Forbidden Fruit Food

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

Steps:

• Combine sugar, vanilla bean, wine and zests in a medium saucepan. Bring sugar solution to the boil then reduce to a simmer and add the berries. Poach berries for 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool in liquid. While cooling, soak apricots in apricot brandy. Place berries in a food processor along with soaked apricots and peach brandy. Puree until smooth. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold cream into berry puree. Divide the mixture into four 3-inch diameter custard cups. Freeze.
• Make the sauce: Combine the apricots, apricot brandy and 1/2 cup of the simple syrup. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. Reserve until needed.
• Make the sugar cage: Combine the sugar, water and glucose in a small saucepan. Stir once with a metal spoon. Place over medium heat for 2 minutes then turn to high. Cook sugar to a very light caramel. While sugar is cooking prepare a small bowl of ice water, enough to just cover the bottom of the saucepan. When sugar is at desired color, immediately remove to the ice water, taking great care not to get any water in saucepan. This mixture can be used right away or reserved and reheated to use in the future. Sugar is at desired consistency when a metal tablespoon dipped into the mixture runs off in a thread like the consistency of honey. The sugar should not be too thin. To form a cage, lightly grease with vegetable oil the outside of a 6-inch metal mixing bowl. Stand the mixing bowl upside down on a piece of aluminum paper. Lightly grease the aluminum paper outside the bowl. Dip a spoon into the sugar and flick the sugar back and forth over the bowl in one direction. Repeat this across the bowl in the other direction, creating a lattice of sugar. Allow to cool for 1 minute. To remove the cage from bowl, using the whole of the hand, gently twist the cage free. Repeat with remaining sugar to create a total of 8 cages.
• Assemble the dessert: Remove the frozen parfait from the freezer. Run a paring knife around the ramekin to loosen parfait. (If parfait doesn't come out immediately, place the custard cup in warm water for 10 seconds to help loosen.) Place a cage, round side down, in the middle of a serving plate. Unmold parfait in middle of cage and spoon sauce around. Top with another cage to create a dome effect. Place berries around the plate.

THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT

Steps:

• Combine the grapefruit vodka, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.