Author Notes
Since I read about this weeks contest, I was wondering whether it is possible to make a sweet aioli for desserts with oil.
Then I thought to myself: If the Italians bake cakes with olive oil, I will at list try.
I didn’t want to use just sugar, and decided to use a fruit poaching liquid.
Since I didn’t have any fresh pears or figs, which are my favorites for poaching, I used dried fruits and neutral oil only.
The lemon zest and juice and all the fruits and spices dominate over the taste of oil, and make this Aioli perfect for serving alongside strudels, cakes and fruits.
Now I have a new task, to try clarified warm butter instead of oil.
—Kukla
Ingredients
- Poached dried fruit
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• 1 1/2 cups water
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1 cup dry white wine
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1/2 cup sugar
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1/2 cup honey
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1 1/2 navel oranges, thinly sliced
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• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
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• 2 green cardamom pods, smashed
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4 candied ginger pieces
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• 2 cinnamon sticks
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40 dried apricots (1 1/2 cups)
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1 cup dried plums
- For the Aioli: Makes 2 cups
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• ½ cup poaching syrup plus 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
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• 3 egg yolks room temperature
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• 1 cup grapeseed oil
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• Zest of 1 and juice of ½ lemon
Directions
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1. Bring water, wine, sugar, honey, oranges, vanilla seeds, and spices to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 8 minutes.
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2. Add apricots and plums. Cover, and cook until apricots have softened, about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving liquid and transferring fruit to a bowl. Simmer liquid until reduced to 1 cup, about 6-8 minutes, add vanilla. Strain syrup through fine sieve. Pour ½ cup syrup over fruit. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve with Dessert Aioli.
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1. Pour the syrup to a food processor; add the egg yolks, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon oil.
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2. Process, alternating 1/2 a teaspoon of lemon juice and a few drops of oil at a time (I made it in a mini processor and the two little halls distributed the oil just perfectly).
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3. Repeat until all of the lemon juice and oil are incorporated and the Aioli thickens. Transfer to a jar and chill.
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