Blueberry Bavarian Cream Recipe with Lemon (French Bavarois)
Blueberry Bavarois is a no-bake Bavarian Cream dessert made with blueberries, lemon, cream, and gelatine. A naturally gluten free dessert that's light and elegant.
Equipment
- silicone muffin or briochette moulds or cups
- food processor or stick blender
Ingredients
- 200 g (7oz) blueberries organic fresh or defrosted
- 2 sheets @ 2g gelatine or 4g sachet of gelatine powder (see Notes)
- 1 tablespoon zest of a lemon unwaxed, organic
- 50 g (2oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander or ground from whole coriander seeds
- 150 g (5½oz/ ⅔ cup) heavy or whipping cream 30% fat ('crème fleurette' in France)
Instructions
- Wash and drain the blueberries. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 10 minutes. (See notes below for powder.)
- Dry fry the dried coriander in a pan for up to 2 minutes to release its fragrance. Alternatively use whole seeds then grind.
- Finely grate the zest of the lemon (yellow zest only, no bitter white pith). Add the lemon, vanilla and coriander to the blueberries and purée in a food processor or blender.
- In a saucepan, heat a quarter of the purée for 2 minutes. Squeeze the gelatine of any excess water and stir into the purée until melted (or stir in the dissolved gelatine powder). Add to the rest of the purée, then add the cream. Pour into shaped individual moulds: teacups or best, silicone moulds.
- Place on a baking tray and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, turn the moulds upside down and run under hot water for a few seconds. Turn them upright so that no water touches them and turn out each bavarois with the help of a pastry scraper or pie slice and place directly on each serving plate. (For silicone moulds, no need, just push them out).
Notes
To Serve: Add extra fresh blueberries that have been macerated in some crème de cassis or limoncello liqueur.
If serving with wine for dessert: red wine (Beaujolais Cru, such as Morgon or Moulin à Vent) brings out the citrus flavours.
Gelatine sheets or powder
- Ensure gelatine sheets are 2g each: Some brands have smaller sheets and the result is too liquid (if you discover this too late, then freeze for an hour, then turn out and leave to defrost for 20 minutes).
- Gelatine powder - for 4g of sheets, use 4g powder and dissolve for 3 minutes in 2 tablespoons water (check packet instructions, depending on brand).