Gin & Tonic Sorbet – no ice cream machine

Now we all know that sometimes (or always as this helpful diagram would have us believe) we need a gin and tonic but how about in sorbet form? I set about to have a go and am very very happy with the results. It makes a slightly naughty dessert or mid afternoon ice when temperatures soar or a nice bitter mouth puckering palate cleanser in between courses. Its child’s play to make but probably better left to adults.

Ingredients

1 quantity of Italian Meringue (made with 4 egg whites)

the juice and very finely grated zest of 2 lemons or two lemons through a juicing machine skin and all (this is how I do it as its fast and you get a really nice bitter flavour which I want here)

200ml gin

2 tablespoons Cinzano

How To

Softly mix the Italian meringue with all the other ingredients and freeze. Yes that really is it. I wish I could pretend it was more difficult but it is not. OK yes you do need to make the Italian meringue first and that requires some effort.

It will result in a very soft sorbet more like a frozen mousse (which is exactly what it is) due to the relatively high level of alcohol in it. Cheers!

Blind Baked Pastry Cases

Just to avoid confusion this is not about the wonderful effects cooking can have on people who are visually impaired nor is it about any kind of deviant “blindfold me in the kitchen” activities just in case you were wondering (and I know that you were). Blind Baking is a pastry making term that means the pastry shell is first baked (to ensure a crisp surround and to avoid any soggy bottoms) before the filling is added. Often, as in a quiche for example, the filling and the pastry case go back in the oven to be baked again. However as you fill the case pretty much to the brim the filling protects the case and it wont burn.

How To

Roll your pastry (or press it into the tin with your fingers) until it is the thickness of a fairly chunky coin such as a 1 Euro. 2-3mm is what we want.

If rolling the pastry, leave the rolling pin in the middle of your pastry circle. Now lift the circle up from the top and fold it gently back over the rolling pin so you can now use your rolling pin as a “pastry transportation device”.

Lift the pastry up and let it touch the work surface closest to you before you un roll it across the pastry case.

Now, very gently and if you have long nails there is a little trick you can use, use up some left over dough in a little ball and use it to coax the pastry into the corner of the tin.

Now the pastry is fitting snug, roll the rolling pin over the whole thing which neatly lops off the pastry. using a fork make little holes in the pastry (important as it helps any steam vent and avoid bubbles)

Now scrunch up a piece of baking paper (the scrunching is important because it softens the paper and allows it to reach into the corner) and un scrunch it. Now use it to line the case and fill with your blind baking “beans”. These can be purpose made ceramic baking balls or rice or small real beans/lentils (which i quite like) or salt which makes for a great snug fit but if you spill it…your tart is ruined!

Now bake the case with the beans inside for 10-15 minutes – just until the pastry has “set” ie gone hard. Then remove the beans.

Paint the case on the inside with a beaten egg – this waterproofs the tart. Its not absolutely essential but will really make your tart base “crunch” and will make it easier to serve.

Bake again for 5 minutes and the tart is now ready to be used.

Very Buttery Pastry

I’ve made a few different pastries in my life but this is my absolute “go-to” recipe. What makes it great? Number 1) Its easy – three ingredients and no I don’t put salt in pastry. You can if you want to but there ie enough salt in everything we eat and besides the more salt you eat the more you need in order to taste anything at all. Number 2 – it rolls really really thin so you actually make very thin crisp pastry shells which are better for you plus you have more filling than pastry to eat. Number 3 – kind of linked to number 2…it is a really pliable pastry and will never crack up on you and you in turn need never crack up making a pastry shell. Number 4 – it works really well for mini tarts that are so small they do not need blind baking.

Ingredients

250g flour

225g butter (82% fat) cut into fairly chunky cubes if you are using a food mixer/processor and smaller ones if making by hand

60ml ice cold water

Gadgets & Gizmos

I make my pastry in my trusty Kenwood but you can also do this in a food processor. Alternatively take a large mixing bowl, a regular table knife and use your hands.

How To

With the “K” attachment of your Kenwood or Kitchen Aid, or in a food processor mix/blitz the butter and flour until it looks like fine sand. It may have a few larger chunks of butter – its not a disaster. Now add the water all in one go and mix gently until the pastry is one big lump and the sides of the bowl are “clean”. In fact I then take the pastry out and mix up my filling in the same bowl thus saving washing up and the planet in one go.

Its best to relax it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes wrapped in cling film or inside a plastic bag but I confess I often do not have time. It freezes just great too and because it doesn’t contain egg is a little safer as well.

I use it both for savoury and sweet tarts.