Cassadra Guzman

Cassandra Guzman of Hartford, Conn.      
Strawberry Flan with a Trio of Sauces Accompanied by Tuile
 
Guzman attends A I. Prince Technical High School. Her recipe was originally submitted in the Healthful Dessert category.
 
Strawberry Puree
Ingredients
1 pint strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
5-6 blackberries
 
Method of Preparation
1. Cut strawberries into halves and place in food processor. Puree.
2. Measure out one cup of puree, then boil puree and sugar together over high heat.
3. Dissolve cornstarch in water then add to puree.
4. Boil for about one minute, then remove from heat.
5. Use one cup of the puree in the flan recipe.
 
Strawberry Flan
Ingredients
1 cup egg whites
6 and 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7 ounces whole milk
1 cup strawberry puree
3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
 
Method of Preparation
1. Combine the egg whites, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly blended (do not whip).
2. Scald the milk and strawberry puree in a saucepan over low heat.
3. Gradually pour the milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Bloom the gelatin, then add to the other mixture.
4. Skim off all foam from the surface of the liquid
5. Arrange custard cups in a shallow baking pan. Spray the insides of the cups if the custards are to be removed from the molds, rather than eaten out of the cups.
6. Carefully pour the custard mixture into the cups. If bubbles form during this step, skim them off.
7. Set the baking pan on the oven shelf. Pour enough hot water in the pan around the cups so that the level of water is about as high as the level of the custard mixture.
8. Bake at 325 degrees until set, about 45 minutes.
9. Carefully remove the custard from the oven and cool.
10. Store in the refrigerator.
 
Orange Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup orange juice
2 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup concentrate
1 cup sugar
 
Method of Preparation
1. Add enough juice to cornstarch to make a slurry.
2. Boil rest of orange juice.
3. Add slurry to thicken the juice.
4. Continue to cook for one minute.
5. Remove from heat, cool and reserve in sauce pan.
 
Kiwi Sauce Ingredients
5 kiwis, peeled
3/4 cup corn syrup
 
Method of Preparation
1. Puree the fruit in the food processor. (Do not break up seeds, this will cause sauce to turn grey.)
2. Adjust sweetness with the appropriate amount of corn syrup.
3. Reserve in sauce bottle.
 
Blackberry Sauce
Ingredients
3/4 cup fresh blackberries
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
 
Method of Preparation
1. Puree blackberries in food processor.
2. In a saucepan over high heat, boil together blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water.
3. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup water and add to pan.
4. Boil for about one minute.
5. Remove from heat and strain.
6. Cool and reserve in sauce bottle.
 
Tuile
Ingredients
1/2 cup egg whites
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup confectionary sugar
2 ounces margarine
 
Method of Preparation
1. Whip egg whites slightly by hand. Fold in flour, sugar, and margarine.
2. With a 2-ounce ladle, drop out batter onto a well greased, hot cookie sheet.
3. Bake until golden brown around the edges.
4. Immediately cut out 4 triangle-shaped cookies and shaped into a curved style.
 
Chocolate Piping Garnish
Ingredients
10 ounces dark chocolate chips
6 ounces vegetable oil
2 sheets parchment paper
 
Method of Preparation
1. Place chocolate chips in bain-marie (double boiler) and heat chocolate until melted
2. Add oil to get a smooth mixture
3. Create parchment-piping bag. Fill the piping bag 3/4 of the way full with chocolate, then cut small opening to make a tip for the bag.
 
Whipped Cream
Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
 
Method of Preparation
1. Place heavy cream in mixer.
2. Whip on medium speed until it begins to stiffen up.
3. Add sugar slowly.
4. When stiff, turn off mixer and place into pastry bag.
 
Garnishes
Ingredients
10 each kiwi slices
6 each strawberries
 
Method of Preparation
1. Peel kiwi fruit and cut in half. Slice into very thin slices.
2. Slice strawberries 3/4 of the way then fan out.