Happy holidays…

Honey panna cotta with macerated strawberries

Serves 4

Prepare this dessert the day before or in the morning to serve with the evening meal.

Macerated strawberries:

• 2 cups (250 g) fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) liquid honey

Rinse, dry, hull and halve the strawberries. In a bowl, gently coat them with the honey. Cover and refrigerate for at least half a day, ideally overnight.

Panna cotta:

• 2 cups (480 ml) whipping cream (35%)
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) honey
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold milk
• 1 packet (2 ½ teaspoons) powdered gelatin

In a saucepan, heat the cream and honey over medium heat until it comes to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat after 30 seconds. In a small bowl, mix the milk and gelatin and let stand for 1 minute. Add to the hot cream and stir to dissolve. Pour into 4 ramekins, let cool before refrigerating for at least 6 hours.

To serve: Drain the strawberries, setting aside the juice. Divide the strawberries among the ramekins. Using a spoon, drizzle a little of the juice over the strawberries and serve chilled.

Honey semifreddo

Serves 8

This frozen dessert requires at least 8 hours of freezing time, or overnight.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml) 35% cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup (120 g) honey
• A pinch of salt
• Additional liquid honey for serving

Whipping the vanilla cream

• Whip the cream with the vanilla until stiff but soft peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Poached egg base with honey

• Prepare a double boiler: choose a medium saucepan and a bowl (ideally stainless steel) that fits snugly on top without touching the water. Fill half of the saucepan with water, bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat.
• In the bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, and salt, then place it over the saucepan, making sure the bottom does not touch the water. Poach the mixture, whisking constantly and scraping the sides well, for about 4 minutes or until it is hot and visibly thickens. Be careful: you don’t want scrambled eggs, but if a few small lumps start to form, it’s time to move on to the next step.

Assemblage and freezing

• Immediately transfer the mixture to another bowl (use a stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment) and whisk on high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is foamy and has approximately tripled in volume. Fold in one-third of the whipped cream with the whisk, then gently fold in the rest with a spatula.
• Pour the mixture into a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 12 cm) loaf pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper, covering the bottom and sides well. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours (ideally overnight).

Turning out and presentation:

Place a serving tray slightly larger than the mold in the freezer to chill it. Once thoroughly chilled, unmold the semifreddo by turning it over onto the tray, using the plastic wrap or parchment paper to help you. You can put it back in the freezer with its covering, which you will remove just before serving. Slice with a chef’s knife dipped in hot water and wiped between each cut. Serve immediately, drizzled with honey and accompanied by fresh fruit, a coulis, or chocolate sauce, according to your taste.

Honey cake 

Makes one 9-inch (23 cm) cake

Ideal for a late afternoon snack: resist the temptation to eat it the same day, as it improves after sitting for a day.

• 1/3 cup (170 g) honey
• 3 tablespoons hot coffee (or tea)
• 1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon whiskey (optional)
• 4 tablespoons slivered almonds
• Powdered sugar for serving

Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan or cake pan and place a circle of parchment paper in the bottom.

Place the honey in a small bowl, pour the coffee (or tea) over it, mix, and set aside. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is very pale and thickened. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then the honey/coffee (or tea) mixture and whiskey. Whisk until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients and mix again until smooth, but do not overwork the batter or the cake will be tough.

In a large, very clean stainless steel or glass bowl, using a stand or hand mixer, beat the egg whites until they form stiff but soft peaks.

Add one-third of the egg whites to the base batter and beat until blended in. Add the rest of the whites and fold in with a spatula until the whites are completely blended in.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan, sprinkle the slivered almonds on top, and bake for 45 minutes.

Once cooled, sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top and serve.