Lychee Sorbet, Soursop Gelée, Pickled Poblanos, Aperol Gel Pastry Chef Alyssa Lieberman of New City Microcreamery | Shirley, MA

I was excited to center this dessert around The Perfect Purée Lychee Puree—it’s bright, floral, and perfectly consistent for sorbet. It was also my first time working with soursop, which brought a lovely tartness to balance the lychee’s sweetness. The Aperol gel adds a touch of bitterness and color, while the pickled poblanos lend an unexpected crunch. Together, the components create a balanced composition that celebrates lychee’s smooth, refreshing flavor.

Ingredients for Soursop Gelée:
• 480 g. The Perfect Purée Soursop Puree, thawed
• 200 g. water
• 120 g. sugar
• 3 ½ g. agar agar
• 4 g. low-acyl gellan gum
• 1 ½ g. locust bean gum
• 3 g. high-acyl gellan gum
• 1 g. xanthan gum

Ingredients for Lychee Sorbet:
• 2400 g. The Perfect Purée Lychee Puree, thawed
• 50 g. fresh lemon juice
• 900 g. water
• 240 g. glucose syrup
• 1140 g. sugar
• 16 g. low-acyl gellan gum

Ingredients for Aperol Gel:
• 500 g. Aperol
• 50 g. water
• 160 g. sugar
• 4.6 g. agar agar
• 0.7 g. locust bean gum

Ingredients for Poblano Pickle:
• 150 g. mango vinegar
• 400 g. champagne vinegar
• 100 g. yuzu juice
• 150 g. tangerine juice
• 100 g. sugar
• 20 g. salt
• 800 g. poblano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

To Assemble and Serve:
Toasted shredded coconut

Method for Soursop Gelée:
Combine 20 grams of sugar with both gellan gums to prevent clumping. Combine the remaining sugar with agar agar and locust bean gum. Whisk the agar and locust bean mixture into cold water and bring to a boil. Whisk in the sugar–gellan mix and return to a boil for 60 seconds. Cool over an ice bath until fully set—it should form a firm gel. Blend the set gel with The Perfect Purée Soursop Purée and xanthan gum until smooth, then pass through a chinois. Refrigerate overnight to allow air bubbles to settle.

Method for Lychee Sorbet:
Mix about 100 grams of sugar with gellan gum to prevent clumping. Bring water to a boil, whisk in the gellan–sugar mixture, and boil for 60 seconds. Remove from heat, then whisk in the remaining sugar and glucose syrup until dissolved. Add lemon juice and The Perfect Purée Lychee Purée. Chill over an ice bath until set into a loose gel. Blend on high speed until smooth, pass through a fine chinois, and freeze in a batch freezer or Pacojet according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Method for Aperol Gel:
Combine sugar, agar, and locust bean gum to prevent clumping. Whisk all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil for 60 seconds. Set over an ice bath until firm. Blend on high speed and strain through a chinois until smooth.

Method for Poblano Pickle:
In a saucepan, combine vinegars, sugar, and salt, and bring to a simmer until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in yuzu and tangerine juices. Pour hot pickling liquid over thinly sliced poblano peppers, ensuring they’re fully submerged. Store refrigerated overnight or up to two weeks.

Method for Forming the Tubes:
Cut fifteen 3½ x 5-inch acetate sheets and prepare small pieces of tape. Lay the sheets flat on a silicone mat. Using an offset spatula, spread Soursop Gelée in an even ⅛-inch layer over each sheet. Carefully lift each sheet with a thin blade and hold with the short end parallel to your chest. Roll into a tube with the gelée on the inside, overlapping ¼ to ½ inch, and tape closed. Freeze flat until completely solid. Once frozen, stand the tubes upright and pipe Lychee Sorbet into each until full. Freeze overnight.

To Assemble and Serve:
Dot Aperol Gel around the plate in varied sizes. Scatter toasted shredded coconut between the gel dots. Gently peel the acetate off the Lychee Sorbet Tubes and slice each at an angle. Arrange the pieces on the plate and garnish with 2–3 slices of pickled poblano peppers.