Mint & licorice Bavarese

The Danes, as much as the Italians, are notoriously addicted to liquorice. The most famous Italian liquorice grows in Calabria, particularly in the Ionian coast, where the microclimate enhances the taste of liquorice.

This week we decided to prepare a liquorice Bavarese, adding a note of freshness through the use of mint leaves. The most daring could try using the Danish salty liquorice (if so, let us know! :-)).

bavarese rosa rossa — Mint & licorice bavarese

INGREDIENTS for 6-8 servings

For the licorice and mint custard

400 gr double cream
150 gr sugar
200 ml whole milk
10 gr leaf gelatin
4 egg yolks
10 mint leaves (for the mint custard)
10 gr liquorice powder (for the liquorice custard)
Mould ∼ 22cm

These ingredients will be used to prepare two custards (the liquorice and the mint custards), so they will be divided in two halves.

Prepare the liquorice custard with the first half:

soak the leaves gelatine in cold water until it’s soft.
Warm the milk in a pan on a very low heat, then blend into the licorice powder, and let it steep for few minutes.
In a pan whisk lightly the egg yolks with sugar.
Filter through a strainer the licorice milk and add it to the yolks mixture, continuing to whisk.
Cook the custard until a velvety consistency but do not boil. Whisk continuously.
Squeeze the gelatine, add to the hot custard and mix.
Allow to cool without the mixture hardening.
Whip the double cream and add to the cold mixture, mixing from the bottom up using a whisk.
Fill a large mould or single-serving moulds and put it in fridge.

After one hour prepare the mint custard with the other half of the ingredients:

wash and wipe up the mint leaves. Blend five leaves with sugar, until obtaining a mint icing sugar.
Let the other 5 leaves steep in warm milk.
Whisk the mint sugar with the egg yolks.
Filter the milk and add it to the yolk mixture.
Cook the custard but do not boil, whisking continuously.
Squeeze the gelatine and add it to the custard, mixing well.
Allow to cool without the mixture hardening.
Whip the double cream and add to the cold mixture, mixing from the bottom up using a whisk.
Pour the mixture into the mould (or single-serving moulds) already filled with the licorice bavarese. Put it again in the fridge until the bavarese has completely solidified.

When you serve it, take the mould out of the fridge and turn it upside down onto a plate. If it does not come out, tap gently or place for a few seconds in hot water.

You can decorate the bavarese with crystallized mint leaves or fresh flowers.