A spooned dessert, served at the end of lunch, is an elegant and pleasing dessert.
From a simple cream you can obtain many creations, presented in cups or small bowls and decorated in different ways.
These desserts should be served cold, after having been left for a few hours in the refrigerator: they are enjoyable like this, in every moment of the year, from the hottest season to the winter months.
Because it is possible for everyone to make them, it is necessary that you be aware that there is a delicate balance of elements in the composition of these desserts: if this is not respected, even if they are well refrigerated, when it is time to be turned upside-down on the serving plate or on a saucer plate (such is the case for overturned creams like classic caramel crème or panna cotta, or Bavarian cream) the cream will “sit down” instead of standing in its form.
The elements that contribute solidity to this type of dessert are eggs and gelatin, at times also cream.
The use of gelatin is relatively easy: for example, to prepare a Bavarian cream, before using gelatin just let the rigid sheets soak thoroughly, then strain and add hot milk or cream to them in order to facilitate the dissolution.
You need to pay attention to the moment when the gelatin, the basis of the Bavarian cream, begins to “turn”, i.e. to start solidifying.
At this point, when its composition has more or less the same consistency as the cream, the two components need to be united; the whipped cream, together with the gelatin, gives these desserts their particular consistency.
But if the gelatin is not solidified at this point, it compromises its union with the cream.
If, on the other hand, it hardens too much, mixing it with cream becomes difficult (if this happens, however, it can be remedied by slightly warming the cream base.)
The period of refrigeration is also very important. Impatience or rushing can affect the outcome of the Bavarian cream that needs at least five/six hours of refrigeration.
The amount of gelatin used is always proportional to the quantity and type of ingredients used.
The following is the recipe for Bavarian crème.
Soak 10 g of gelatin: it is the first thing to do when beginning the preparation of the gelatin. The sheets of gelatin have to be soaked.
Begin the preparation of the cream by beating together in a bowl 3 egg yolks with 12 cup of sugar. The egg yolks must be worked with a whisk.
Heat 1 1/3 cups of milk with a vanilla bean, and then pour it on the eggs without filtering it, beating the mixture energetically with the whisk as you are pouring.
Put the cream on the stove and add the dissolved gelatin.
Stir with a spook to prevent the cream from sticking to the pot.
Heat until the gelatin is dissolved
Put the cream back into the bowl, after having passed it through a sieve and let it cool by placing it in another bowl with ice cubes, until it starts to “pull” or thicken.
The variations are very numerous for this recipe: simply combine the fundamental ingredients with chocolate, coffee, pistachio, fruit mouse, etc.