Bavarese

Here is the recipe to prepare a classic Bavarese, a creamy and refined spoon dessert. Typically, for Bavarese you would use ingredients such as cream, milk, sugar, egg yolks, and gelatin for the base, flavored then with vanilla, liqueurs, or other tastes depending on the variant. Here’s how it’s made:

Ingredients

• 500 ml of fresh cream
• 250 ml of whole milk
• 100 g of granulated sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod or the zest of a lemon
• 10 g of sheet gelatin (or equivalent in powdered gelatin)
• 30 ml of liqueur of choice (optional, for example: rum, maraschino)

Preparation

1. Start by soaking the sheet gelatin in cold water for about 10 minutes until it becomes soft.
2. Heat the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla pod slit lengthwise to release its seeds, or with the lemon zest, without bringing it to a boil.
3. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is light and frothy.
4. Remove the vanilla pod or lemon zest from the milk, then slowly pour it over the beaten yolks, continuing to stir.
5. Return the mixture to low heat, stirring constantly until it slightly thickens (be careful: it should not boil).
6. Squeeze the soaked gelatin and incorporate it into the still hot mixture, stirring until completely dissolved.
7. Let the obtained cream cool down.
8. In the meantime, whip the fresh cream until it is firm but still soft.
9. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mixture of eggs, milk, and gelatin, using a spatula and movements from the bottom up so as not to unsettle the mixture.
10. If you wish, add the chosen liqueur for flavoring.
11. Pour the Bavarese into a mold or individual portions and let it firm up in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours.
12. At serving time, briefly immerse the mold in hot water and unmold the Bavarese onto a serving plate.

Curiosity

Bavarese is a dessert that finds its origins in France in the 18th century and despite the name, does not have direct relations with Bavaria. It is a versatile preparation that can be personalized with different flavors and accompaniments, such as fresh fruit, coulis, or melted chocolate.