21st November 2011
Blackberry Crémeux in Blackberry Jelly by Michael Wignall
With Cardamom Meringue & Poached Pear
Michael Wignall's innovative and refined dish marries classic British fruits with aromatic cardamom, and saw him safely through to the quarter finals of Britain's Best Dish - The Chefs.
Serves 4
For the blackberry juice
500g blackberries
For the blackberry crémeux
1 gelatine leaf
1 small egg
1 large egg yolk
25g caster sugar
35g butter, melted
For the cardamom meringue
2 egg whites
50g caster sugar
45g icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp cornflour
5 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed to a fine powder
For the poached pear
1 pear, preferably Conference
400ml spring water
90g caster sugar
Squeeze of orange juice
Squeeze of lemon juice
1/4 cinnamon stick
1/4 vanilla pod
Ascorbic acid or lemon juice, to taste
For the blackberry jelly
3 gelatine leaves
20ml blackberry liqueur
15g caster sugar
For the marinated blackberries
1 tsp crème de mûre (optional)
24–30 blackberries
1. To make the blackberry juice, put the blackberries in a food processor and blend to a purée. Pass through a sieve and retain the juice.
2. To make the blackberry crémeux, cut four 10 x 8cm rectangles from acetate, roll along the long edge and tape each into a cylinder. Put 200ml of the blackberry juice in a pan and heat to reduce by half. Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, in a clean pan combine the reduced juice, egg, egg yolk and caster sugar. Cook on a low heat, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes or until it thickens. Squeeze the gelatine to drain it, add to the blackberry mix and stir until dissolved. Then gradually add the butter. Transfer the mix into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle and pipe into the cylindrical moulds. Place them in the fridge for about 1 hour to set.
3. For the cardamom meringue, preheat the oven to its lowest setting and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or greaseproof paper. Put the egg whites and caster sugar into a bowl and whisk with an electric hand-held mixer until soft peaks form. Slow the mixer speed to the lowest setting and gradually add the icing sugar, cornflour and crushed cardamom seeds. Turn the mixer speed back up to full and whisk the meringue for 10 minutes until velvety and smooth. Spread the meringue 2mm thick onto the prepared baking sheet and cook for about 1 hour to form a pavlova-like crust. Remove from the oven and, while still warm, transfer it to an airtight container.
4. To poach the pear, first peel the pear then place in the pan with the remaining ingredients. Cover it with a circle of greaseproof paper with a hole in the middle to stop the pear browning. Gently poach the pears for about 20 minutes until it is soft.
5. For the blackberry jelly, soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes to soften. Put 100ml of the blackberry juice and 80ml of water in a pan and add the other ingredients. Bring to a simmer, squeeze the gelatine to drain it, add to the pan and stir until dissolved. Pass the mix through a sieve into a large shallow container lined with cling film. Put in the fridge to set.
6. To marinate the blackberries, first make a blackberry syrup. Mix together 30ml of the blackberry juice with the crème de mûre (if using), and add the blackberries. Leave to marinate until needed.
7. To serve, cut the jelly into four 10 x 8cm rectangles. Carefully remove the moulds from the blackberry crémeux and gently roll the jelly around the crémeux. Place off-centre on large plates. Slice the poached pear and place on the plates with some broken pieces of cardamom meringue. Finish with 3–4 marinated blackberries.
Michael is head chef at the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey. Have you eaten at the restaurant? If so, send The Good Food Guide your feedback!
Michael's recipe from Britain's Best Dish - The Chefs, along with the other 112 recipes featured in the show, can be found in the sumptuous new recipe book Britain's Best Dish - The Chefs.