A cherry dolci
Cherries are the fruit of romance. Both decadent and sensual in colour and flavour, these bites of heaven invoke pleasurable sensations of toe-curling delight. With chocolate, it is even more so, and in this recipe, makes for a delectable dessert to please all palates.
INGREDIENTS:
- 20 fresh cherries
- Small handfuls kataifi – fine strips of phyllo pastry
- Vanilla ice-cream
- Icing sugar to dust
FOR CHOCOLATE SLICE
- 100 g palm base margarine
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 3 eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 200 g flour
- 70 g self-raising flour
FOR CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- 250 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 200 ml cream
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
FOR CHERRY GEL
- 400 g frozen cherries
- 100 g sugar
- 2 tsp gelatin crystals
METHOD:
To make chocolate slice
- Place butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir till smooth. Beat eggs and sugar till light and thick. Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture with sieved flours, then pour into greased and lined 8 inch square baking tin. Place in preheated oven and bake at 180oC for 30 minutes until cake is set. Cool and cut into 4×1 inch length rectangles.
To make chocolate glaze
- Put the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream and com syrup to a gentle boil. Pour the hot cream onto the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Gently whisk till smooth, then stir in the vanilla.
To make cherry gel
- Place frozen cherries, sugar and 50 ml water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat. Allow the mixture to simmer till cherries are softened and juices are a little syrupy. Purse in a processor and sieve. Keep the sediment aside.
- Place 3 tablespoons of water in a cup and sprinkle gelatin over it. Leave for 15 seconds. Microwave at medium heat till the gelatin has dissolved. This takes about 15 seconds. Pour gelatin mixture into the cherry juices and transfer contents into a flat container. Keep refrigerated till set.
To assemble
- Place a slice of chocolate rectangle on one side of serving platter. Halve all cherries except four and remove the seeds. Heat a little palm oil in a small pot and fry up some kataifi.
- Drizzle a spoonful of glaze onto chocolate slice and make four other droplets of glaze here and there. Carefully place eight fresh cherry halves onto the chocolate slice, allowing them to overlap slightly.
- Using a small round mould, cut a circle of gel and place it on the plate. Put a fresh cherry atop the gel circle. Place a spoonful of cherry sediment on the plate and top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.Sprinkle some icing sugar on kataifi and place on top of the ice-cream. Serve immediately.
