 | AmazoniaPastry Chef Almendra Callirgos of Jackson and Company Catering | Houston, TX |
Describing this dessert would mean describing my childhood. Growing up in Lima, Peru, I remember visiting my grandparents in Iquitos, Peru every summer. A beautiful city surrounded by the Amazon Rainforest—and just the smell of the Camu Camu from Perfect Purée of Napa Valley brought me back to that time. I wanted to make a dessert that was a hug to my inner child. A symphony of tropical and floral elegance, this vibrant dessert features a silky camu camu mousse paired with a hibiscus champagne–poached pear, bringing both visual drama and aromatic depth. A brown butter and macambo bean crumble adds warmth and crunch, while a creamy coconut gelato soothes and balances. A crisp ginger tuile crowns the plate, adding a touch of spice and refined texture.
Ingredients for Camu Camu and Hibiscus Mousse:
Yield: 8 desserts
• 150 g. The Perfect Purée Camu Camu Puree, thawed
• 50 g. hibiscus
• 7 g. gelatin sheets
• 72 g. sugar
• 43 g. egg whites
• 203 g. whipped cream
Ingredients for Champagne and Hibiscus Poached Pear:
Yield: 8 roses
• 12 Bosc pears
• 12 cups simple syrup
• 2 cups The Perfect Purée Sweet Hibiscus, thawed
• 2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
• 1 splash Calvados
• 2 cups champagne
Ingredients for Brown Butter and Macambo Crumble:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup toasted macambo beans, chopped
• 4 oz. unsalted brown butter
Ingredients for Coconut Gelato:
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 550 g. full-fat milk
• 190 g. heavy whipping cream (48% fat)
• 55 g. liquid glucose
• 105 g. sugar
• 45 g. skimmed milk powder
• 45 g. egg yolks
• 2 g. ice cream stabilizer
Ingredients for Ginger Tuile:
• 1 tsp. ginger powder
• 70 g. powdered sugar
• 50 g. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 76 g. egg whites
• 45 g. unsalted butter
To Assemble and Serve:
Edible flower petals
Method for Camu Camu and Hibiscus Mousse:
Whip cream to soft peaks and reserve in the refrigerator. Bloom gelatin and reserve. Prepare a Swiss meringue with egg whites and sugar. While the meringue whips, heat gelatin with 25 percent of the purée until melted. Temper the cold purée into the warm purée, then gradually fold the mixture into the meringue. Gently fold in the whipped cream until fully incorporated.
Method for Champagne and Hibiscus Poached Pear:
Peel the pears. Bring all liquids to a boil, add the pears, and simmer until just tender—they should be poached halfway, still firm but not crunchy. Chill. Using a mandoline, thinly slice the pears to form petals and roll the slices together to create rose shapes.
Method for Brown Butter and Macambo Crumble:
In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and butter. Whisk until combined. Bake at 325°F until golden brown. Stir in chopped macambo and reserve.
Method for Coconut Gelato:
Place the coconut in a saucepan with milk, cream, glucose, milk powder, and half of the sugar. Heat to 45°C. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining sugar with the ice cream stabilizer. Whisk the sugar mixture and egg yolks into the warm base and cook, whisking constantly, to 85°C. Remove from heat and blend until smooth. Chill over an ice bath, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Churn in an ice cream machine and store in the freezer until service.
Method for Ginger Tuile:
Melt the butter. In a bowl, whisk together ginger powder, powdered sugar, flour, salt, and egg whites. Stir in the melted butter and refrigerate in an airtight container for 1 hour. Spread onto a silpat in desired shape and bake at 325°F until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
To Assemble and Serve:
Pipe the Camu Camu Mousse into a ring in the center of the plate. Scoop coconut gelato into the middle of the ring. Top with crumble, then place a pear rose on top of the gelato. Garnish with a ginger tuile and edible flower petals.