“This dessert is perfect for the festive time of year when we will all be over indulging ourselves for weeks, its rich with the custard but the plum and whiskey really balance it out leaving you feeling satisfied not fit to burst. It can all be prepared in advance apart from the sabayon which should be cooked just before serving”,Ross Stovold
Serves 4
Ingredients
7 large duck eggs
1 pint of double cream
250g golden castor sugar
12 plums
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
Black pepper
5g red wine vinegar
50g butter
40g icing sugar
50g plain flour
40g egg whites
50g currants
3 chicken wggs
80g water
35g white castor sugar
Salt
400ml whisky of your choice
Method
Custard
Separate 6 of the Duck Eggs and mix with the whole egg and 150g of the Castor Sugar until all are combined. You don’t need to whip this mixture. Meanwhile gently bring the cream to the boil. Slowly pour the boiled cream over the egg and sugar mix while continuously whisking. Pour into a clean pan and cook on a medium heat until the mixture reaches 82 degrees celcius. Immediately pour through a fine sieve taking care not to force through any lumps. Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes first before setting the custard in your glasses in the fridge. This stops a sudden change in temperature creating condensation inside the glasses and on the surface of the custard.
Spiced Plum compote
Cut the plums in half and remove the stone. Now cut into quarters and remove the skin, chop each quarter into 4. Place the plums, 100g golden castor sugar, cinnamon, star anise, red wine vinegar and 3 good turns of black pepper from a mill in a pan and cook until all the liquid has evaporated leaving a thick compote.
Garibaldi
Melt the 50g of butter and mix with the flour and icing sugar until smooth. Add the currants and fold in 40g egg whites, chill for 1 hour. Roll the mix out to 5mm thickness between two sheets of baking paper and chill for another 30 minutes. Prick with a fork and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes, cut the biscuit while it’s still warm.
Sabayon
Reduce the whiskey to 150ml. we use a 10 year old Talisker from the Isle of Skye for its peat and smokey flavours. Melt the white castor sugar and water together and chill. In a metal bowl combine 2 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, the sugar and water mixture and a pinch of salt. Whisk this over a pan of simmering water being careful to make sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the bowl as this will overcook the eggs. You need to whisk this mixture until it forms soft peaks then add the reduced whiskey. Whilst whisking every couple of minutes touch the bottom of the bowl to make sure it’s not getting too hot. If it’s too hot for your hand then it’s getting too hot for the eggs, continue to whisk off the heat for a few moments and then return to the simmering water.
To assemble
Remove the custard from the fridge half an hour before serving, add the warm compote and finish with the sabayon. The garibaldi is best served warm.