Green tea parfait and deep-fried lychees
“Parfait and granita are fantastic ice-cream and sorbet substitutes.”
- 500ml cream (one with 35% fat)
- 2 tbsp green tea powder
- 4 tbsp milk
- 150g egg whites (approx 5 eggs)
- 300g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 30ml vodka
- 1 1/2 cups plain flour
- 200ml beer, cold
- 18 lychees, peeled and seeds removed
- Extra caster sugar
It is essential to use green tea powder in this recipe. Green leaf tea is not an alternative as the leaves are designed to be infused and strained and will not give the intensity of colour or flavour required. The powder is available from specialty Asian food stores and supermarkets. Deep-fried mango and banana also go well with this parfait but lychees are the perfect combination.
Method
Line a terrine mould, tray or container, approximately 30cm x 20cm, with cling
film or baking paper. Whisk the cream to stiff peaks in a food mixer. Place
cream in another bowl and refrigerate. Mix green tea powder and milk together to
form a smooth paste. Whisk egg whites in mixer on low speed and continue to
whisk.
Meanwhile, place sugar and water in a saucepan and stir to dissolve
then place on a high heat and bring to the boil. Brush down saucepan sides with
a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystallising. Bring to 130C or hard ball
stage (when a bit of the syrup mix forms a soft ball when placed in iced water).
When sugar has reached this temperature, whisk egg whites at high speed, add
lime juice and vodka to sugar and allow to boil again. Once the egg whites form
medium peaks, add the hot sugar syrup and continue to whisk on high. Keep
whisking until the whites have cooled, approx 5 minutes. Add green tea paste to
egg white mixture and whisk to combine. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream and whisk
to combine. Fold through remaining cream gently by hand with a spatula until
smooth and completely combined. Pour into lined container and freeze
overnight.
Preheat a deep fryer to 180C or bring a medium-sized saucepan,
one-third filled with vegetable oil, to hot. Place 1 cup of flour in a bowl and
add beer. Stir to combine. Batter should coat the back of a spoon well. Toss
lychees in remaining flour to lightly coat. Place in batter and gently cover
with batter and then place in fryer. Fry until golden brown. Remove onto paper
towel and sprinkle with extra caster sugar to give a crust. Slice parfait into
desired size and shape. Serve lychees on top.
Serves 6.
