Ananas à la Virginie

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Long serrated knife and small paring knife
• •Sturdy tablespoon or melon baller
• •1-quart (1-liter) saucepan
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •2-quart (2-liter) mixing bowl and larger bowl for an ice bath
• •Electric hand mixer or balloon whisk
• •Deep 4-cup (1-liter) bowl to support the pineapple shell

Instructions

1. 1

   Hollow the pineapple

   Cut through the pineapple about 1 inch below the leaves, keeping the crown intact as a lid. Stand the fruit in a folded towel, run a small knife around the inside about ½ inch from the skin, and cut the flesh into sections without piercing the shell. Lift out the sections with a sturdy spoon, remove the hard core, and cut the best flesh into neat ⅓-inch dice. Measure 1⅓ cups (about 225 g) for the filling. Turn the shell upside down for ten minutes to drain, blot the cavity dry, then refrigerate it upright with its crown.

   Leave a firm wall of flesh beneath the skin. A shell scraped paper-thin leaks, slumps, and gives the Bavarois nowhere steady to set.
2. 2

   Tame the fresh fruit

   Put 1 tablespoon (about 12 g) of the sugar and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the water in a small saucepan. Bring them to a bubbling syrup, add the measured pineapple dice, and hold the fruit at a full simmer for two minutes, turning it gently. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that weakens gelatin; this brief poach neutralizes it without cooking away the fruit's character. Lift the dice onto a cold plate with a slotted spoon, spread them in one layer, and reserve the syrup. Chill the dice until completely cold.

3. 3

   Build the strawberry base

   Sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water and leave it for five minutes, until every grain has swollen. Purée the strawberries with the lemon juice, then press the purée through a fine sieve. Warm one-third of it with the remaining sugar and the reserved pineapple syrup, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin, then add the remaining strawberry purée. If you see gelatin threads, return the pan to the lowest heat and stir until smooth. Don't boil it. Ça se rattrape.

   Straining is not ceremony. It removes seeds and gives the Bavarois the fine, continuous texture that distinguishes it from whipped cream with fruit stirred through.
4. 4

   Fold the Bavarois

   Set the strawberry base over a bowl of ice and stir until it feels cool and begins to coat the spatula lightly. Whip the cold cream to soft peaks that bend over rather than stand stiff. Fold one-third of the cream into the strawberry base to loosen it, then fold in the remainder with broad strokes until no white streaks remain. If the strawberry base is still warm, stop and cool it before adding the cream or the Bavarois will lose its volume. If it sets too firmly first, hold the bowl over warm water for a few seconds and stir just until it flows again.

5. 5

   Wait for the texture

   Chill the Bavarois for 8 to 15 minutes, checking every few minutes, until a spoonful dropped on the surface leaves a soft mound before slowly settling. Fold in the cold, well-drained pineapple dice once, working gently. This timing is the dish. If the dice fall straight to the bottom, scrape everything back into the bowl, chill for another five minutes, fold once more, and refill the shell. Ça se rattrape.

6. 6

   Fill and chill

   Stand the pineapple shell in a deep bowl that supports it without squeezing. Spoon in the Bavarois, bringing a little of the golden dice to each level rather than packing them down. Mound the top softly if needed. If the shell is full, set any remaining mixture in a small chilled glass rather than forcing it in. Cover the cut surface without pressing on the cream and refrigerate for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Chill the crown separately so its weight cannot mark the unset surface.

7. 7

   Spoon and serve

   Set the crown lightly askew on the firm Bavarois and bring the whole pineapple to the table on a chilled platter. Lift the crown, then use a long spoon to serve down through the pink cream and yellow dice so every portion receives both. Let each serving stand for five minutes before eating, just long enough for the strawberry to open while the Bavarois remains cold and softly set. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose a pineapple that stands squarely, smells sweet at the base, and gives only slightly beneath a thumb. A leaning fruit becomes an engineering project once filled, and cooking well is not cooking fancy.
• •Out of strawberry season, use unsweetened frozen berries picked ripe. Thaw them in a sieve and weigh 150 g after draining; the Bavarois will be a little darker, but its flavor will be far better than that of pale fresh berries.
• •Do not fold raw pineapple into a gelatin Bavarois, even if you're serving it the same evening. The cream may appear set at first and then soften around the fruit as it waits. Two minutes at a full simmer prevents the disappointment.
• •The shell cannot hold every scrap of removed pineapple once strawberry Bavarois is added. Measure the 225 g needed to preserve the balance and keep the remaining flesh for breakfast or a fruit compote.
• •For a celebration, pour a demi-sec Champagne or another gently sweet French sparkling wine. A dry bottle tastes severe beside ripe pineapple and strawberry.

Advance Preparation

• •The filled pineapple is best made the evening before serving. Keep it covered and refrigerated, then add the crown only when it goes to the table.
• •The shell can be hollowed and the pineapple dice poached up to four hours before making the Bavarois. Chill the shell, dice, and crown separately and blot away any collected juice before filling.
• •Serve within twenty-four hours of filling. The shell continues to release juice as it stands, and freezing damages both the fresh fruit and the softly set cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 310g)