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Make sweet and savoury snacks like a top pastry chef

Add seasonal fruits, include cooling ingredients and whip up frozen desserts to soothe summer blues

(From left) Iced fruits with coconut pudding and edamame tart.
(From left) Iced fruits with coconut pudding and edamame tart.

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As the temperature rises, one desires to spend less time in the kitchen. To do so, there are quick recipes that yield delicious results, and makes cooking an absolute pleasure. Bengaluru’s top pastry chef Avin Thaliath, co-founder and director of Lavonne Academy of Baking Science & Pastry Arts, shares baking tips and two recipes of sweet and savoury treats perfect for this weather.

Baking tips for summer: 
1) Make sure you source seasonal fruits and vegetables when you think of baking. 
2) Include some hydrating elements like chia or basil seeds or any fresh ingredients that not only elevate your dish, but also add nutrition.
3) Use melons, cucumbers, and tender coconut water for a refreshing twist. 
4) Think of some chilled or frozen dessert to indulge in to soothe summer blues. 5) Make sure to refrigerate any leftovers as they easily tend to spoil in the hot weather.

Iced Fruits with Coconut Pudding
Coconut Pudding:
Ingredients

200 gm coconut puree 
30 gm caster sugar 
2 gm gelatin 
1 or 2 pods vanilla bean (optional) 
For garnishing
Fresh flowers
Crushed ice
Frozen mango
Apple cubes

Method
Warm coconut puree and caster sugar, add bloomed gelatin along with vanilla beans and set in desired moulds. 
To assemble: Place the cold pudding on a serving dish, plate it with crushed ice, iced mango, litchi and apple cubes with fresh flowers.

Edamame Tart
Ingredients 
For shortcrust pastry
150 gm flour
3 gm salt 
3 gm icing sugar
75 gm butter (cold)
1 egg 
2 tsp water

Method
In a bowl, take butter, flour, icing sugar and salt, and mix well. Add egg and water to the mixture to make a dough. Chill the dough until use and line a 3.5inch tart ring with the shortcrust pastry. Line the tart ring with parchment paper and fill with baking beans to increase the weight/pressure in the tart ring. Bake for about 15 minutes at 170˚C or until the pastry is firm, then remove the beans and cook for about 5 minutes more, until golden brown.

Ingredients for bechamel sauce
1000 ml milk
100 gm flour
100 gm butter
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
A pinch of nutmeg
1 whole onion, peeled
1 bay leaf
3-4 cloves 
1 sage leaf

Method: 
Make an onion piqué. Take the peeled onion, place the bay leaf and attach it to the outer shell of the onion by inserting two cloves. Repeat with the sage leaf. Now, place it in a pan with milk and bring to a boil. Turn off the flame. This process adds more flavour to the sauce. 
Add butter into a stockpot. Add flour and mix till the raw smell disappears. Pourin the warm milk. Cook till it’s a thick pouring consistency.

Ingredients for the edamame topping 
120 gm edamame
25 ml olive oil
30 gm onions, chopped
Salt to taste 
Paprika to taste 
10 gm black sesame seeds, toasted
10 gm white sesame, toasted 
50 gm panko crumbs
30 gm almond crumbs
For garnish 
Sage leaf
Radish microgreens

Method
Bring water to a boil. Add edamame and cook for 5 minutes until they are tender and easily released from their pod. Heat olive oil in a stock pot. Add in chopped onions and sauté. Add in the edamame and toss it with salt, paprika, sesame seeds, panko crumbs and almond flakes.

To assemble
Take one baked pastry shell, fill it with béchamel and top with edamame. Garnish with radish microgreens and sage leaves. Repeat for all. Your summer snack platter is ready.

Also read | What makes a perfect ice cream?

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