Passion Fruit And Blackberry Jellies With Lemon Verbena Cream Food

PASSION-FRUIT AND BLACKBERRY JELLIES WITH LEMON VERBENA CREAM

Steps:

• Make passion-fruit mixture:
• Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water and let stand 2 minutes to soften.
• Heat sugar and remaining cup water in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart glass measure or bowl, then set in a large bowl of ice and cold water and stir frequently until cold but not set, about 15minutes. Stir in passion-fruit purée, then chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
• Make blackberry mixture:
• Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water and let stand 2 minutes to soften.
• Heat sugar and remaining 3/4 cup water in 1-quart saucepan over moderately high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Transfer mixture to another 1-quart glass measure or bowl, then set in a large bowl of ice and cold water and stir frequently until cold but not set, about 15minutes.
• While gelatin mixture chills, purée blackberries in a food processor, then force through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding seeds.
• Stir lemon juice and 1 cup purée into chilled gelatin mixture, then chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
• Assemble jellies:
• Pour a scant 1/4 cup passion-fruit mixture into each glass, then stand all 6 glasses in a wide pot. Fill pot with enough ice and cold water to reach level of jelly and chill in refrigerator until jelly is just set, about 2 hours. (Keep unused portion of jellies in refrigerator, stirring once or twice to slow setting.)
• Pour a scant 1/4 cup blackberry mixture on top of set passion-fruit jelly (pouring mixture gently over back of a spoon held just over set jelly helps to keep new layer from damaging layer beneath). Add enough ice to pot to reach level of jelly and chill in refrigerator until jelly is set, about 2 hours.
• Make another layer of passion-fruit jelly and another layer of blackberry jelly in same manner, adding ice to pot and chilling in refrigerator until jellies are set (last two layers will take only about 1 1/2 hours each to chill).
• When all layers are set, remove glasses from ice bath and chill, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 8 hours (or overnight).
• Make cream 2 hours before serving:
• Combine lemon verbena with sugar in a small bowl, then gently bruise verbena with a pestle or wooden spoon (to release flavor). Stir in cream and chill, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.
• Pour through cleaned fine-mesh sieve into a larger bowl, pressing gently on solids and then discarding them, then chill cream, covered, until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks and spoon dollops over jellies.

LEMON VERBENA JELLY

Steps:

• Put the lemon verbena leaves, lemon zest and water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate to high heat, then turn the heat to simmer and cover the pan. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and allow to stand, covered, for several hours.
• Pour the infusion through a strainer into a large, deep saucepan. Press on the leaves to extract all flavor, then discard the leaves and zest. Stir in the lemon juice and sugar and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat. Add food coloring. Stir in the pectin and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for two minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from the heat and skim the foam, if necessary. Ladle the jelly into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Seal with new lids and metal rings.
• Process for 5 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes about five 6-ounce jars.
• This subtly flavored jelly is good with scones or toasted brioche, or in the center of thumbprint butter cookies.

SURE-JELL PASSION FRUIT JELLY

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Combine fruit pulp and water in 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in pectin. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

PASSION FRUIT CREAM

Steps:

• Whisk the yolk and sugar until light and fluffy and doubled in size, about 3 mins. Beat in the Cointreau, lemon and the flesh of 2 passion fruits. Softly whip the cream until it just holds some shape (it stiffens quickly towards the end so whip slowly as it gets thicker). Chill 2 dessert glasses.
• To assemble, gently fold the egg mix into the double cream, having first given the eggs another brisk whisk. Spoon the cream into little glasses and top them with the seeds from the remaining passion fruit and a drizzle of Cointreau.