Recipe by Valeria Piccini: Strawberry, artichoke, and white chocolate lard
For the babà dough (a small baking pan measuring 20 x 30 cm)
- 200 g Manitoba flour
- 15 g sugar
- 5 g brewer's yeast
- 240 g eggs
- 80 g butter
- 4 g salt
- Vanilla
- Orange zest
Method
Knead the ingredients and leave to rise for about 1 hour. Roll out in the baking tray and wait for the dough to double in size. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes. Leave to cool.
For the baba syrup
- 100 g water
- 35 g sugar
- 8 g honey
- 2 whole lemons
- 20 g vodka
- Mix the ingredients together and heat gently.
For the strawberry aspic
- Strawberries, as needed
- White wine vinegar, as needed
Procedure
Vacuum seal the strawberries without the stems with white wine vinegar for at least 2 days. Strain.
For the strawberry sauce
- Strawberries of your choice
- 10% sugar of the total weight of the fruit
Procedure
Leave to marinate for a few hours, blend and strain. Add the strawberry aspic.
For the crouton sauce
- Strawberries to taste
Procedure
Blend the strawberries with 10% sugar, strain and thicken if necessary.
For the artichokes
- 3-4 artichokes
Procedure
Clean the artichokes by removing the tough outer leaves, cut in half, hollow out with 40 g of white vinegar and steam at 120°C for 15 minutes.
For the artichoke reduction
- Tough leaves from the artichokes already used
- Glucose
Procedure
Wash and place the tough leaves in a pot with plenty of water, boil for a long time. Strain, reduce and add a little glucose.
For the white chocolate lard
- 30 g glucose
- 30 g dextrose
- 35 g water
- 450 g cream
- 270 g white chocolate
Procedure
Boil the water with the glucose and dextrose, then add the cream. Bring to the boil again and add 270 g of white chocolate. Pour into a tray lined with paper on the bottom and top and leave to rest for at least 3 hours. Then sprinkle with chopped spices and coarse salt, as if it were real lard.
Dish composition
Slice the babà dough and cut into 4 x 12 cm rectangles. Toast in a small pan with a little sugar and caramelize.
Brush with the syrup and alternate fresh strawberries, some sautéed strawberries, artichokes, some of the strawberry sauce, and slices of chocolate lard on the croutons; drizzle with the artichoke reduction. Arrange more strawberry sauce on the plate.
Photo: credits Lido Vannucchi
