Dessert Recipes - Vanilla Bavarois Recipe

Ingredients

• 25 ml/1 1/2 tbsp powdered gelatin

• 75 ml/5 tbsp water

• 6 egg yolks

• 75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• 600 ml/2 1/2 cups milk

• 5 ml/1 tsp vanilla essence (extract)

• 300 ml/1 1/4 cups double (heavy) cream

• 15 ml/1 tbsp redcurrant jelly (clear conserve)

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Method:

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and leave to soften for 5 minutes. Stand the bowl in a pan of hot water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved completely.

2. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Warm the milk and stir into the eggs and sugar.

3. Add the vanilla. Stand the bowl over a pan of hot water and stir until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil.

4. Test by lifting the spoon out of the mixture and drawing a finger across the back of the spoon: if it leaves a clear line in the custard it is ready.

5. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the gelatin. Leave until cool and on the point of setting. Whip the cream until softly peaking.

6. Reserve 60 ml/4 tbsp for decoration and fold in the remainder with a metal spoon. Turn into a serving dish and chill until set.

7. Spread the reserved cream over and pipe lines of redcurrant jelly over the surface. Use a skewer or cocktail stick (toothpick) to draw across the lines one way, then the other, to form a feathered pattern.