Sunday, May 2, 2010

May 1 & 2 - Exotic Fruit with Ginger Sabayon

RELAX...IT'S THE WEEKEND
Shia, right.  Remember that chocolate cake I have to do for that very fancy fundraiser?  It's due next Monday (the 10th).  Well, I've been making my chocolate flowers for it all day yesterday and today.  (I am using a chocolate molding "clay" recipe that is just chocolate and corn syrup.)  I've been rolling, cutting, and fashioning a ton of flowers to decorate the outside of this cake.  (Don't worry, I'm taking a ton of pictures that I will post sometime next week.)  The only thing that's been getting in my way is the humidity.  It's making the clay too soft to work with (and a pain).  But fear not, I will persevere...

So onto sabayon... I used to hate making this at the restaurant, but I've started to get a new appreciate for it.  I do suggest that you get some sort of thermometer to measure the temperature (instant read is probably the best).  You want to make sure you bring the sabayon to 170 so you don't risk anyone getting sick off the egg yolks.  Also, to make things much easier for you, use a hand held mixer.  If you're up for it, you can whisk by hand, but it is a definite work out for your arm. 

Sabayon is one of those desserts that should be made as close to service as possible.  You can fold in some sweetened whipped cream into it, to get it to stay longer (and to cut the alcohol flavor), but it doesn't stay for more than an hour.  It will deflate and turn soupy. 

THE RECIPE
Ingredients:
Sugar: had
Eggs: had
White wine: $3.99
Sherry: had
Ground ginger:had
Mango & Pineapple: $4.38
Banana: had
Crystallized ginger: had

Total: $8.37

THE RESULTS

FAST:  I don't know if my thermometer was broken or what, but it took more than 5 minutes to get to 170 (more like 9).    Depending on how much fruit you have, cutting it up could take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.  This recipe took me about 20 minutes from start to finish.

EASY:  The sabayon is really easy.  Cutting up the fruit is the most difficult part. 

FRESH:  Like the Prince of Bel Aire.  I love ripe tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, papaya). 

OVERALL:  I didn't think I would like the sabayon with the ginger in it, but it actually was really good (and different).  It went great with the pineapple and banana.  The mango, on the otherhand, was NOT good with the sabayon.  Yuck.  The flavor combination was terrible. 

This recipe got me thinking about doing different flavored sabayons.  Maybe a lavendar one using dried lavendar flowers ground up with the sugar?  Or use Grand Marnier (orange liquor) instead of the sherry?  The possibilities are endless.

Well a new quarter starts this week and I am back teaching my favorite subject...BAKING AND PASTRY!!  Yippee.  Remember, Monday, I'm off.   We've got fish on Tuesday!   See ya then.

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