Mandarines en Surprise

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small sharp knife and grapefruit spoon
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •4 small ramekins for supporting the shells
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• •Instant-read or sugar thermometer
• •Sturdy rimmed sheet pan

Instructions

1. 1

   Shape the mandarin shells

   Choose the four mandarins with the soundest, tightest skins. Cut a neat lid from the stem end of each, about ½ inch (1.5 cm) deep, and save the lids. Ease out the segments with a small spoon, working around the white center without piercing the peel. Juice the removed flesh with the two remaining mandarins, strain it without pressing bitter pulp through the sieve, and measure 1 cup (240 ml). Pat the four shells dry and stand them upright in ramekins. If one splits, use one of the extra fruits as its replacement; a torn shell is easier to replace now than to repair after filling.

   Leave the white inner lining intact. Scraping the shell paper-thin makes it fragile, and the meringue will hide the pith completely.
2. 2

   Bloom the gelatin

   Put the cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over its surface. Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes, until every grain has swollen and the mixture resembles a firm sponge. Blooming first prevents stubborn beads of gelatin from wandering through the finished jelly.

3. 3

   Make the tangerine jelly

   Warm ½ cup (120 ml) of the mandarin juice with the jelly sugar over low heat, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Remove the pan before the juice boils, add the bloomed gelatin, and stir until completely clear. Mix in the remaining mandarin juice and lemon juice, then strain the jelly into a small jug. If gelatin threads remain, return the mixture to the lowest heat just until they disappear. Don't boil it; prolonged heat weakens gelatin and steals the fruit's fresh perfume.

4. 4

   Fill and set

   Divide the jelly among the four shells, stopping about ⅛ inch (3 mm) below each rim. Refrigerate the filled shells upright for at least 4 hours, with their lids beside them, until the jelly is cold and decisively firm. Tilt one gently before continuing: the center must not shift. If it still trembles loosely, give it another hour in the cold. The hard set is not decorative fuss; it is what lets the surprise survive the broiler.

5. 5

   Whip the meringue italienne

   Heat the broiler to its highest setting and place a rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below it. Put the meringue sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan, warm until clear, then boil without stirring. When the syrup reaches 230°F (110°C), begin beating the egg whites to soft peaks. At 244°F (118°C), remove the syrup from the heat and pour it in a thin stream down the inside of the bowl while beating continuously, never onto the moving whisk. Continue whisking until the meringue is thick, glossy, and barely warm, about 5 to 7 minutes. If the syrup crystallizes in the pan, add 1 tablespoon of water and dissolve it again over low heat before returning to the boil. Ça se rattrape.

   With a hand mixer, beat the whites to soft peaks before cooking the syrup and anchor the mixing bowl on a damp towel. The whites can wait a few minutes; hot syrup cannot.
6. 6

   Mask the cold fruit

   Set the lids back on the firm jelly and dry every trace of condensation from the peels. Place each fruit on a compact ring of crumpled foil set on a sturdy sheet pan. Spread on a thin key coat of meringue, then add a second coat about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, covering the lid and every visible part of the peel while leaving the base bare. Make broad ridges with the back of a spoon. If the meringue slides, wipe that patch clean, dry the peel again, and rebuild it with the thin first coat.

7. 7

   Colour under the broiler

   Put the tray directly beneath the fully heated broiler and watch without looking away. Colour the meringue for 20 to 45 seconds, rotating the tray once only if needed, until the high ridges are deep gold and the hollows remain ivory. Pull the tray at once. If the broiler has cool patches, brown the fruits one at a time beneath its hottest point rather than prolonging the heat for all four; the colour must arrive before the jelly begins to soften.

8. 8

   Serve the surprise

   Let the mandarins stand for 1 minute, just long enough for the surface to settle, then transfer them to chilled dessert plates. Bring them whole to the table so each guest breaks through the bronzed meringue and natural peel to find the clear orange jelly inside. Serve at once. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose mandarins with close-fitting skins and enough size to hold a proper spoonful of jelly. Loose-skinned satsumas are lovely for eating but collapse when hollowed; tight-skinned tangerines do the work more neatly.
• •This jelly is intentionally firmer than one served in a glass. It has to support a lid, accept a meringue mask, and face fierce heat for a few seconds. A tender wobble is charming elsewhere and troublesome here.
• •Meringue italienne is the right family member because hot syrup stabilizes the whites. A simple uncooked meringue can slump from the damp fruit before it colours.
• •The broiler is the honest home equivalent of the salamander. A kitchen torch can finish a stubborn pale patch, but keep it moving; scattered black spots lose the broad bronze finish the dish wants.
• •For guests who need extra protection from undercooked egg, use pasteurized egg whites. The syrup technique and quantities remain unchanged.

Advance Preparation

• •The shells can be hollowed, filled, and chilled up to 24 hours ahead. Keep them upright and covered once the jelly surface is firm; store the lids beside them.
• •Measure the meringue ingredients and arrange the broiler rack before dinner. Make and apply the meringue only when the jelly is fully set and serving time is close.
• •Once masked and browned, the mandarins should be served immediately. Refrigeration after browning encourages condensation and softens the handsome bronze surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)