Tivoli aux Fraises

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.2-liter metal tube or ring mould
• •Large bowl and crushed ice
• •Small saucepan
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Shallow dish for setting the garnish jelly
• •Electric mixer or balloon whisk
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the clear jelly

   Pour 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the measured jelly water into a bowl and sprinkle the 18 g gelatin evenly over it. Leave it for 5 minutes to bloom. Warm the remaining water with the 135 g sugar in a small saucepan, stirring gently until completely clear, then remove it from the heat and dissolve the bloomed gelatin in it without whisking. Stir in the strained lemon juice, let the mixture cool below 35°C (95°F), and add the kirsch. Skim away any bubbles and pass the jelly through a fine sieve. Boiling after the gelatin or kirsch goes in weakens the set and drives away the perfume, so keep the heat gentle.

   Stir instead of whisking. Air bubbles become flaws in a clear coating, and clarity is part of the dish rather than decoration.
2. 2

   Clothe the mould

   Measure about 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) of jelly into a jug and pour the remainder into a shallow dish to set for the chopped garnish. Set the clean, dry tube mould in a large bowl of crushed ice. Chill the measured jelly until it thickens to the consistency of raw egg white, then chemiser le moule, clothe the mould, with the rocking motion from Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916): pour in one-third of the jelly and turn, tilt, and rock the mould continuously so the jelly travels over the base, sides, and central tube. Drain the excess back into the jug, let the coat firm on the ice, and repeat twice to build a clear layer about 3 mm thick. If the jelly runs straight to the bottom, it is too warm; chill it further. If it sets in lumps, warm the jug briefly over warm water and strain it again. Ça se rattrape.

   Three thin coats give a clearer, stronger shell than one heavy pour. Keep turning until each coat stops moving.
3. 3

   Build the strawberry base

   Sprinkle the 12 g gelatin over the 1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water and leave it for 5 minutes. Warm about one-third of the wild strawberry purée with the 125 g sugar just until the sugar dissolves, keeping the purée below a simmer so its fresh perfume remains. Remove it from the heat, stir in the bloomed gelatin until smooth, then add the remaining purée and lemon juice. Set the bowl over ice and stir until the mixture cools to about 20°C (68°F) and begins to coat the spoon. If gelatin starts setting in threads around the bowl, lift it from the ice and stir it briefly over warm water until smooth. Do not discard it.

4. 4

   Fold the Bavarois

   Whip the cold cream to soft peaks that bend at the tip. Fold one-third into the strawberry base to lighten it, then fold in the rest with broad strokes until the colour is even and no white pockets remain. The strawberry base must be cool and just beginning to thicken before the cream enters. If it is warm, it melts the whipped cream; if it is already firm, it leaves rubbery flecks. Chill or warm the base by a degree or two before folding, according to what the spoon tells you.

5. 5

   Fill and chill

   Check that the jelly lining is completely firm. Spoon the Bavarois into the mould in several additions, easing it against the coated sides and central tube so no empty pockets remain. Tap the mould once or twice against a folded towel, smooth the top, and cover it without touching the filling. Chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until the centre is fully set. If the jelly shell softens as you fill, stop and return the mould and Bavarois to the cold for 10 minutes before continuing.

6. 6

   Prepare the chopped jelly

   Once the reserved kirsch jelly is firm, cut it into irregular pieces about 5 to 8 mm across. Turn them gently with a cold spoon so they catch the light without becoming crushed or cloudy, then cover and refrigerate them separately until serving.

7. 7

   Turn out and serve

   Chill the serving platter. Dip the mould into warm water at about 40°C (105°F) for 5 to 8 seconds, keeping the water below the rim, then dry it and invert it firmly onto the platter. If the Tivoli does not release, wrap the mould for a few seconds with a towel dipped in warm water; a long second dip may melt the clear shell. Lift the mould straight up, surround the Tivoli generously with the chopped kirsch jelly, and serve at once while the edges remain precise. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Fraises des bois carry a musky perfume that ordinary large strawberries cannot quite imitate. Frozen unsweetened wild strawberry purée is the classical pantry's honest answer outside the season; thaw it in the cold and stir it before measuring.
• •A plain aluminum ring mould releases more reliably than silicone and chills quickly enough for the jelly to cling. The original ornamented mould is beautiful but not essential. Its relief is scaffolding; the clear jelly shell and central tube are the dish.
• •Gelatin strengths vary, so weigh it and use a product near 200 bloom. Sheets may replace powder gram for gram, soaked in cold water and squeezed well before dissolving.
• •Kirsch is added after the jelly cools, so its cherry aroma and alcohol remain perceptible. This is a celebration dessert for an adult table, not a sweet in which the spirit quietly cooks away.
• •Keep the Tivoli refrigerated and serve it within two days. Once unmoulded, the jelly slowly releases moisture, so turn it out shortly before it reaches the table.

Advance Preparation

• •The clear kirsch jelly can be made up to three days ahead, covered and refrigerated. Warm only the portion needed for clothing the mould until it becomes fluid again.
• •The filled Tivoli is best completed the day before serving and left to set overnight. Keep the chopped jelly covered in a separate cold container.
• •Unmould no more than 20 minutes before serving, then return the finished platter to the cold until the table is ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 205g)