Strawberry Passion Fruit Sables Food

STRAWBERRY-PASSION FRUIT PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Make the meringue: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Draw an egg shape 10 inches long and 8 inches wide at widest point onto a piece of parchment. Turn parchment over, and use it to line a baking sheet. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in superfine sugar, then cornstarch and salt, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in vinegar and vanilla.
• Using egg drawing as a guide, gently mound meringue on parchment; smooth sides. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Turn heat off, and let meringue cool in oven 2 hours.
• Make the ricotta cream: Scrape seeds from vanilla bean, and blend them with ricotta and granulated sugar in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and whisk in heavy cream until thick and spoonable.
• For serving: Cut passion fruits in half, and scoop out pulp and seeds. With the back of a spoon, crack a hole in top of meringue, and fill with ricotta cream. Layer on strawberries and passion fruit. Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY SABLéE TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until it is the texture of crumbs, then mix in the sugar and thyme leaves. Make a well in the centre. Beat the egg yolks together, then stir into the mixture with a table knife until it forms soft clumps. Using your fingers, draw the pastry together into a rough dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead into a smooth ball. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 mins. Rub a little softened butter around a plain 20cm x 2cm flan ring.
• Cover a heavy baking sheet with nonstick baking parchment and place the ring in the centre. Dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour. Lightly re-knead the dough until smooth, then roll out to a round roughly 30cm in diameter. Lift the dough over the rolling pin and drape over the ring. Press gently into the sides and let the overhang fall on the outside. Break off a chunk of pastry and roll into a ball. Dip into a little of the icing sugar, then use it to press the dough into the ring. Do not trim at this stage. Chill the tart case for at least 30 mins, preferably in the freezer.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cover the tart case with a large round of baking parchment, then half-fill with uncooked rice. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 15 mins. Remove and lift out the parchment and rice. Turn oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3, wait about 5 mins, then return the case and bake for a further 10 mins until golden brown. Remove and cool for 10 mins. Using a small, sharp knife, cut away excess pastry, trimming the ring top. Loosen the sides with a knife, pull off the ring and leave to cool. The case should be biscuit crisp.
• To make the filling, place the strawberries on a plate, dredge with the icing sugar and vinegar, then set aside. Beat the cream with the grated zests until just forming soft peaks. Scoop the passion fruit pulp into a small sieve and rub through onto the cream with the back of a spoon, then stir in the crème fraîche and yogurt. Stack the large basil leaves together, shape into a roll, thinly slice into shreds, then chop. Fold these into the cream.
• When the base has completely cooled (it doesn't matter if it has broken around the sides a little), assemble the tart. Spoon the cream into a piping bag without a nozzle, then pipe in small, even dollops over the base. Drain the strawberries and press lightly onto the cream. Dust over more icing sugar, tuck in the small basil leaves among the strawberries and serve immediately.

PASSION-FRUIT SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Remove the lower racks of the oven and preheat to 410 degrees. Brush 6 1-cup ramekins with a thin layer of butter, then dust with sugar. Tap out excess sugar. Place the ramekins on a small sheet pan.
• Mix 1/4 cup sugar with the jam or apple peels until well combined. In a small saucepan, bring the passion-fruit purée to a boil. Add the sugar mixture and stir with a whisk. Lower the heat and bring to a steady simmer. Whisk continually for about 10 minutes, or until reduced by about one-fourth. Cool to room temperature and strain through a fine sieve.
• Make the base: in a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the cooled purée. Add 3 tablespoons sugar and whisk to combine.
• In a mixer, whisk the egg whites until they are foamy and no longer increase in volume. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar. Continue whisking until the sugar dissolves and the whites form shiny stiff peaks. Gently but rapidly fold the whites into the base.
• Pour the mixture to the top of each ramekin. Dust with confectioners' sugar and bake on the oven floor for 10 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. The soufflés should rise between 1 1/2 to 2 inches over the top of the ramekins. Dust again with confectioners' sugar if you choose. To serve, gently tap a small hole into the top of each soufflé and pour in a few teaspoons of the remaining passion-fruit purée.