What's the scoop?

Art Culinaire, Spring, 2005

2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 egg yolks
1 cup condensed milk

For the coconut fritters:

1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
1 ounce Mec3 coconut paste
1/2 tablespoon Malibu[R] Rum
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1/4 teaspoon salt
24 wonton wrappers
2 eggs, beaten
11 ounces unsweetened coconut flakes
Vegetable oil for frying, as needed

For the coconut water agar:

2 1/2 cups coconut juice
3/4 ounce agar powder
5 ounces granulated sugar

For the coconut soup:

1 3/4 cups coconut milk
6 ounces palm sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the coconut croquant:

1 1/2 ounces corn syrup
3 ounces fondant
1 ounce unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon Fleur de Sel
Zest of 1 lime

For the garnish:

4 ounces papaya, small dice
4 ounces pineapple, small dice
4 ounces kiwi, small dice
4 ounces mango, small dice

*This is made using a Pacojet; a type of machine that makes ice creams and sorbets to order. For more information, go to www.pacojet.com.

**A liquid invert sugar used often in sorbets. Available through The Chef's Warehouse at www.chefswarehouse.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Chocolate Box and Rose Petals (Serves 6)

PICHET ONG

Cabernet Franc Ice Wine

Innskillin

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada 2002

directions

For the rose ice cream: In a pot, reduce grenadine to a syrupy consistency. Add milk, condensed milk and cream and bring to a scald. In a bowl, whisk together yolks and salt. Temper yolk mixture by adding one-third of hot milk mixture to yolk mixture, while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered yolk mixture back into hot milk mixture and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, add rose petals and lemon juice and set in an ice water bath until chilled. Pour ingredients into a Pacojet beaker; freeze for 24 hours. Just before serving, make ice cream following Pacojet's instructions. If using a traditional ice cream machine, chill mixture in an ice water bath. Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Set aside in freezer.

For the rose sorbet: In a pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a scald. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Pour ingredients into Pacojet beaker. Cover and freeze for 24 hours. Just before serving, make sorbet following Pacojet's instructions. If using a traditional ice cream machine, chill mixture in an ice water bath. Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Set aside in freezer.

For the chocolate box: In a stainless steel bowl, melt 6 1/4 ounces chocolate over a double boiler, making sure that bottom of bowl does not touch water. Stir chocolate continuously until internal temperature reaches 113 degrees, about three minutes. Remove bowl from water bath and place on a towel. Add remaining chocolate, stirring constantly, letting mixture cool to approximately 88 degrees. Mixture should be smooth and glossy. Place bowl back on pot of hot water and stir until chocolate is fluid again and thermometer reads approximately 100 degrees. Remove from heat. Spoon two tablespoons of tempered chocolate into clean box, moving it around to coat completely. Turn box upside down and tap lightly on the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Set aside on cool surface and allow chocolate to harden, about two hours. If chocolate is properly tempered, chocolate box should pop right out of mold.