Best Vacherin With Chamomile Poached Nectarines Recipes

VACHERIN WITH CHAMOMILE-POACHED NECTARINES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Trace a 9-inch circle onto 2 pieces of parchment paper with a pencil. Turn paper over, and place each circle on a baking sheet; set aside.
• Put egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed until frothy. Beat in sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. Gradually raise speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.
• Spread the meringue evenly onto the parchment-paper circles on baking sheets using an offset spatula. Bake until meringue is dry and crisp, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Meringue layers can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, up to 1 day.
• Spread half the creme fraiche filling over 1 meringue disk. Top with half of the poached nectarines. Place remaining meringue disk on top. Top with remaining filling and nectarines. Garnish with chamomile flowers, if desired.

POACHED NECTARINES IN CHAMOMILE GLACE

Steps:

• In a medium stockpot, combine the tea bags, sugar, and vanilla with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add the nectarines and cook for 2 minutes, or until the skins are slightly loosened. Using a slotted spoon, remove the nectarines to a bowl.
• Using a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife, peel each nectarine, allowing the juices to collect in the bowl. Return the nectarines and collected juices to the poaching liquid and cook for 10 minutes more.
• Transfer the fruit to a plate. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tea bags and vanilla bean and discard. Raise the heat to high and cook the poaching liquid until it is reduced to a thick syrup, about 15 minutes.
• Place the nectarines in individual serving dishes and drizzle the glace over each.

VACHERINS

Steps:

• Beat the whites until foamy then add the sugar and continue whipping until stiff and glossy, about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and whip very briefly just to incorporate. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a small (1/4-inch) plain tip and pipe onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Make a small round flat base 1/2-inch in diameter, then pipe a ring of meringue at the edge of the base and spiral up to make it two rows high. Continue making vacherins in rows on the sheet pan. Dry them out on the top of an oven that has been on, or preheat the oven to 300 degrees, then turn it off and place the vacherin meringues in it 5 minutes later. Leave them over night to dry out until crisp. Using a pastry bag, pipe whipped cream in the center and top each one with a raspberry.

CREME FRAICHE FILLING FOR VACHERIN

Steps:

• Put cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold in creme fraiche and sugar using a large spatula. Refrigerate filling at least 1 hour or up to 5 hours.

VACHERIN

Steps:

• The Meringue Discs: Separate the whites from the yolks of egg, sift the flour, sift the chocolate powder. Heat the oven to 225 degrees F. Grease and dust a cookie sheet with flour. Place a plain nozzle in a piping bag.
• Make the meringues by whisking in a large bowl the whites of eggs until very stiff. Beat in the salt and water, and gradually start beating in the sugar little by little (if this is done too quickly the whites will lose their bulk and turn almost liquid). Fold in the last tablespoon of sugar. The mixture should now have a good gloss and be very "peaky". Now place the glistening white meringue mixture into the forcing bag and pipe it into two 9-inch circles (being the same diameter as the cake) on the cookie sheet and dust with the chocolate powder. The remaining mixture can then be piped into small animal shapes as decoration.
• Place the meringue mixture immediately into the preheated oven (225 degrees F.) on the middle shelf and bake for 2 1/2 hours. When ready the discs and animals should lift easily from the baking sheet and have a hollow sound when gently tapped, these can be cooled on a wire rack until required. They can also be stored in an airtight tin for several days, should you want to prepare this dessert ahead of time.
• Cream Filling: Whip the cream until stiff and divide the cream into 2 bowls.
• The almonds can be placed on a cookie sheet and broiled until golden brown and cooled. The sponge cake can now be split in 2 and the base lightly soaked with rum.
• Assembly: Place the base of the cake on a plate. Spread a little chestnut puree over this and then a good wallop of fresh cream from one bowl.
• Pop the second layer of sponge cake on top and sprinkle with rum.
• To the cream in the first bowl, add more of the chestnut puree and beat in very thoroughly. Blend together with rum. Scoop this on top of the cake.
• Take one layer of the baked cooled meringue and place this on top.
• From the second bowl, take the puree, whipped cream and spread a thick layer of this gently on top of the meringue disc.
• Lower the second round of meringue on top. To the remainder of cream, add the last of the chestnut puree and spread this over the sides of the vacherin and a thin layer over the top, using a palette knife.
• Gently press the flaked almonds over the sides. Decorate the top with meringue animals and dust with the chocolate powder.

WARM VACHERIN

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and position a rack 8 to 9 inches below the heat.
• If the Vacherin box is stapled together, simply place it on a sheet pan. If the box is glued together, wrap a piece of aluminum foil tightly around the bottom and sides (not the top) before placing it on a sheet pan. (Yes, you will be broiling the cheese in the box.) With a small sharp knife, remove and discard the top rind of the cheese. Pour the white wine over the cheese.
• Broil the cheese for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully so the box doesn't catch on fire. Remove from the oven, sprinkle generously with fleur de sel and pepper, and serve immediately with toasted breads and cornichons. I put a small spoon in the cheese for people to help themselves.