SWEET PEACH FLOWERS
This dessert allows you to enjoy the best flavours of summer. These sweet flowers, made with white peach and vanilla, combine visual elegance with an explosion of freshness and sweetness.
The recipe is simple. To begin with, a thin, crispy sweet pastry acts as the base. On top of this are alternating layers of vanilla cream and a sphere of white peach cream, set on a sponge cake. The final flower is made with pink white chocolate textured with spray.
Prepare the base. In a saucepan, heat the Les vergers Boiron white peach purée together with the seeds from the vanilla pod. Bring to a medium heat until it reaches 40°C.
Add the dry ingredients. Mix the sugar with the NH pectin and add it to the hot purée, stirring continuously.
Cooking. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 85°C, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Moulding. Pour the mixture into flower-shaped silicone moulds and leave to cool at room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
Remove from the mould and decorate. Carefully remove from the mould, dust with icing sugar and decorate with edible flowers or fresh mint.
Tips for making perfect peach-flavoured sweets
To achieve a good result, it is important to follow the temperatures and cooking times. NH pectin must be incorporated correctly to prevent lumps from forming and to ensure a smooth texture. It is therefore advisable to mix it with the sugar beforehand before adding it to the white peach purée.
Another key point is to stir constantly whilst cooking so that the mixture heats through evenly. Once the temperature reaches 85 °C, you can pour the mixture into the silicone moulds. Take care to do this so that all the flower petals remain clearly defined.
The chilling time is also important. Allow the flowers to set completely before turning them out of the moulds, as this will help them retain their shape better and allow you to handle them without them losing their shape.
Why use pectin when making fruit desserts?
Pectin is a plant-based gelling agent found naturally in many fruits. It is commonly used in baking and confectionery to achieve a gel-like texture, particularly in recipes made with fruit purées.
In this recipe, NH pectin transforms the white peach purée into a firm yet delicate mixture that holds its shape in silicone moulds. Furthermore, it allows the flavour of the fruit to remain the star of the show without the need for animal-derived gelatine.
It is a particularly useful ingredient for making fruit inserts, glazes, jams and pastry decorations. Using it enables you to achieve more precise finishes and creative presentations.
Ideas for presenting and decorating peach-flavoured sweet flowers
Presentation is a key part of this dessert, as its flower shape makes it particularly visually appealing. To achieve an elegant finish, you can lightly dust the flowers with icing sugar and add small fresh mint leaves.
Edible flowers are also an excellent choice for decorating and enhancing its spring-like appearance. If you’re looking for a more sophisticated presentation, you can incorporate small touches of white chocolate or some edible gold decoration.
To serve them, you can place them individually on a sponge base or accompany them with a small amount of vanilla cream. The contrast between the fruit, the smoothness of the vanilla and the various decorative elements creates a delicate, balanced dessert that’s perfect for special occasions.
