Elegant Sweet Trio

RECIPES | NOVEMBER 2017

Elegant Sweet Trio

RECIPE CONTRIBUTOR | HOMEIRAStyle

It is no secret that I prefer savory dishes over anything sugary and sweet. I would happily offer fruit and cheese to finish a meal, but most expect something sweet. So I share one of my secrets on how to present a very eleganty plated dessert that will make your guests assume that you not only have a professional chef in your kitchen but also a pastry chef!

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Sweet Endings, Dessert, Cheesecake, Ice Cream, Berries, Spun Sugar
About 8

INGREDIENTS

1 Cheese Cake, 10”-11” – Store Bought
1 Vanilla Ice Cream Carton, About 2 Cups – Store Bought
1 Chocolate Truffles – Store Bought
2C Granulated Sugar
8 Strawberries _ slide one at a time
1b Mint

TIPS

STORE BOUGHT ITEMS
This dessert is only as good as your store-bought cheese cake and ice cream!

SPUN SUGAR
There are different ways to make spun sugar decorations.
The dry method, which is sugar only or the wet method, where a small amount of water is added.
It is also important to have the caramel at the right temperature to drizzle properly,
not too hot and not too cold.

There are also different ways of creating the shapes with flat surface or curved surface.
I use a chilled stainless steel sheet, but you can drizzle your caramelized sugar onto parchment paper.

Get Creative with the shape of your spun or drizzled sugar.
Spinning sugar can get messy, so make sure to prepare your work area.
Remember when working with hot sugar, you should exercise extreme caution
since the hot sugar can produce terrible burns.

DIRECTIONS

PREP
Using cookie cutter, cut your cheese cake into cylinders, refrigerate until ready to use
Cut strawberries one at a time, into 5-6 slices.
Keep each strawberry together so you can fan them out when plating

SPUN SUGAR
Place your metal surface in the freezer for 30 minutes or line your counter with parchment paper
Using the dry caramel method, place a saucepan over low heat, add sugar to dissolve
Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves
Increase heat to medium and cook (don't stir) until the sugar reaches a very light amber color
(watch carefully, as this will happen very quickly)

Use a pastry brush to brush the sides of the pan with water to prevent crystallization
Remove caramel from heat immediately
Allow caramel to cool just until very, very thin wispy strands form when drizzled with a fork
Remove your metal surface from freezer, make sure it is dry
or make sure your parchment lined surface is ready

Dipping your fork into the caramelized sugar, drizzle over your prepared surface
to create the desired shape
Repeat until you have made 8 caramelized sugar decorations
If the caramelized sugar becomes too stiff, return to low heat to soften it up again

PLATING
Place one cheese cake portion on each plate
Garnish the top of the cheesecake with two truffles
Add a sprig of mint and one sliced strawberry fanned out
Place the spun sugar on top of cheese cake
Place one scoop of ice cream on each plate
Serve immediately

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