Pistachio Blancmanges Recipes

SALTED PISTACHIO MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the sugar so it's a perfectly even thickness on the paper right to the edge of the sugar, leaving a border on the paper so the sugar doesn't spill onto the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown lightly. Watch carefully! Lower the oven to 250˚ F.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Just before the sugar is ready, whisk the egg whites on high speed for 1 minute, until frothy. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. (I use a large spoon at first, then pick up the paper and pour the sugar in slowly.) Add the vanilla and continue to whisk on high for 10 minutes, until the egg whites are room temperature. (The bowl may still be warm.) The meringue will be very thick and glossy.
• Using two large serving spoons, scoop 6 very large, messy oval dollops of meringue onto each of two sheet pans lined with parchment paper, spacing them out because they will expand while they bake. Sprinkle the pistachios on top and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (make sure your oven isn't above 250˚ F!), until the outsides of the meringues are crisp but not browned and the centers are still soft. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool.

PISTACHIO CREAM CHEESE FINGERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, dry pudding mix, baking powder, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Cover dough, and refrigerate for at least one hour for easier handling.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into finger shapes, about 1 1/2 inches long. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 9 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set and very lightly browned on bottoms. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• In small saucepan over low heat, melt together chocolate and shortening, stirring constantly until smooth and well blended. Drizzle a small amount of chocolate over each cookie. Allow the chocolate to set before storing.

BLANCMANGE

Steps:

• Mix the cornstarch, sugar, and salt with 1/4 cup of cold milk.
• In a small pot, heat the remaining milk over low heat (Do not boil!).
• While whisking, slowly add the cold milk mixture to the heated milk, stirring constantly, in a heavy bottomed pan or a double boiler.
• Continue to cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 15 minutes until the raw taste of the cornstarch disappears and it thickens. (Do not boil!). It will thicken all at once at the end of the cooking time.
• Let cool, then add the vanilla.
• Cover and chill.
• For Chocolate Blancmange, when you heat the milk, add 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate and stir until smooth.
• Can pour into decorative 1/4-1/2 cup dishes.

BLANCMANGE

Steps:

• Oil a 1.2-1.5 litre jelly mould, then set aside. Soak the gelatine in cold water following pack instructions. Mix together the cornflour with 6 tbsp of the milk and pour into a saucepan. Add the remaining milk, lemon peel and sugar, then bring to a boil. Lower to a medium-low heat and whisk continuously until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (around 8-10 mins).
• Squeeze any excess water out of the gelatine, then stir into the warm milk mixture to dissolve. Set aside to cool down for 5 mins. Discard the lemon peel, pour the mixture into the prepared jelly mould and put in the fridge to set overnight.
• When ready to serve, bring a kettle of water to the boil and pour into a large heatproof bowl. Dip the mould in the water, holding it there for 1 min. Turn the blancmange out onto a serving plate, and top with a handful of fresh berries, if you like.

PISTACHIO BLANCMANGES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F. Oil molds and line bottom of each with an oval of wax paper.
• Spread pistachios on a baking sheet and toast until nuts are fragrant but not colored, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Rub off and discard any skins.
• Blend nuts with milk in a blender or food processor 2 minutes. Rinse kitchen towel under cold water and wring out as much water as possible. Line a large sieve with towel, then set sieve over a bowl or large glass measure and pour pistachio mixture into towel. Wrap towel up and around mixture and, working over sieve, squeeze pistachio milk (about 1 cup) from towel into bowl, discarding ground pistachios. Stir in almond extract and a pinch of salt.
• Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a very small bowl or a cup and let stand 1 minute.
• Heat pistachio milk and sugar in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add gelatin mixture and cook, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved. Transfer to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring constantly, just until mixture is the consistency of raw egg white. Remove bowl from ice water.
• Beat cream in another bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks, then whisk one fourth of cream into pistachio mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly and spoon mixture into molds. Chill blancmanges, covered with plastic wrap, until set, at least 6 hours.
• Working with 1 blancmange at a time, run tip of a thin knife between each custard and metal mold. Tilt mold sideways and tap side of mold against a work surface, turning it, to evenly break seal and loosen custard. Keeping mold tilted, invert a dessert plate over mold, then invert blancmange onto plate.

SALTED PISTACHIO MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the sugar so it's a perfectly even thickness on the paper right to the edge of the sugar, leaving a border on the paper so the sugar doesn't spill onto the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown lightly. Watch carefully! Lower the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Just before the sugar is ready, whisk the egg whites on high speed for one minute, until frothy. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. (I use a large spoon at first, then pick up the paper and pour the sugar in slowly.) Add the vanilla and continue to whisk on high for 10 minutes, until the egg whites are room temperature. (The bowl may still be warm.) The meringue will be very thick and glossy.
• Using two large serving spoons, scoop 6 very large, messy oval dollops of meringue onto each of two sheet pans lined with parchment paper, spacing them out because they will expand while they bake. Sprinkle the pistachios on top and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (make sure your oven isn't above 250 degrees!), until the outsides of the meringues are crisp but not browned and the centers are still soft. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and set aside to cool.

BRANDIED POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• Bring sugar, orange juice, water, zest, and vanilla bean to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add peaches, stem ends up. Cover pan and reduce heat, then poach peaches at a bare simmer 8 minutes. Turn peaches over and continue to poach, covered, until tender, 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Transfer peaches with a slotted spoon to a bowl or shallow dish to cool, reserving poaching liquid in saucepan. Lift out vanilla bean pod and scrape seeds into poaching liquid, then boil liquid until reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour syrup through a sieve into a small bowl or glass measure and cool. Stir in brandy (to taste).
• Peel peaches and serve whole with syrup.

BLANC MANGE (ENGLISH STYLE)

Steps:

• Place 1 cup of the milk into a saucepan. Add lemon peel and cinnamon sticks. Bring milk to a simmer over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar. Whisk remaining milk into the cornstarch mixture. When the milk in the pan begins to simmer, pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan in a thin steady stream. Whisk vigorously and increase heat just a bit to bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Allow the mixture to boil for about 20 seconds while continuing to whisk, then remove from heat. Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon sticks. Stir in the pinch of cinnamon and, if using, the vanilla.
• Pour into a dish or mold, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Garnish with shaved chocolate just before serving.