Almond and Custard Pizzette

Method

Almond and Custard Pizzette

For the Brioche Dough:

Warm the milk gently till warm, add the butter and stir till just melted.

Sieve flour into a bowl, stir through the yeast and sugar.

Make a well in the centre of the flour.

Add the eggs, the milk/butter mix and pinch of salt.

Stir to form a dough.

Allow to prove to double its size.

Butter and line the bases of the moulds with foil.

Spoon 80g of dough into each mould taking care not to damage the delicate mass.

For the Pastry Cream:

Scald the milk with the vanilla pod.

Beat the yolks and sugar till pale.

Add the flour and corn flour beat till smooth.

Pour a third of the hot milk over the egg mix whilst stirring.

When the mix is smooth pour back into the sauce pan with the remaining milk.

Cook till the mix thickens, do not allow to come to the boil.

Pour into suitable storage container and cover the mix with cling film or a fine layer of castor sugar.

For the Frangipane:

Cream the butter, sugar and ground almonds.

With the beater running slowly add the egg, followed by the flour.

Allow to rest in the refrigerator.

Roll paste into small round balls.

For the Poached Pear:

Peel the pears.

Using a Parisian scoop, scoop out as many spheres as possible.

Place the sugar, pear spheres, vanilla in the zip lock bag.

Try squeeze out as much air from the bag as possible before zipping closed.

Poach in a pot of gently simmering water till the fruit is tender.

For the Cinnamon Sugar:

Mix the two ingredients together.

For the Amaretto Ice Cream:

Dissolve water and sugar in heavy based saucepan over a medium heat.

Bring to the boil and take the sugar to soft ball stage 127°C.

Beat the egg whites to a soft peak.

With the beater turning slowly add the sugar syrup.

Beat till thick and glossy and near room temperature.

Whip the cream to thick ribbon stage.

Stir through the almond liquor.

Fold the cream through the meringue.

Fold into a 1 litre container.

Final Preparation:

Pipe 6 generous dollops of pastry cream onto each brioche disk.

Arrange six frangipane balls onto each disk.

Divide the flaked almonds to top each disk.

Arrange blobs of butter on top of the disks.

Bake for 6min at 175°C.

Set the pizzettes on plates, arrange the poached pears and serve with a scoop of Amaretto ice cream.