GATHER JOURNAL

Photograph by Stacey Mark Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero Prop Styling by Heather Greene


    
Lust

Quivering Blancmange

Desserts from Issue 10 – Winter 2017 – Sin

I’m down on my knees, I want to take you there. Madonna toyed with the virgin-whore ideal, and so too does our blancmange: immaculate and milky white on the outside, but packed with titillating ingredients.

makes 4 individual molded desserts or 1 large



  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 4 tsp unflavored gelatin
  • 1½ cups cold heavy cream, divided
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (from 1½-inch piece)
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp maca powder (optional)
  • a pinch ground nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)

  • 1

    Soak almonds in a large bowl of water for 4 (or up to 12) hours at room temperature. Drain and rinse almonds. Purée in a blender with 2 cups cold water until smooth. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into medium bowl. Discard cheesecloth but reserve sieve.
  • 2

    Lightly grease four 1-cup molds or ramekins with vegetable oil.
  • 3

    Sprinkle gelatin evenly over ½ cup cream in a small bowl and let stand 5 minutes until softened.
  • 4

    Combine sugar, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, maca (if using), nutmeg, 2 cups almond milk, and a generous pinch of salt in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in softened gelatin. Strain mixture into large bowl and set in a bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally, until chilled but not set.
  • 5

    Beat remaining cup cream to soft peak then fold into cooled blancmange. Divide between molds and chill until firm, 6 to 8 hours (longer if making 1 large one).
  • 6

    To unmold, briefly dip molds in warm water, loosen edges with fingertips, then gently turn out onto plates.