PUNTOITALY N°2 - July - December 2012

As a base, use at least three flavours of gelato, preferably cream rather than water-based gelato since this is a speciality to be offered in autumn/winter. Further enrich the cup with a sauce or topping and pos- sibly with whole or granulated nuts. Some suggestions for good matches: fiordilatte (whole dairy milk) , spagnola (amarena flavoured) and chocolate gelato, plus a topping of amarena, or bitter cherries in syrup; mascarpone and walnut gelato, plus honey sauce, nut pieces and raisins; vanilla and pistachio gelato plus raspberry sauce; if you wish to emphasise the fruit, opt for strawberry grape and green apple flavours with wild berry sauce. Building the cup 51 THE ITALIAN MAGAZINE FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS IN GELATO, PASTRY AND TRENDY FOOD-AND-DRINK photo by Studio Phototecnica FLOWERS OF GRAPE Choose black or red grapes - ac- cording to availability - for the fine colour contrast with the white flesh of the apple. The grapes must be spherical (definitely not elon- gated) and must be all more or less of the same size - not too small however, since they must be easy to cut. Using a paring knife make three cuts aimed inwards as in the photo, shaping what will become the petals of the flower. At this point, delicately remove the central part of the grape, rotating it so as to obtain a delicate bud. This is how the grape appears once the flesh has been taken out; at this point, all you have to do, to finish off the flower, is to fill the cavity with a redcurrant. COMPLETING THE DECORATION At this point, all the elements necessary for the decoration are ready for use; they can also be conserved for a brief time in a cool place and immersed in a solution of water and lemon. To position them correctly on the cup it is necessary to place some blobs of fairly stiff cream on the gelato at the points where you wish to set the garnish; the fans and flow- ers of fruit can then be inserted into them. PEACOCK FEATHERS This variation on the cup recalls the splendidly ornate tail of a peacock, and can be made using the same work process. The difference sim- ply lies in preparing a single large fan of apple slices, placing a flower of grapes and redcurrant in the middle. The result is truly elegant, and captivating in its simplicity. • Utensils needed A mini-set of paring knives and other knives with smooth, curved and serrated blades, a corer, a lemon zester: these are the essential utensils for making the necessary cuts.