Blueberry pancakes, maple crème fraîche
MAKES 10
You will need
1 quantity Chouxmaca Buns
1 quantity Zumbaron Shells, coloured purple
1 punnet fresh blueberries
PANCAKE CRÈME
300 g (10½ oz) Pancakes
100 g (3½ oz) pure maple syrup
50 g (1¾ oz) milk
1 g (1/32 oz) salt
Cut the pancakes into 4 cm (1½ inch) pieces and put them into a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Blend until a smooth paste is achieved. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until needed.
BLUEBERRY GEL
300 g (10½ oz) Blueberry Purée
100 g (3½ oz) whole blueberries
40 g (1½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
8 g (¼ oz) pectin 325 NH 95
8 g (¼ oz) Citric Acid Solution
Put the blueberry purée and whole blueberries into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Put the caster sugar and pectin into a small bowl and mix them together. Heat the blueberry purée to 60°C (140°F). Add the sugar and pectin mixture and use a whisk to stir it through, then continue whisking constantly in slow motion until the mixture comes to a boil.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the citric acid solution. Pour into a container and cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the plastic is touching the surface. Set aside to cool. Once cool, put the mixture into a food processor and process to a paste.
VANILLA MAPLE CRUMBLE
100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter
100 g (3½ oz) pure maple syrup
30 g (1 oz) rolled oats
30 g (1 oz) fine desiccated coconut
45 g (1½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 g (1/16 oz) finely grated lemon zest
seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1 g (1/32 oz) ground cinnamon
Put the unsalted butter and maple syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a beater attachment and beat on medium speed until soft. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Wrap the crumble mixture in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours until firm.
Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F). Line a tray with baking paper. Remove the firmed mixture from the plastic wrap and, using the large-toothed side of a grater, grate the crumble mixture over the prepared tray. Bake for 14–15 minutes until golden, stirring the crumble every 5 minutes. Allow the crumble to cool on the tray, then store it in an airtight container.
VANILLA CRÈME FRAÎCHE CHANTILLY
250 g (9 oz) pure cream (35% fat)
250 g (9 oz) crème fraîche
seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
2 g (1/16 oz) lemon zest
Put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until firm peaks form.
TO ASSEMBLE
Place the prepared chouxmaca buns onto a clean baking tray and use a small knife to cut a 2 cm (¾ inch) diameter hole in the very top of the bun. Put the pancake crème in a piping (icing) bag (no nozzle is needed) and fill the bottom third of the bun with crème. Put the blueberry gel in another piping bag and fill the second third of the choux bun. Place some fresh blueberries on top of the gel and cover with a layer of pancake crème. Fill the remaining space in each choux bun with the vanilla maple crumble.
Put the vanilla crème fraîche chantilly in another piping bag with an 11 mm (7/16 inch) plain piping nozzle and pipe it on top of the choux bun in a spiral motion until it is roughly 4 cm (1½ inches) high. Lastly, place one zumbaron shell on top of each chouxmaca. Keep in the refrigerator until consumed. These are best eaten within 4–5 hours of filling.