Makový Košíček so Slivkami a Vanilkovým Krémom
Plated modern dessert — delicate poppy seed tuile basket filled with silky pipeable vanilla crème pâtissière, glazed slivovica black plums, a dollop of salted labneh, and a golden drop of honey.
Ingredients
Slivovica Glazed Black Plums
- 5 Firm black plums, pitted and sliced into neat wedges
- 45 ml Slovak Slivovica (plum brandy)
- 30 g Wildflower or forest honey (2 tbsp)
- 15 g Granulated sugar (1 tbsp, for caramel base)
- 1 Whole cinnamon stick
- 2–3 strips Fresh orange peel (orange zest only, no bitter white pith)
- 30 ml Water (2 tbsp)
Poppy Seed Tuile Baskets
- 50 g Egg whites (approx. 1.5–2 whites, room temperature)
- 50 g Confectioner's powdered sugar, sifted
- 50 g All-Purpose flour
- 50 g Unsalted butter, melted and lukewarm
- 15 g Whole blue poppy seeds (1–2 tbsp, unground)
- 1 pinch Fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Fresh orange zest, finely grated
Pipeable Vanilla Crème Pâtissière
- 250 ml Whole milk
- 3 Large egg yolks
- 45 g Granulated sugar
- 20 g Cornstarch (or custard powder / Zlatý Klas)
- 1/2 Vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste)
- 25 g Unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Garnish & Assembly
- 80 g Labneh (thick strained yogurt, lightly salted)
- 15 g Runny wildflower or forest honey (for the center droplet)
- Edible purple flowers (borage, cornflower, or edible violas)
Method
- Cook Vanilla Crème Pâtissière: Heat milk with scraped vanilla bean seeds and pod until steaming. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale. Temper hot milk into yolks, strain back into pan, and whisk continuously over medium heat until thickened and bubbling for 1 minute. Whisk in cold butter until glossy, transfer to a shallow bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill until cold and set.
- Mix Tuile Batter: Whisk egg whites, sifted powdered sugar, and sea salt until frothy. Stir in melted lukewarm butter and grated orange zest. Fold in All-Purpose flour and whole blue poppy seeds until smooth and glossy. Rest batter in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Bake & Shape Baskets: Preheat oven to 175°C. Spread 1 tablespoon of batter onto a silicone mat into a paper-thin circle (~10 cm diameter). Bake 2 discs at a time for 5–6 minutes until edges turn golden brown. Immediately drape each hot, flexible tuile over the bottom of a small inverted cup or glass, pressing gently to shape a ruffled basket. Cool completely to crisp up.
- Cook the Plums (Stovetop or Sous-Vide):
- Stovetop Glaze: In a wide pan over medium heat, melt sugar with water until light amber. Add cinnamon, orange peel, plum wedges, and honey. Toss for 2 minutes, splash in Slivovica, and gently simmer for 3–4 minutes until tender while retaining their sharp wedge shapes.
- Sous-Vide Method (Preferred for Precision): Vacuum seal plum wedges with Slivovica, honey, sugar, cinnamon, and orange peel. Cook in a water bath at 68°C for 25–30 minutes until perfectly tender and translucent throughout while holding razor-sharp knife edges. Strain liquid and reduce in a small pan to a glossy glaze.
- Pipe & Fill: Smooth out chilled crème pâtissière and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe neat dots of vanilla cream inside the base and along the inner ruffled edges of each basket. Nestle the glazed plum wedges upright in the center.
- Plate & Finish: Place a clean dollop of labneh directly on top of the plums, make a small well with the back of a spoon, and drop a golden pool of runny honey in the center. Garnish with edible purple petals and serve immediately.
Chef's Tip: If you have immersion circulator gear, vacuum-packing and sous-viding the plums at 68°C is unmatched—it infuses the Slivovica and honey completely through the fruit cells while keeping pristine knife edges that never turn mushy. Thick, lightly salted labneh provides the essential savory acidity that cuts through the rich cream and floral fruit.