Recipe: Rootbeer Float ReDeux

I recently learned that this dessert will (most likely) be featured in a major pastry magazine.

Knowing my track record with publishable pics, I had pros do it. That was a very odd experience as I powdered and misted my dessert to make it photogenic. For my inside readers, you'll note that my maraschino cherry spere deflated during the shoot. Hopefully no one will notice. I've reworked this since my last version in March of last year. I think this one is better and the recipe is more refined for others to use. I count this as one of my best desserts along side my Peanut Butter Pie, Pop-Tart, and maybe the Sugar Cream Pie.

Root beer Base
30 g Sassafras root
15 g Dandelion root
8 g Wintergreen
15 g Hops
30 g Juniper berries
226 g Sugar
226 g Light muscovado sugar
226 g Palm sugar
115 g Honey

Rinse sassafras and dandelion in cold water. Crush juniper berries, and add to mix with hops and wintergreen. Place all of the herbs and berries in a cheesecloth bag. Boil two gallons of water and pour half over the mix bag. Simmer for a half hour.

Remove bag and discard. Add the sweeteners and the other gallon of water. Taste the root beer and adjust. Boil the base until slightly thickened. Let cool to room temperature. (Alternatively you could use Amoretti root beer extract at 1% in the cream.)

“Ice Cream”
150 g Milk
30 g Sugar
2 Egg yolks
1 T. Vanilla paste
5 Sheets gelatin, softened
200 g Whipped cream

Bring milk just to a boil. In separate bowl combine yolks and sugar. Use the hot milk to temper the egg mixture. Pour egg mixture into remaining hot milk and continue whisking until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and add the vanilla paste and softened gelatin. Allow to cool, and fold into the whipped cream. Pour into a 40 mm half sphere mold (Chef Rubber ref: 800304). Freeze.

Root Beer Cream
180 g Heavy cream
30 g Rootbeer syrup
3 Egg yolks
1 Sheet gelatin, softened

Heat heavy cream until hot. In separate bowl, whisk syrup and yolks. Temper yolk mixture with hot cream. Whisk in the softened gelatin. Cool until thick enough to support the weight of the “ice cream.” Fill a 60 mm half sphere mold (Chef Rubber ref: 800302) with the cream half way. Set the frozen “ice cream” into the root beer cream and level the tops. Freeze.

Cherry
138 g Maraschino cherry juice
3.4 g Calicium lactate
25 g Sugar
500 g Water
2.5 g Sodium alginate

Using an immersion blender, combine juice and Calcium lactate. Pipe juice into a 1” sphere mold (Chef Rubber ref: 800414). Freeze until solid.

In a blender mix the water and sugar creating a vortex. Add the sodium alginate and be sure to thoroughly blend. Transfer solution to a deep prep bowl. Drop the cherry balls into the sodium alginate bath and allow to set for 45 seconds. Carefully remove the spheres and drop into a clean water bath. Keep chilled until service.

Turn frozen “floats” over exposing the round bottoms. Spray bottoms with white chocolate and cocoa butter (equal parts) through an air brush or sprayer. This will become the serving shell. Allow the “float” to thaw in the cooler for service.

At service, using a melon baller, scoop a 1” half sphere from the center of the “ice cream.” Carefully place the cherry sphere into hole. For additional garnish, crush Brach’s root beer candy and melt on silpat sheet, forming into desired shape.