Raspberry coulis
The basic coulis can be made to different strengths. All can be preserved and stored for up to one year.
YIELD: 5kg fresh raspberries will yield three litres of light, sweetened coulis.
Basic proportions
1kg raspberries
200g caster sugar (plus 50-100g extra according to the fruit's sweetness, or personal preference)
Method
Blend the raspberries and sugar to a rough pulp by hand. Put them into a pan and bring to the boil rapidly.
Take off the heat. Pass through a sieve or chinois. When doing this, the juice comes out first. Continue to press the pulp with a pestle or the back of a ladle to extract more of the thicker pulp that gives body to the coulis.
Do not try to force or rub all the pulp through the chinois or the coulis will become cloudy and less appetising.
Never liquidise the pulp, because the seeds are somewhat bitter and will ruin the clean, fresh taste.
At this stage taste the coulis and add extra sugar if you prefer it sweeter. Obviously, the riper the fruit, the less it will need. Fresh raspberries contain 83% water and 6% sugar. For most recipes, a sweetened coulis will contain about 25% sugar.
This light coulis can be preserved as it is. Pour into Kilner jars and sterilise.
It can also be reduced by about half to provide a more concentrated, denser sauce. To do this without losing the fresh fruit flavour:
- Work with small quantities (1kg batches, say).
- Use a pan with a large surface area.
- Reduce the coulis as quickly as you can over a high flame.
To turn reduced coulis into a glaze that can be piped, reduce it by 50% again.
Uses for raspberry coulis
Light: sorbets, sauces
Medium: sauces, mousses, parfaits, soufflés
