Strawberry season has arrived, and it's time to make the most of these luscious beauties. Sweets and condiments are encouraged, as are more savory applications -- just make sure the dish revolves around strawberries!
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The meringue recipe calls for 6 egg whites.
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Amanda shelled an entire cup of pistachios -- now, that's dedication.
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Berries fresh from the Greenmarket.
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We used a plate to draw circles on the back of the parchment as guidelines for the meringue discs.
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Superfine sugar: the key to really glossy, non-gritty meringue.
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This meringue calls for superfine and light brown sugar -- which you add gradually to the whites.
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A touch of balsamic is an unexpected (but welcome) addition.
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The "bird's beak" shape signifies a meringue made properly.
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Pistachios, all ground up.
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Heena advises a thorough but gentle folding to incorporate the nuts into the meringue.
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Using the circles as a guide.
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While meringues cooked, we macerated the strawberries (2 whole pounds!) in a little sugar and some rosewater.
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We love the Victorian flair of the rosewater bottle.
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The final component is a mix of whipped cream and mascarpone, scented with a little more rosewater.
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And the layering begins...
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Layer #1!
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Another meringue goes on top, then more cream, and more strawberries...
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Until there's a beautiful tower of three.
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Cream, lemon, eggs, fennel pollen, strawberries and agave nectar.
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Merrill hulls the strawberries.
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Lemon zest, fennel pollen and salt infuse the cream.
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Cream going into the pan.
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This is what scalded cream looks like -- bubbles form around the edge. Take if off the heat... now!
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Merrill measured the agave nectar to whisk into the eggs.
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There she goes whisking!
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Eggs and agave, post-whisking.
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Whisking the scalded milk into the egg mixture.
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A watched custard never thickens, and an ignored custard always curdles. Find a happy medium!
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Chilling the custard in an ice bath.
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Agave nectar.
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Merrill purees the strawberries, agave and lemon juice.
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You can strain the strawberry puree to make it like silk. Or you can do like we did, and quit halfway through because all the seeds are clogging up the sieve.
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Hahahaha! Amanda is SO funny. (Heh.)
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Strawberry puree, meet custard. Make friends.
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Sweet! Time to pretend it's a French cake!
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Well that was fun.
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Now, for actual mixing.
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Once the ice cream begins holding a shape, you add the chopped strawberries, which we chopped fairly fine.
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Kristen and our little friend (who matched her clothing with the ice cream) join us for a tasting.
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It comes out of the machine like dollops of meringue.
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No sharesies.
