By Juvy S. Iliwiliw
A little tabletip will help you serve this menu at home to capture the easy, seductive vibe with a dinner that’s a little fancy-and a lot of fun. You can try using an electric mix of unmatched glassware to help add a relaxed note to a formal table. How about hanging those shells from your last beachcombing expedition (or buy some at a craft store). Scattered with flower blossoms in the middle of the table, they’ll make a perfect centerpiece. Here’s another one, improvise an island themed napkin ring with a shell and a pipe cleaner. Pieces of beach glass or driftwood would also work.
You will need:
FRUIT
4 drained canned guavas in syrup, ½ cup syrup reserved
½ cup frozen passion fruit juice blend concentrate (such as Welch’s) thawed
1 cup ½ cup-inch cubes peeled cored pineapple
1 cup ½-inch cubes peeled pitted mango
6 tablespoons sugar
1 cup fresh raspberries
10 large egg yolks
½ cup plus 10 teaspoons sugar
2½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2½ tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
FOR FRUIT: Puree guavas and reserved ½ cup syrup in blender until smooth. Pour 2/3 cup puree into medium saucepan (reserve remaining puree for another use). Add passion fruit, concentrate, pineapple, mango, and sugar to pan. Bring to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; mix in raspberries. Transfer to medium bowl; cover and chill overnight.
FOR CUSTARD: Whisk yolks, ½ cup sugar, herbs, lime juice, and lime peel in medium bowl until blended. Scrape seeds from vanilla beans into large saucepan; add beans. Add cream and milk and bring to boil. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk-herb mixture. Return custard to same saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard is thick and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 8 minutes (do not boil). Strain custard into medium bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Spoon 2 generous tablespoonfuls fruit mixture into each of ¾-cup rameskins. Top each with custard, sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon sugar. Using blowtorch, caramelize sugar topping on custards. Chill custards until topping hardens, at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
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