When I want to impress my friends with a stunning dessert that I can make in advance for the most part, this is one of my favorites. I can have the phyllo dough cookies, the créme brûlèe, and the raspberry coulis ready beforehand, and it looks so sophisticated that everyone thinks I´ve been working for hours to make it. This beauty always gets big ohhhs and ahhhs whenever I make it, so it’s the perfect dessert for a dinner party with lots of friends, or for an intimate and romantic dinner for two.
The original recipe was given to me by Coque Ossio, a very talented Peruvian chef, who was my instructor at culinary school. I´ve changed it a little bit and love the result, and I urge you to make all the changes you want because this recipe is very flexible. For example, if you don´t want to make the créme brûlèe, substitute it with whipped cream or vanilla pudding. No cherimoyas in the grocery store? Use lychees or peaches, which are in season. Be creative and have fun.
Happy weekend!
- Phyllo cookies:
- 3 oz grated dried coconut
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 15 sheets phyllo dough
- ½ cup butter, melted
- Créme Brûlèe:
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 10 egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Garnish:
- 1 cup cherimoya, peeled and seeded
- 1 cup raspberries
- 2 sprigs mint leaves
- 1 lt. coconut sorbet
- 1 cup raspberry coulis**
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Lay one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean surface.
- Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with a little sugar and a little grated coconut.
- Cover with another phyllo dough sheet, and repeat three times. Cut in triangles or squares, about 3 inches long.
- Place on a greased baking sheet (or covered with Silpat).
- Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on racks.
- If made in advance, store in a tightly sealed container until ready to use.
- Créme Brûlée:
- Preheat the oven to 380ºF.
- Put the cream in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale. Add the boiling cream, stirring all the time. Discard the foam.
- Pour in 8 ramekins and bake for 30 minutes. Cool.
- This can be made one day in advance. Keep refrigerated.
- To assemble:
- On dessert plates, put 1 tablespoon créme brûlèe, a phyllo cookie on top, another tablespoon créme brûlèe, bits of cherimoya, and some raspberries.
- Repeat the layers and finish with créme brûlèe and cherimoya.
- Place a scoop of sorbet at the side (optional), and garnish with mint leaves and some raspberry coulis (optional).
- **Raspberry coulis
- In the vase of a blender process 2 cups raspberries with 2-3 tablespoons sugar and the juice of ½ lemon. Strain and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Peru Delights
I love all your recipes specially when using quinoa I made a quinoa flan of you and was amazing!! thanks by sharing!
That’s great Gloria! We LOVE quinoa, and than flan is one of our favorite ways to have it.