Coconut Bavarian with basil seeds and citrus sorbet:
Bavarian
1c cream
¼ c dried unsweetened coconut
1 ¼ c coconut milk
1 ½ T sugar
1 sheet bronze gelatin, soaked in cold water
salt
In a non-reactive saucepan over medium low heat, lightly toast the coconut, and add the cream, heating to a scald. Turn off heat, cover pot tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to steep for at least one hour. If you can keep it on the pilot, this will speed things up.
When the coconut flavor is nice and strong, heat again, and strain through a fine meshed strainer, pressing hard to extract all of the coconut cream. Chill thoroughly.
In another pot, heat the coconut milk with the sugar until warm to the touch. Remove from heat, squeeze out the gelatin leaf, and drop it into the coconut milk. Stir to dissolve, then strain into a small bowl. Cool over an ice-bath, stirring occasionally. Season with salt. It needs quite a few pinches to really bring out the coconut in the dessert
When the cream is very cold, and the coconut jello has thickened, whip the cream to soft peaks in a chilled mixing bowl, and then fold the jello into the cream in two or three additions. Gently scoop or pour into dessert glasses and chill for at least 5 hours.
Basil seeds
Soak about a tablespoon or so in cold water, until they swell up like tapioca pearls. Flavor with strong ginger beer or a little ginger syrup
Sorbet
Citrus juice
Sugar
Water
Salt
Make a sugar syrup with either water, or a small amount of fresh citrus juice (for strong fruits like lemon and lime, use water. For tangerines and blood oranges, use the juice) Add syrup and pinches of salt to juice until it tastes the way you like. Check the solution by placing a whole, uncracked egg in the solution. If it floats the size of a dime, to a quarter, proceed with spinning. If it doesn't float, add more syrup. If it's larger than a quarter, add more juice, then spin
When the Bavarian is set, spoon the seeds in a thin layer over the surface, then put a scoop of sorbet in the center.
About Michelle Polzine:
She is the pastry chef at Range restaurant in San Francisco. Often hungry, usually eating, and always thinking about food, Michelle's sweet tooth is directly connected to her brain. Her self-described "granny desserts" leave no detail to chance.With her brand of under-the-hood experimentation, deliciousness is always key number one factor. A third generation baker on her stepfather's side, a cookbook-of-the-month club was her cooking school. Michelle also likes old bikes, old movies, and old clothes.
About Jan NewBerry:
She is the Food and Wine Editor for San Francisco Magazine for the past eight years, Jan Newberry has covered every aspect of the Bay Area's vibrant restaurant industry. Under her direction, stories from the magazine have twice been nominated for the prestigious James Bear Award, winning in 2001 in the feature category. A graduate of Peter Kump's new Your Cook School and a frequent guest on local television and radio programs, Newberry has written about food for more than 20 years. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Fine Cooking, Bon Appétit, and Self.
You can learn more about the dessert issue of San Francisco Magazine by visiting: www.sanfranmag.com
Range
842 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: 415-282-8283
Website: www.rangesf.com
