The perfect summer dessert should require minimum cooking, be light, refreshing, feature summer produce, and offer a lovely appearance. Here it is: Champagne-Poached Nectarines With Raspberry Mousse. The inspiration for this came initially from the Roux Brothers, brilliant chefs who cooked for the Rothschilds and then ran two very famous restaurants in London. Their version used peaches and strawberries, and was clearly inspired by the classic dessert Peach Melba, named after Australian opera singer Nellie Melba, which consisted of poached peaches with raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Thus my Champagne-Poached Nectarines With Raspberry Mousse has its roots in both of those dishes. I have made my version with peaches as well, which is perfectly good. However, I prefer nectarines over peaches because they have a more assertive flavor and are less prone to bruises. The one advantage peaches have over nectarines is that they tend to be freestone, which makes them somewhat easier to cut and eat.
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For the Sugar Syrup
Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. Bring the ingredients to a boil, stirring frequently. Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for about 10 minutes. Allow it to cool, then place in the refrigerator, where it will keep for two weeks.
For the Nectarines
The nectarines should be ripe but not the least soft or bruised. I use white nectarines because I believe they have a superior flavor, but yellow ones are suitable.
Ripe nectarines.
Though the title includes the word champagne, it is not necessary to use an expensive true champagne. A dry or demi sec sparkling wine, such as Prosecco, will do just fine. Chill the champagne so it won’t foam over when opened. Fill your sink with cold water.
In a large pot, pour in the champagne or sparking wine, the cool sugar syrup, and the vanilla bean.
Bring another large pot of water to boil. With a very pointed knife, gently make a slight slit all around the seams of the nectarines.
Slit the nectarine skin.
Try not to puncture the flesh. Submerge each nectarine in the boiling water for 6-8 seconds.
Submerge the fruit in boiling water.
Then plunge the nectarines in the cold water in the sink.
Plunge the fruit in cold water.
Carefully peel the skin.
Peel the skin.
The skin peels quite easily, except perhaps around the stem. If you can’t remove the skin around the stem, leave it because more will be removed when the nectarines are poached.
Immediately place each peeled nectarine in the champagne liquid so it does not discolor.
When all the peeled fruit has been placed in the champagne mixture, bring the liquid to a boil over medium-low heat. Once a boil is reached, lower the heat so the liquid is at a simmer, and poach for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Flip the fruit occasionally so that all parts are cooked.
Poach the fruit.
Remove the fruit to a baking dish, pour over the nectarines some of the poaching liquid, and cover loosely with foil until the fruit is completely cooled. Again, this is to help keep the fruit from discoloring.
Allow the fruit to cool.
Do not refrigerate the nectarines. If the remaining poaching liquid has bits of peel in it, strain it out, remove the vanilla bean, and refrigerate it until cold.
For the Raspberry Mousse
Place the sugar in the bowl of a processor or blender, and process for 1 minute until the sugar is superfine.
Make the sugar superfine.
Then add the the raspberries, and lemon juice.
Place the berries in the processor.
Process the berries until completely smooth.
Purée the berries.
Force the fruit through a sieve to remove all the seeds.
Strain the purée.
Refrigerate the raspberry purée until cold. Chill a bowl and beater. Beat the heavy cream until fairly stiff peaks are formed. Gently but thoroughly fold in the cold raspberry purée into the whipped cream.
Fold the purée into the whipped cream.
Refrigerate the mousse until ready to serve.
To Assemble the Champagne-Poached Nectarines With Raspberry Mousse
Divide the mousse evenly over the bottom of attractive, shallow curved plates or serving bowls. Place one nectarine, with the stem side up on the mousse in each bowl. Decorate the stem area with sprigs of mint.
Place the cold poaching liquid in a sauceboat, allowing each person to spoon some over the dessert. The flavorful champagne poaching liquid marries perfectly with the mousse.
Serve the Champagne-Poached Nectarines With Raspberry Mousse with a fork, knife and a spoon.
