Mirage by Leonardo Di Carlo

(This recipe appeared in the Spring 2022 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)

The founder of Pastry Concept, a research and development laboratory and culinary school for advanced pastry, Leonardo Di Carlo has long been a driving force on the global pastry scene. Having written two popular books on pastry, he recently turned his attention to frozen desserts with the release of GenialMente Freddo (Chiriotti Editori, 2021). With over 1000 recipes and 1000 pages, Di Carlo exhaustively explores the techniques, formuli and nuances of the frozen dessert category, including semifreddi, mousses, Bavarians, gelati, sorbets and granitas. This is much more than a simple recipe book – Di Carlo lays out his vision and operational approach to each topic with step-by-step examples, precise calculations, cross references and infographics, providing the resources for the reader to learn and master the techniques of all varieties of frozen desserts. Following is a recipe from the book that features some of the classic dessert flavors of Italy.

Yield: 15 servings

Raspberry Topping

• 500 g fresh raspberries
• 92 g granulated sugar
• 100 g glucose syrup 42 DE
• 300 g dextrose
• 6 g pectin
• 2 g citric acid powder

1. Stir all ingredients together, then cook to 72°Brix.

2. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

3. Shake before use.

Italian-Style Ice Cream

• 435 g fresh whole milk, 3.6% fat
• 200 g heavy cream, 35% fat
• 130 g granulated sugar
• 40 g dextrose
• 30 g glucose powder 30DE
• 120 g egg yolks
• 2 g ice cream stabilizer
• 2 g vanilla powder
• 6 g lemon peel, whole
• 1 g coffee beans
• 4 g cinnamon sticks

1. Stir all powders together, then add liquid ingredients and mix with a hand blender.

2. Pasteurize the mixer at 172-176˚F (78-80˚C), then add the flavors and leave to steep in the refrigerator for 12 hours at 39˚F (4˚C).

3. Churn and store in the display freezer at 7˚F (-14˚C).

Crunchy Meringues

• 200 g egg whites
• 400 g super-fine granulated sugar

1. Beat the egg whites with the sugar until stiff peaks form.

2. Spoon into piping bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe six small cylinders onto a lined sheet pan. Bake at 230˚F (110˚C) for 15-20 minutes with steam valve open, then reduce the temperature to 194˚F (90˚C) and let dry out for 2-3 hours. Store in a dry place.

Whipped Vanilla Chantilly Cream

• 1000 g heavy cream, 35% fat
• 125 g granulated sugar
• 2 g vanilla bean

1. In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip all ingredients until you reach a piping consistency.

Assembly

• Fresh raspberries
• Lime zest
• White chocolate décor

1. Layer each serving glass with crunchy meringue crumbs, Raspberry Topping and a dollop of Italian-Style Ice Cream. Pipe whipped Chantilly cream on top, garnish with fresh raspberries, lime zest and white chocolate décor, and serve immediately.

GenialMente Freddo is available from www.bibliothecaculinaria.it

Photos by Lorenzo Di Carlo