in kirsch or vanilla, and continue to stir until the mixture is cool but still liquid; you do not want the milk to gel in the bowl.
• Very gently fold the cold whipped cream into the almond milk with a rubber spatula, then fold in the berries. Spoon the blanc-manger into an 8-inch cake pan that is 2 inches high, and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. The blanc-manger can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• To unmold the blanc-manger, dip the cake pan up to its rim in hot water for 5 seconds, then wipe the pan and invert the blanc-manger onto a serving plate. Serve immediately or chill until needed. Serve raspberry coulis on the side.