Strawberries, Consommé and Frozen Ricotta
Celebrate the return of beautiful berries with this elegant twist on strawberries and cream, by local Masterchef, Ben MacDonald. Simple to prepare with no special equipment required, this dessert can be made mostly in advance—perfect for effortless entertaining. The strawberry consommé is as vibrant as it is aromatic, and you can top it with any of your favourite seasonal berries for a stunning finish.
Ingredients
For the Frozen Ricotta:
200g ricotta
120ml milk
150ml cream
3 egg whites
80g sugar
For the Strawberry Consommé:
500g strawberries (fresh or frozen), hulled and quartered
2 tbsp sugar
For the Yoghurt Cream:
100g greek yoghurt
100g cream
1 tbsp sugar
To serve:
250g fresh strawberries (or other berries), hulled and sliced
a few mint or basil leaves
Method
For the Frozen Ricotta:
Blend the ricotta and 100g of milk together until it has the texture of lightly whipped cream. Add more milk if required.
Whisk 150ml the cream until soft peaks form.
Make a simple meringue by whisking the egg whites while slowly adding the sugar a few tablespoons at a time until dissolved and thick.
Fold the whipped cream into the ricotta, then fold in the meringue. Carefully spread into a container so it is 2-3cm thick and freeze for 4 hours (or overnight).
For the Strawberry Consommé:
Place the strawberries in a heat safe bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Cover tightly with cling film and sit over a pot of gently simmering water for 40 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and cool. If required, thin with a little water out so it can be poured easily.
For the Yoghurt Cream:
Whisk together the remaining 100ml of cream and 1 tbsp sugar until medium peaks form. Fold together with the greek yoghurt.
To serve:
Use a cookie cutter to cut circles from the frozen ricotta (or cut into squares) and place in the centre of a bowl. Spread a layer of the yoghurt cream on top, then layer the strawberries and finally a few mint leaves on top. Pour the consommé around the outside to finish.