Fruit Intelligence : Raspberry 

By Michael Laiskonis, Culinary Director, Les vergers Boiron 

Sponsored by 

With its subtle, elegant flavor, the raspberry has become a staple ingredient in contemporary cuisine, inspiring creations both classic and inventive, lending its delicate flavor and perfect balance of tart and sweet.

The modern raspberry bush has evolved from a wild shrub native to the mountain regions of

Asia and Europe. The fruit was documented by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and its culture expanded during the Renaissance with widespread commercial production developing in the 20th century.

Eastern Europe has emerged as a leading producer of red fruits of all stripes, with Serbia leading the region in production of raspberries in particular. The cultivation of raspberries was widely introduced into rural areas of the former Yugoslavia in the 1980s, where it became an important source of income for smallholder farmers who often maintain plantations of one hectare or less. Following the years of conflict and economic uncertainty of the 1990s, raspberry cultivation became a viable local industry with expanded processing infrastructure.

Geography favors the rolling hills of western Serbia, which make the area particularly well-suited to growing raspberries that thrive at altitudes between 400 and 1000 meters, where the climate, soil type and exposure offer optimal conditions. The ideal soil is loose, slightly acidic, rich in humus and minerals, with a good water absorption capacity and low water retention.

Raspberries grow very quickly and the first harvest can take place as early as the second year after planting. This exceptionally fast growth is one of the reasons why many farmers have adopted this crop. Raspberry bushes are grown in rows planted two to three meters apart, with trellises made of wire or stakes to support the shoots, or canes. The ground is often slightly sloped to provide drainage, as raspberries dislike excess water. Wild raspberry bushes can also be found in the region, but they yield less fruit and are scattered throughout the forests.

Typically, plantations are harvested for 15 to 20 years. Each spring, new plant shoots are rigorously selected from approximately five to ten stems per meter, retaining only the best ones to ensure high-quality production for the following year. Healthy plants come from closely monitored “mother” orchards, guaranteeing the absence of pests and diseases. This strict supervision is essential to preserve the quality of the plants and the sustainability of the farms.

Raspberries are harvested at just the right moment to ensure a balance between sweetness and acidity. The harvest season extends from June to August. Because the fruit is very fragile, it must be picked by hand, making it a labor-intensive endeavor; being highly perishable, raspberries are sorted immediately and placed in cold storage before being frozen.

Climate has become the primary pressure on the region’s raspberries, often bringing unpredictable events such as late spring frosts or prolonged summer heat waves. Rainfall, a crucial factor during flowering, is occasionally absent, directly impacting the size, ripening and quantity of the fruit. Additional challenges include the decreasing size and increasing age of plantations, as well as volatile markets that shift from one season to the next.

The respect for traditional practices, enhanced by the technical support of expert agronomists, remains the cornerstone of supporting and strengthening the sector, with Les vergers Boiron playing a key collaborative role in regenerative agriculture projects. Current efforts, launched in 2024, seek to optimize treatments aimed at reducing the use of synthetic pesticides in favor of biopesticides, biostimulants and microbiological fertilizers. The use of Bacillus bacteria to promote phosphorus solubility and of Trichoderma fungi to protect roots is a good example of this move towards more sustainable and resilient farming practices, improving soil health and plant tolerance to pathogens – all of which results in superior quality fruit. Biodiversity programs also link the importance of beneficial insects and intercropping to serve the entire ecosystem better.

Boiron sources two key varieties of raspberry from its partners in Serbia: the Meeker and the Willamette. Meeker provides a light pinkish-red color, woody notes and natural sweetness, while Willamette contributes a deeper color and complex acidity to the finished purée, a result truly greater than the sum of its parts.

Raspberry is at home in countless applications and marries well with a range of flavors that match its intensity: passion fruit, strawberry, lychee, lime, coffee, tea, rose, pistachio, licorice, sesame and yogurt, among many others.

With its fragile texture and remarkable intensity, this delicate fruit is perfect in a variety of applications. In raw form, infused, reduced or paired with unexpected flavors, raspberries unveil their full potential in keeping with current trends that favor a more natural, sophisticated and sustainable approach.

For more fruit-forward inspiration and technical information, visit: https://les-vergers-boiron.com/en/.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Verrine

By Michael Laiskonis, Culinary Director, Boiron Americas

Yield: approximately 10 verrines

Raspberry Gelee

Yield: 335 g

• 225 g Les verges Boiron Raspberry purée without added sugar
• 75 g fresh raspberries           
• 1.5 sheets gelatin, hydrated
• 50 g invert sugar

1. Combine the raspberry purée and fresh raspberries in a saucepan.
2. Gently bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
3. Whisk in the hydrated gelatin and invert sugar.
4. Pour or dose the mixture into small glasses and freeze to set.

Raspberry White Chocolate Cremeux

Yield: 575 g

• 75 g whole milk
• 75 g heavy cream, 36% fat
• 40 g glucose syrup
• 3 sheets gelatin, hydrated
• 75 g white chocolate couverture, chopped
• 300 g Les verges Boiron Raspberry purée without added sugar

1. Combine the milk, cream and glucose in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the hydrated gelatin.
3. Whisk in the white chocolate and raspberry purée.
4. Emulsify thoroughly with an immersion blender.
5. Deposit a layer of the crémeux on top of the gelée in the glasses.
6. Chill to set.

Vanilla Mousse

Yield: 540 g

• 150 g whole milk
• 210 g heavy cream, 36% fat, divided
• 80 g granulated sugar
• ½ piece vanilla bean, split and scraped          
• 2 g lemon zest         
• 80 g egg yolks, beaten
• 4 sheets gelatin, hydrated

1. Combine the milk and 50 g of the cream with the sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a small saucepan.
2. Bring just to a boil. 
3. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the egg yolks.
4. Return to the heat and cook to 185°F (85°C).
5. Add the hydrated gelatin, strain, and allow to cool to 86°F (30°C).
6. Whip the remaining 160 g of cream, then gently fold it into the cooled base.
7. Deposit a layer of the mousse on top of the crémeux in the glasses.
8. Chill to set.

Assembly

• Fresh raspberries
• Pistachios
• Confectioner’s sugar
• White chocolate décor
• Gold leaf

1. Store the verrines in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the dessert.
2. Garnish with raspberries, pistachio, confectioner’s sugar, white chocolate décor and gold leaf.

(This article appeared in the Summer 32 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)