When the days turn balmy and Mother Nature kisses fruits with her sugared warmth, there is nothing better than the cold tang of buttermilk, sweet wine, and spice to while away the evenings.
Simple, delicate, and utterly divine.
Ingredients:
400g Fresh Apricots
170ml Muscat Wine
100ml Orange Juice
40g Golden Caster Sugar
4 Star Anise
3 Leaves Gelatine
200ml Buttermilk
300ml Double Cream
30g Golden Caster Sugar
2 Vanilla Beans, seeds scraped
Method:
1. Begin the day before you want to serve with the Apricots. Add the wine, orange juice, sugar & Star Anise to a pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the apricots, cover with a cartouche of damp baking paper and simmer 3-5 minutes or until just tender.
2. Remove the apricots with a slotted spoon, allow to cool a little then gently slip off the skins. Bring the syrup back to a boil and simmer until reduced by half.
3. Allow to cool then refrigerate with the apricots.
4. Soak the gelatine in a bowl of iced water. Stir together the buttermilk, cream, vanilla, and sugar and add to a small pan. Gently heat untl steaming and remove from the heat.
5. Cool for 1 minute, squeeze out the gelatine and stir into the cream mixture. Once dissolved pour into 4 dariole moulds and chill overnight.
6. The next day, chop the apricots into halves and quarters, dip the moulds in boiled water for 5-10 seconds then invert onto 4 serving plates.
7. Top with the apricots and a little of their syrup and serve, glass of Muscat in hand.
