Pineapple Sorbet in a Pineapple Bowl
So, I was browsing TikTok, as I usually do, and I came across a video from Chef Amaury’s pastry academy, I do love their videos and seeing all the stunning desserts the students and instructors make, and in a recent video I spotted them creating this stunning looking pineapple dessert that was a pineapple sorbet served in a pineapple bowl that was filled with candied pineapple and topped with white chocolate and crispy meringue.
I loved the look of that dessert and it seemed like something I could actually do at home so I thought I’d give it a shot. There’s no actual recipe on the video, so I’ll be doing my own interpretation.
Let’s get to it!
Serves 3-4
Difficulty: Intermediate
For the Meringue kisses:
1 egg white
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Candied Pineapple:
1 large, ripe pineapple*
3/4 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
For the Pineapple Sorbet:
2 cups diced pineapple
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
For Garnish:
3 ounces white chocolate, cut into shards
*To test that your pineapple is ripe, grab one of the leaves on the very top and give it a pull. If that leaf pulls out easily, then you’re good to go.
For the meringue kisses, heat the oven to 225 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Beat the egg white and salt with an electric mixer until it starts to become foamy. Gradually add the sugar and then continue beating until the meringue reaches stiff peaks, then stir in the vanilla. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag with a large star tip, then pipe out little mounds on top of the sheet pan. The meringues won’t spread as they bake, so you can pipe them close together.
Bake the meringue for 1 hour, then turn the oven off and leave the meringues in there for 1-2 hours, or until they’re firm to the touch.
Prepare the Pineapple. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise then use a paring knife to cut out the core. Cut the flesh into a cross pattern, then use a strong spoon to scoop out the pineapple flesh, being careful to keep one of the halves intact. (You should end up with around 3 cups of pineapple flesh)
(Look, if you don’t want to bother with the pineapple bowl, then you can certainly serve the sorbet in a regular bowl.)
Make the Candied pineapple. Bring the sugar and water to boil, then add 1 cup of the diced pineapple. Let the mixture boil for about 5-10 minutes, ensuring the pineapple cubes are fully submerged in water.
Reduce the heat to medium, and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid becomes syrupy. Remove from the heat, but let the pineapple sit in the pot for about 10 minutes. Dump out onto a plate or a baking sheet, then move to the fridge to cool completely.
Make the sorbet by combining 4 cups of the pineapple flesh with the sugar, water, cream and lemon juice in a blender until very smooth.
Prepare your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions and churn the sorbet until it reaches a soft, creamy frozen texture. (About 20 minutes)
Transfer the sorbet to another piping bag lined with a large round tip, then pipe the sorbet along the bottom of the saved pineapple half but creating a bowl shape in the center. Fill the center with the cooled candied pineapple, then pipe balls of sorbet around the top to create a bumpy dome shape.
Sprinkle white chocolate shavings and a few of the meringue kisses on top to garnish, then enjoy!
