Macerated Strawberries in Palo Cortado Sherry with Sablée biscuit and Thyme Ice Cream

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1hr 20 mins

Total Time

1hr 35 mins

This beautiful Spanish-inspired dessert showcases how great sherry works with fruit desserts. Fresh strawberries are lightly macerated in a warm reduction of palo cortado sherry before serving them with a dollop of thyme infused ice cream on a crispy sablée biscuit.

1hr 35 mins

4 people

Ingredients
Method

400g English strawberries, tops trimmed off
150ml stock syrup
300ml palo cortado sherry
Fresh thyme and lemon peel to garnish
For the sablée biscuit:
125g plain flour
100g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened
50g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
For the thyme ice cream:
300ml fresh whole milk
300ml double cream
250g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
Large bunch of fresh thyme
Peel of 1 lemon

To make the ice cream, heat the milk and cream with the lemon peel and thyme and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover with cling film. Allow the mix to infuse for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and thick. Return the milk mixture to the heat, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and strain without the lemon and thyme into the egg mixture and mix well. Return the mix to the pan and with a wooden spoon stir constantly on a gentle heat without allowing the mixture to boil until a nice custard of single cream consistency is achieved, it takes about 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool down, once it’s cold pour into the ice cream maker churning the mix for around 20 minutes or following the guidelines of your ice cream maker. Place in a suitable container, cover and freeze until required.
For the sablée biscuits, heap the flour on the work surface and make a well. Put in the butter, icing sugar and salt. With your fingertips, mix and cream the butter with the sugar and salt, then add the egg yolk and work it delicately with your fingertips. Little by little, draw the flour into the centre and work the mixture until you have a homogeneous dough. Using the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you 3 or 4 times until its completely smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pre-heat your oven to 170°C/340°F/Gar Mark 3. Roll out the pastry to a 2 to 3mm thickness and cut out 8 discs with a 9cm fluted pastry cutter. Using a 3cm plain cutter, cut a whole in the centre of half of the discs. Transfer the sables to a baking sheet with a palette knife and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until pale blonde.
For the strawberries, place the sherry in a medium size saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add the stock syrup and mix well. Place the strawberries in a large bowl, pour the warm sherry syrup, cover with cling film, and allow to macerate for 10 minutes.
To serve, place one whole sablée biscuit in the centre of a pasta bowl, place a large spoonful of the macerated strawberries and pour some of the sherry syrup. Place a hollow sablée biscuit on top of the strawberries, followed by a quenelle of thyme ice cream. Sprinkle some fresh thyme leaves, thyme flowers and grate some lemon zest.

Ingredients

400g English strawberries, tops trimmed off
150ml stock syrup
300ml palo cortado sherry
Fresh thyme and lemon peel to garnish
For the sablée biscuit:
125g plain flour
100g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened
50g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
For the thyme ice cream:
300ml fresh whole milk
300ml double cream
250g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
Large bunch of fresh thyme
Peel of 1 lemon

Method

To make the ice cream, heat the milk and cream with the lemon peel and thyme and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover with cling film. Allow the mix to infuse for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and thick. Return the milk mixture to the heat, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and strain without the lemon and thyme into the egg mixture and mix well. Return the mix to the pan and with a wooden spoon stir constantly on a gentle heat without allowing the mixture to boil until a nice custard of single cream consistency is achieved, it takes about 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool down, once it’s cold pour into the ice cream maker churning the mix for around 20 minutes or following the guidelines of your ice cream maker. Place in a suitable container, cover and freeze until required.
For the sablée biscuits, heap the flour on the work surface and make a well. Put in the butter, icing sugar and salt. With your fingertips, mix and cream the butter with the sugar and salt, then add the egg yolk and work it delicately with your fingertips. Little by little, draw the flour into the centre and work the mixture until you have a homogeneous dough. Using the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you 3 or 4 times until its completely smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pre-heat your oven to 170°C/340°F/Gar Mark 3. Roll out the pastry to a 2 to 3mm thickness and cut out 8 discs with a 9cm fluted pastry cutter. Using a 3cm plain cutter, cut a whole in the centre of half of the discs. Transfer the sables to a baking sheet with a palette knife and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until pale blonde.
For the strawberries, place the sherry in a medium size saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add the stock syrup and mix well. Place the strawberries in a large bowl, pour the warm sherry syrup, cover with cling film, and allow to macerate for 10 minutes.
To serve, place one whole sablée biscuit in the centre of a pasta bowl, place a large spoonful of the macerated strawberries and pour some of the sherry syrup. Place a hollow sablée biscuit on top of the strawberries, followed by a quenelle of thyme ice cream. Sprinkle some fresh thyme leaves, thyme flowers and grate some lemon zest.

Add To Basket

Argueso 1822 Palo Cortado

£16.50

Chef's Profile

Javier De La Hormaza

Javier is a Basque born, trained chef and hospitality professional, owner of Basco Fine Foods, a Spanish food and drink importer based in Yorkshire. He regularly runs client food and drink events around the country and he is a course tutor at Hartingtons of Bakewell cookery school. Javier’s passion lies on bringing quality Spanish ingredients and recipes to as many people as possible.

Twitter: @bascofinefoods
Instagram: @mrbasco

Spiced lamb cutlets with preserved...

26 mins

4 people

Barbecued scallops with sweetcorn puree...

44 mins

4 people

Barbecued Potatoes with Romesco and...

30 mins

4 people

Barbecued Pork Chop with Mole...

55 mins

4 people

Browse by Category

Sign up for Weekly Recipes

Latest Posts

Spiced lamb cutlets with preserved lemon, pomegranate and salsa verde
11 August 2021
Barbecued scallops with sweetcorn puree and sobrasada sausage
9 August 2021
Barbecued Potatoes with Romesco and Saffron Aioli
7 August 2021

Basco is an online Spanish food shop that sources, imports & sells only the finest & most authentic Spanish foods throughout the UK and Europe. Buy Spanish food online with us today, you won't be disappointed.

Explore

Contact us

Tel: 01937 845 767
Email: info@bascofinefoods.com
Unit 427C Birch Park
Thorp Arch Estate
Wetherby, West Yorkshire
LS23 7FG

Macerated Strawberries in Palo Cortado Sherry with Sablée biscuit and Thyme Ice Cream