Alejandro Muguerza.
Muguerza’s advice for February 14th? “Valentine’s Day is the time to celebrate the love we share with our partners, family, and friends. It is the occasion to put out the most romantic and glamorous of backgrounds, whether formal or informal. Take out your very best silver and china and decorate the table with romantic flowers, such as loose and natural roses and ranunculus in various shades of pinks and reds. Begin the evening by serving a few glasses of champagne and some hors d’oeuvres followed by an exquisite but simple dinner.”He does not believe it should be all about extravagance, but about doing the best you can with what you have, always upholding the highest levels of creativity and style. His recipe of Dacquoise with Berries is not only delicious but representative of sweetness and beauty.
Dacquoise with Berries.
Dacquoise with Berries
INGREDIENTS:
Meringue
100 grams egg white
100 grams granulated sugar
100 grams confectioner sugar
one pinch of cream of tartar
one pinch of salt
Mint Tea Syrup
one bunch fresh mint
one cup simple syrup
one cup mint tea
Buttercream
2 pounds butter (unsalted)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup powder sugar
2 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp lime zest
one pinch of salt
Arroz con leche tuille
1-pint milk
half a cup arborio rice
one cinnamon stick
two lemon twists
1/4 cup sugar
Berries of your choice for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
Baked Meringue
In a mixer, place egg whites, salt, creme of tartar and beat until it reaches soft peak. Slowly, start incorporating the granulated sugar until crystals dissolve. Add confectioner sugar. Once all is incorporated, stop the mixer. Place contents in a pastry bag and form the desired shapes on a silicon mat with a 1/2 sheet pan. Place in low (lowest temperature in the oven) to dry for up to 3-4 hours.
Mint Tea Syrup
Add mint tea to a sauce pot and simmer. Add fresh mint and simple syrup until it becomes thick. Add one drop of green coloring if you desire a green hue
Buttercream
Place all ingredients in the mixer and slowly beat them to cream. Once all ingredients are incorporated, remove from mixer and into a pastry bag ready to pipe.
Arroz con leche Tuille
In a sauce pot, add milk, cinnamon stick, lemon twists, sugar, and simmer. Aft time and let overcook. Once overcooked, place mixture into a blender. It will form a paste. On a silicon mat, brush a finger-length stroke of this paste 10-12 times. Place some poppy seeds over each tuille and proceed to dry (like meringue) 3-4 hours.
Serve:
In a 6-inch plate, place one of the baked meringue, top with buttercream and place one more meringue on top of the buttercream (like a sandwich). Finally, cover the top layer with more buttercream and berries of your choice. Drizzle mint tea syrup and plate arroz con leche tuille.
