Best Pistachio Charlotte Recipes

STRAWBERRY PISTACHIO CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients, and heat on medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until strawberries are tender, about 3 minutes. Take off heat, blend mixture with an immersion blender until it becomes a syrup consistency. Set aside, and let cool until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 400F / 200 C. Line two baking trays with parchment. Fit a large piping bag with a 1 cm plain tip if you have one or cut a opening of 1 cm on the tip before piping.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, start whipping egg whites on high speed until it becomes frothy. Reduce speed to medium, add sugar in 2-3 addition, increase speed to high again, whip until firm. Pour in egg yolks, whip on medium until it reaches a "ribbon" consistency. (The mixture should be pale yellow, almost white in color. When you lift the whisk over the mixture the batter should fall slowly forming a ribbon that will hold it's shape for a few minutes.)
• Add in sifted flour, gently fold in with a silicone spatula until there is no more traces of dry flour. Refrain from over-mixing as it will deflate the batter too much and ladyfingers will not hold their shape.
• On one baking tray, pipe 15 5-inch (12 cm) ladyfingers. On the second tray, using a plate or a lid as a template, draw two circles as guides. Pipe rounds using the guide. Dust ladyfingers and disks with icing sugar.
• Baking one tray at a time, bake each tray for 8 - 10 minutes until edges have turned light brown. Rotate the trays halfway through. Let cool until ready to assemble.
• Bloom (soak) gelatin sheets in cold water, set aside.
• In a small saucepan, infuse vanilla bean, seeds and milk on medium heat. While heating, in a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Temper yolks by gradually adding hot milk in the yolk mixture.
• Return mixture into the saucepan, cook until mixture is just boiling. Squeeze out excess moisture from the bloomed gelatin, incorporate in the hot mixture. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl, put a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let cool in a cold water bath.
• In a chilled mixer bowl, whip whipping cream to soft peaks. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the custard, whisk to incorporate. Add in the rest of the whipped cream and pistachio paste, lightly incorporate with a spatula until cream is incorporated.
• Brush the bottoms of the lady fingers and sponge disks with strawberry syrup. Pack the ladyfingers tightly (upright) around the side of the Charlotte mould.
• Pour one-third of the cream in the mould, cover with diced strawberries, place a sponge disk on it, and press down lightly. Pour in more Barvarian cream leaving about a 1 cup for the last layer, distribute the remaining strawberries on top. Spread the rest of the cream on top, and press the other sponge disk on top. Cover the top with plastic. Chill until the cream sets, for at least two hours.
• If necessary, trim the ladyfingers to flush the rim of the mould. To serve, dip the bottom of the mould in hot water, place a plate over the mould, and carefully revert the Charlotte on the the plate.
• Garnish the top with fresh strawberries and pistachios, serve.

PISTACHIO BAVARIAN CREAM AND PRALINE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pistachio nuts, and blanch for 30 seconds; drain. When nuts are cool enough to handle, remove skins. Spread out on a baking tray, and place in the oven until they are dry but still green in color, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool. Set aside 1 1/4 cups nuts. Transfer remaining nuts to a food processor, and process until coarsely ground. Place ground nuts and milk in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; transfer to a medium bowl; set aside in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
• To make the praline: Place a Silpat (a French nonstick baking mat) on a baking tray; set aside. Place 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and brushing down the sides of the pan with water as needed, until sugar is golden in color, about 10 minutes. Add reserved 1 1/4 cups nuts, and stir to combine. Pour mixture onto the prepared baking tray, and allow to cool. Break into pieces, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the caramel is coarsely chopped; set aside.
• To make the bavarian cream: Fill a bowl with ice and water; set aside. Remove milk-nut mixture from refrigerator, and strain through cheesecloth into a medium saucepan, squeezing all milk from the nuts. Discard nuts. There should be 2 cups strained milk. Bring milk to a simmer over medium-low heat. While milk is heating, whisk egg yolks with remaining cup sugar in a medium bowl, until pale and combined. Pour hot milk slowly into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return egg-milk mixture to the saucepan, and cook, stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not allow mixture to boil. Remove from heat, and stir in softened gelatin until completely dissolved. Strain mixture into a clean bowl, and set over ice bath, stirring occasionally until mixture is cold. Add kirsch, and stir to combine.
• Using an electric mixer, whip heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold whipped cream into egg-milk mixture until just combined. Use immediately.

PISTACHIO BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Combine 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, water, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until butter has melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add syrup and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and melted, about 5 minutes.
• Allow mixture to come to a boil, stirring constantly. Once mixture reaches 310 degrees F (155 degrees C), remove saucepan from heat. Stir in pistachios, baking soda, and cayenne (mixture will foam).
• Stir until mixture is no longer bubbling and caramel is smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread out with a lightly greased spatula. Let cool until firm, about 15 minutes. Break into pieces.