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| Ingredients | | Hazelnut Praline | | 1 cup sugar | | 1⁄3 cup water | | 1 cup hazelnuts, skin on | | Frozen Plum Parfait | | 300g plum flesh, coarsely chopped | | juice of 1 lemon | | 30ml orange liqueur, or cherry or plum brandy | | 5 egg yolks | | 100g sugar | | 300ml cream, softly whipped | | Plum Sauce | | 300g ripe plums, washed, halved and stones removed | | 120g sugar | | piece of orange peel | | 1 stick cinnamon |
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| Frozen Plum Parfait, Hazelnut Praline & Plum Sauce |
| 22 / 02 / 10 Celia Harvey |
| Photography by Kieran Scott |
You need to start this recipe a day ahead and it’s best eaten within a day or two. You can use any fruit, but you may need to adjust the quantity of sugar according to the sweetness of the fruit.
When making praline you need to work quickly and carefully – caramel can spit and burn. |
Method |
Hazelnut Praline
Place a sheet of baking paper on a tray and spray with non-stick spray. Put the sugar in a heavy-based pan and add the water. Let it stand until the water has been absorbed. Place over medium heat and bring to the boil until it starts to turn golden. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon.
Return to the medium heat until the caramel softens again and starts to darken to a medium mahogany colour, which will happen rapidly. Do not stir at this stage or it will bubble and spit dangerously.
When it has darkened, carefully spread it quickly on the baking sheet. Leave to cool completely before handling. Slide the praline off the baking paper on to a clean surface. Crush with a rolling pin or chop with a very sharp knife. I find it too hard for the average kitchen processor. Makes 2 cups.
Frozen Plum Parfait
Line a loaf tin with plastic wrap so it overlaps the sides to make it easy to remove the parfait (or you can use lined individual moulds).
In a food processer blend the fruit, lemon juice and liqueur until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a bowl. You need 250ml of purée.
Whisk the yolks and sugar in a large metal bowl over a simmering pan of water until very thick and creamy. When it is thick and forms ribbons, take it off the heat and fold in the fruit purée then the whipped cream.
Gently stir in 1 cup of the coarsely chopped praline. Pour into the tin or moulds immediately and freeze overnight.
Plum Sauce
Place the plums in a saucepan with the sugar, peel and cinnamon.
Add enough water to just cover the fruit. Place on a low heat and simmer until the plums break down and turn to pulp. Discard the cinnamon stick and the peel.
Strain through a sieve then return the liquid to the heat and boil to reduce the sauce down until thick. Cool completely before serving over the parfait. 
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| To Serve |
Carefully lift the parfait out on to a tray or board and slice with a warmed knife. Place a slice on each serving plate and spoon a generous amount of sauce over. Sprinkle liberally with crushed praline. Serve immediately.
Serves 6-8. | |
