(Serves six)
Ingredients
For the parfait
(makes approximately 24)
1kg strawberry purée
250g sugar
4 egg whites
250ml water
80ml whipping cream
For the sablée biscuits
100g unsalted butter
50g icing sugar
1 egg yolk
125g flour
Small pinch of salt
For the basil sorbet
40g sugar
30g glucose
350ml mineral water
15g basil leaves (blanched & refreshed)
For the strawberry salad
150g English strawberries
30ml strawberry coulis
Method
For the parfait
Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl. Bring the sugar and water up to 120°C. Whisk the egg whites until frothy then pour the boiling syrup on them. Continue whisking until cool. Whip the cream to soft peaks then fold in the strawberry purée; finally fold in the cool meringue. Pipe into 6 x 4.5cm rings and freeze.
For the sablée biscuits
Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer with paddle attachment. Mix the butter and sugar until pale in colour. Next add the egg yolk and when thoroughly mixed add the flour and salt. Bring completely together but do not overmix.
Roll to 2mm thick, between sheets of greaseproof. Remove the top layer of paper carefully then cut out the sablées with a 6cm pastry cutter. Put on a baking tray. Bake at 180°c/gas mark 4 for 10 minutes. When cooked allow them to cool slightly on the tray then transfer to a cooling rack.
For the basil sorbet
Boil the water, sugar and glucose together, and pour onto the basil leaves. Place in a Pacojet beaker and freeze to -22°C. "Paco" then freeze for 1 hour before serving.
For the strawberry salad
Cut the strawberries into 3mm dice. Bind with the coulis.
To serve
Un-mould the parfaits and place in the middle of a well-chilled bowl. Spoon the strawberry salad around. Arrange a sablée biscuit on top of the parfait followed by a ball of basil sorbet.