Bavarian Cream with Raspberry Sauce

This is a good basic Bavarian Cream recipe; just change the flavorings and accompanying sauce. It’s not a hard recipe, but it requires a few different bowls and pots — read it carefully in advance so you’ll have everything you need at hand.

Ingredients #

Instructions #

Make the Sauce: #

In a food processor or blender, puree the raspberries with reserved juices and lemon juice. Add confectioner’s sugar a spoonful at a time until the sauce is sweetned to your taste. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids.

A tablespoon of Framboise or Kirch is a lovely addition.

Make the Bavarian Cream: #

Chill a mixing bowl for whipping cream.

In a heatproof bowl, soften the gelatin in 1/3 cup cool water for 5 minutes. Set the bowl in a small saucepan of simmering water and stir the gelatin until completely melted. Remove and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk until very hot (but not boiling!)

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until they are very pale and hold a ribbon. Whisking constantly, add the hot milk in a thin stream. Return the mixture to the sauce pan, add the gelatine, and stir constantly over medium-low heat until it thickens slightly — do not allow to come near boiling!

Pour the mixture through a sieve into a metal or glass bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water. Stir constantly until cool and thickened, but not set. Add the liqueur or vanilla and mix in thoroughly. Remove from ice water and set aside.

In a stand mixer, whip the chilled cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk 1/4 of the whipped cream into the custard to lighten, and gently fold in the rest until no lumps or streaks remain.

Spoon the mixture into a lightly oiled 1 1/2 quart mold (or into individual glasses or ramekins, in which case no oil is needed). Rap the mold a few times on the counter top to bring air bubbles to the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Make the raspberry sauce (see recipe below).

Just before serving, run a thin knife around the edge of the mold and dip the mold carefully into hot water for 4 seconds. Invert the serving platter over the mold, then invert the mold and plate. If the Bavarian does not release, dip it in hot water again. Sometimes it takes a few tries, but as long as you’ve chilled the mold long enough, this recipe will unmold pretty dependably.

Pour the raspberry sauce around the unmolded Bavarian and serve.