A classic French dessert with the addition of a pistachio macaroon elevates the dish to the next level and shows off your kitchen skills!
Ingredients
Crème brûlée
- 250ml double cream
- 75ml full-fat milk
- 1 vanilla pod, scraped
- 4 egg yolk
- 3 tbsp caster sugar, plus 3-4 tbsp for the topping
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pistachio macaroon
- 30g unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
- 125g ground almonds
- 205g icing sugar
- 100g egg whites
- 20 drops green food colouring
Ganache filling
- 100ml crème fraiche or single cream
- 40g unsalted pistachios
- 40g caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 20g butter, softened
Method – Brulee
- Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1.
- Put the cream, milk and vanilla pod into a pan and heat to boiling point. Cover and leave to infuse for 10 mins.
- Whisk the egg yolks and 3 tbsp of sugar together until pale and thick.
- Add the vanilla extract and pour the boiling cream onto the mixture.
- Stir well, then pour into two ramekins.
- Place the ramekins in a bain marie and cook in the oven for about 20 mins or until just set.
- Leave to cool.
- Sprinkle the cold brûlée with a thin, even layer of sugar, and caramelise with a blowtorch.
Macaroons –
- Preheat the oven to 170 C / 150 C fan / Gas 3.
- Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- For the macaroons: Mix together the pistachios and almonds. Sift the icing sugar over a piece of baking parchment.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff: when the whites start to get stiff, add one tablespoon of icing sugar, then the remaining sugar, while whisking on high speed.
- Add the almond mixture to the egg whites and gently fold together with a spatula:You must lift the mixture with the spatula and then flatten it until smooth, or like a ribbon. Add the green food colouring.
- Fill a pastry bag with the mixture. Squeeze the bag until desired size and then release the pressure on the bag and give a flick of the wrist to move to the next one. Remember to leave some space between the macaroons and squeeze the macaroons out in staggered rows.
- Tap the tray on a table or a work surface to remove any air bubbles and set the macaroons aside for 30 minutes. It will allow a crust to form on the macaroons. Bake for about 14 minutes.
- Press lightly on the macaroons to see if they are ready; if the macaroons are still soft and moving when pressed, then they are not cooked yet!
- For the pistachio ganache: Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat then add the pistachios, sugar and vanilla sugar. Bring to the boil, then add the eggs and cook keeping a 85 C temperature. Remove from heat, stir in the softened butter and food colouring, then refrigerate.
- Assembling the macaroons: Take one macaroon and spread with the pistachio ganache on the flat side, then add a second macaroon on the ganache. The 2 macaroons should stick to the ganache.
- Garnish with raspberry sorbet
This recipe was provided to H&C News by Chef Craig Floate and we would like to thank Craig for his recipe, can’t wait to try it.
Craig provides a variety of chef services as detailed in his website
Craig can be contacted by phone on : 07845 083 793