'Aulis' – fig leaf parfait
Learn how to make this delicious fig leaf parfait, an iconic dessert from restaurant Aulis in London. The dish is served with flavours of apple, pear, gooseberry and elderflower and is a simple recipe with elegant results. Elderflower season is between May and June in the UK; try making your own cordial using our guide here.
Ingredients
Parfait
- 250g of double cream
- 25g of fig leaves , dried
- 125g of sugar
- 50g of water
- 4 1/2 egg yolks
Gooseberry and elderflower juice
- 500g of gooseberries
- 50g of sugar
- 1 dash of elderflower cordial
Apple and pear compote
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 2 Williams pears
- 1 dash of moscatel vinegar
- 1 pinch of salt
Equipment
- Parfait moulds
- Thermometer
- Food mixer
- Sous vide equipment
Method
Begin the day before by pouring the cream into a saucepan and stir in the dried fig leaves. Gently bring to the boil, then take off the heat and leave to cool. Cover and place in the fridge to infuse overnight
- 250g of double cream
- 25g of fig leaves , dried
The next day, place the yolks in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk until light and fluffy. Heat the water and sugar in a pan until the mixture reaches 121ºC, then slowly drizzle it into the egg yolks (with the motor still running) and continue whisking until completely cooled
- 4 1/2 egg yolks
- 50g of water
- 125g of sugar
Once cool, strain the infused cream through a fine sieve into the egg mixture, stir to combine, then pour into moulds and freeze. At Aulis Charlie uses bespoke moulds which bear the restaurant's name, but you can use any small silicone moulds you like
To prepare the gooseberry and elderflower juice, place the gooseberries in a sous vide bag with the sugar and cook in a water bath at 90ºC for 1 hour. Alternatively, cook the berries and sugar in a pan over a low heat at a bare simmer for the same amount of time, stirring regularly
- 500g of gooseberries
- 50g of sugar
After this time, strain the juice into a bowl, then add a dash of elderflower cordial to sweeten it slightly (taste it to ensure you're happy with the sweetness, adding more if it's still too tart)
- 1 dash of elderflower cordial
To make the compote, peel, core and dice the apple and pears into small 5-8mm cubes. Mix together in a bowl and season with a pinch of salt and a dash of moscatel vinegar
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 2 Williams pears
- 1 dash of moscatel vinegar
- 1 pinch of salt
To plate, place a neat pile of the compote in the bottom of a bowl and top with the parfait. Pour a little of the juice around the edge and serve
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'Aulis' – fig leaf parfait
