Crême aux Fruits

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp gelatine
• 60 ml cold water
• 60 ml milk, scalded
• 120 g sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 240 ml thick cream
• 80 ml milk
• 80 ml cooked prunes, cut in pieces
• 80 ml chopped figs

Method

Bloom the gelatine in cold water for five minutes until it swells and loses its granular feel. Meanwhile, heat the milk until steam rises and a skin forms on the surface — you need this temperature to dissolve the gelatine cleanly without leaving specks. Pour the hot milk over the bloomed gelatine and stir until completely dissolved, then add the sugar and stir until it dissolves entirely. The mixture should be clear. This is your base; the rest of the work is about emulsification and structure.

Set the pan in a bowl of iced water and stir constantly. As the mixture cools, it will thicken to the consistency of unset jam — this takes five to ten minutes depending on the water temperature. Stop too early and your gelatine won't hold the foam; stop too late and you'll have a lumpy mass. You want it just thick enough that it clings to the spoon but still flows. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks — they should hold their shape and look dull, not glossy. In a separate bowl, whip the thick cream with the 80 ml milk until it forms soft peaks; it should look mousse-like, not grainy.

Fold the beaten egg whites into the cooling gelatine mixture in two additions, cutting down through the centre and turning the bowl as you fold. This maintains air and prevents deflation. Then fold in the whipped cream in the same manner. The mixture will look pale and aerated — it should resemble a loose mousse. Fold in the prunes and figs at the last moment, scattering them through so they're distributed but not crushed. The acid and tannins in the dried fruit will sharpen what would otherwise be a one-note sweetness.

Pour the mixture into your mould — a ring mould or terrine works best — and refrigerate for at least six hours until set completely. The dairy|cream and milk will enrich the texture, while the egg whites provide lift and a delicate crumb. To unmould, dip the outside briefly in warm water and invert onto a cold plate. Serve immediately with extra cream if desired.