Iced banana and pistachio parfait by Marcus Ashenford

INGREDIENTS

(serves four)

5 egg yolks
180g caster sugar
30g glucose
75ml water
375ml double cream
3 egg whites
Salt
250g banana purée (about three ripe bananas and juice of ½ lemon)
100g blanched pistachios
1 banana for garnish
8 strawberries, tailed and thinly sliced

For the praline baskets (enough for four or five baskets)
250g caster sugar
50g glucose
75ml water
50g hazelnut paste

For nut syrup garnish 50g sugar
20g glucose
20ml water
12 walnut halves
12 peeled almonds
12 hazelnuts
12 pistachios for garnish

METHOD

Whisk egg yolks to sabayon. Bring sugar, glucose and water to soft ball. Pour sugar syrup over sabayon, whisk thoroughly till cold. Whisk double cream to soft peaks. Whisk egg whites with pinch of salt to firm peaks. Fold cream, then banana purée, then egg whites into sabayon mix. Fold whole pistachios into mix. Pour into prelined moulds and freeze until set.

To make the praline baskets, boil sugar, glucose and water to 120ºC, stir in hazelnut paste. Roll out the hazelnut paste into thin sheets while still hot. Cut to shape, allow to cool slightly, then line moulds.

Make nut syrup by making sugar syrup as above, then blanching nuts in it. Remove and peel off skin - then reduce syrup to coating consistency. Slice banana into 12 thin slices for garnish. Arrange three in triangle and caramelise in demerara and icing sugar with a torch.

To plate, alternate three of each type of nut around plate rim. Place strawberry slices in a circle inside nuts. Place parfait in centre. Place basket over top of parfait. Place banana triangle on top of basket. Serve.

Marcus Ashenford