Various Cream Bavarois

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •2-quart (2 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Large mixing bowl and ice-water basin
• •Electric hand mixer or balloon whisk
• •1-quart (950 ml) Bavarois or charlotte mold, or six 5-ounce (150 ml) molds

Instructions

1. 1

   Set the home scale

   Choose one flavor, not a medley. Use two-sevenths of Cream Bavarois (No. 2614): the original fourteen-yolk formula becomes four yolks exactly, and every other amount is multiplied by two-sevenths. Omit the vanilla and replace the vanilla sugar with an equal weight of plain caster sugar, so the chosen perfume speaks clearly. This reduction removes brigade bulk without changing a single working ratio.

   For several flavors, make separate small batches. Dividing one custard after it begins to gel gives uneven flavor and costs the whipped cream its volume.
2. 2

   Infuse the milk

   For almond, filbert, fresh walnut, coffee, or orange, bring the milk called for in Cream Bavarois (No. 2614) just to the boil, remove it from the heat, and add the chosen flavoring. Cover and steep for 20 minutes, then strain finely. Do not press nut solids hard, which releases oil and muddies the custard. For nuts or coffee, begin with the additional milk, then measure the strained milk back to the exact quantity required by Cream Bavarois (No. 2614); the extra merely replaces what the solids retained. Anisette, Kirsch, chocolate, and violet are added later.

3. 3

   Cook to nappe

   Continue Cream Bavarois (No. 2614) through its strained custard stage, using the flavored milk where applicable. Keep the heat mild and stir continuously until the custard reaches à la nappe, coating the back of a spoon so a finger drawn through it leaves a clean road, about 82 to 84°C (180 to 183°F). Never let it boil. If it turns faintly grainy but has not formed distinct egg curds, remove it immediately, blend for 10 seconds, and strain into a cold bowl. Ça se rattrape. A fully scrambled custard must be remade.

4. 4

   Add the perfume

   For chocolate Bavarois, whisk the chopped chocolate into the hot strained custard until completely melted and glossy; if tiny specks remain, blend briefly while it is still warm. For anisette, Kirsch, or violet Bavarois, wait until the custard has cooled below 30°C (86°F), then stir in the chosen flavoring, since greater heat drives away the liqueurs' aroma and flattens violet. Nut, coffee, and orange versions need nothing further after their milk infusion.

5. 5

   Cool until thickening

   Set the bowl over ice water and stir from time to time, scraping the edges, until the custard is cool and just beginning to thicken, usually around 20 to 22°C (68 to 72°F). Watch the texture before the thermometer: a trail drawn with the spatula should close slowly rather than vanish at once. This is the moment that decides the Bavarois. If gelatin sets in streaks around the bowl, place it over lukewarm water and stir only until smooth again; do not make it warm.

6. 6

   Fold in the cream

   Complete Cream Bavarois (No. 2614) with its specified whipped cream and sugar. Fold one-quarter of the cream into the thickening custard to lighten it, then fold in the remainder in two additions with broad turns from the bowl's floor. Stop when no white streaks remain. If the mixture loosens and slumps, it was still too warm; chill it for 5 minutes, stir gently until it regains a little body, and continue.

7. 7

   Fill and chill

   Rinse a metal mold with cold water and shake it almost dry; leave silicone or glass dry. Spoon in the Bavarois, press it gently into any fluting, tap the mold once to release large air pockets, and level the top. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until the center feels tender but fully set.

8. 8

   Unmold and serve

   Dip a metal mold into warm water for 5 seconds, dry its outside, and invert it onto a chilled serving plate. If the Bavarois clings, wrap the mold briefly in a warm damp towel rather than soaking it again. Should the rim soften, return the unmolded dessert to the cold for 10 minutes. Serve it plain, while its surface is cool and satin-smooth. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Filbert is the older kitchen name for hazelnut. Toast hazelnuts and almonds for a rounder perfume, but leave genuinely fresh walnuts untoasted so their tender, milky character remains.
• •Weigh the gelatin specified in Cream Bavarois (No. 2614). Gelatin leaves vary in size and strength, while the scale tells the truth; too little gives a cream that slumps, and too much gives a dessert that bounces.
• •Use chopped dark chocolate rather than cocoa powder. Chocolate melts into the custard and preserves its satin texture, while dry cocoa can leave the Bavarois chalky unless its formula is rebuilt.
• •Orange means zest, not juice. Juice brings acid that can curdle the milk and weaken the clean dairy flavor; pare only the colored skin because white pith turns the infusion bitter.
• •Serve the Bavarois well chilled but not frozen. Coffee and chocolate versions are lovely with small cups of coffee, while orange, almond, and violet sit happily beside a glass of demi-sec sparkling wine.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the Bavarois one day ahead and keep it covered in the cold. It holds well for 2 days, though orange and violet taste brightest during the first day.
• •Solid flavor infusions can be made a day ahead. Strain them after 20 minutes, measure the milk back to the quantity required by Cream Bavarois (No. 2614), cover, and chill.
• •For a dinner party assortment, prepare separate small molds of different flavors over two days. Do not freeze them; gelatin and whipped cream may weep and lose their smooth texture after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 125g)