Coconut Payasam With Sunchoke Ice Cream at Indienne. Credit: Neil John Burger
FOR THE SUNCHOKE ICE CREAM
Whole sunchokes: 450 G (to make 325 g purée)
Whole milk: 500 ml
Heavy cream: 500 ml
Milk powder: 65 g
Granulated sugar: 200 g
Perfect ice cream stabilizer: 3 g
FOR THE COCONUT MOUSSE
Unsweetened coconut milk: 50 g
Unsweetened coconut purée, such as Boiron, thawed if frozen: 50 g
Sweetened condensed milk: 30 g
Heavy cream: 25 g
compatible N₂O cream charger for a ¼-liter iSi Gourmet Whip: 1
FOR THE RABDI
Whole milk: 1 L
Heavy cream: 250 g
Sweetened condensed milk: 150 g
Ground cardamom: 2 g
FOR THE VANILLA SPONGE
All purpose flour: 156 g
Baking powder: 6 g
Large eggs: 6
Granulated sugar: 145 g
Vanilla essence: 4 g
FOR THE CARAMELIZED COCONUT WATER
Granulated sugar: 100 g
Coconut water: 100 g
Coconut vinegar: 3 ml
FOR THE CASHEW NOUGATINE
Cashews: 50 g
Granulated sugar: 50 g
FOR THE TENDER COCONUT PAYASAM
Tender young coconut flesh: 500 g (cut into small pieces)
Chilled rabdi, from above: 500 g
Unsweetened coconut milk: 325 g
Granulated sugar: 50 g
TO SERVE
Whole milk: as needed to moisten the sponge rounds
Freeze-dried manuka honey pieces: for garnish (optional)
Coconut payasam was the sweet finish to Sathish Kumar’s Diwali lunch growing up in Chennai. For this plated version, he stirs tender young coconut flesh into coconut milk and chilled rabdi, a thick reduction of milk and cream scented with cardamom. “Use good quality coconut,” says Kumar.
The payasam goes over milk-soaked vanilla sponge with a layer of cashew nougatine for crunch. Kumar tops it with coconut mousse and sunchoke ice cream, then spoons coconut water caramel around the bowl.
- Peel the sunchokes and cut them into even chunks. Steam until very tender, about 15 to 25 minutes, then purée until smooth. Weigh out 325 g of the purée.
- Stir the stabilizer into about 2 tablespoons of the measured sugar. In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, milk powder, sunchoke purée, and remaining sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the stabilizer mixture gradually, then continue heating and stirring until the base reaches 185°F (85°C).
- Set the saucepan or a heatproof bowl of the base in an ice bath and stir until cold. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- While the ice cream base chills, whisk together the coconut milk, coconut purée, condensed milk, and cream until smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Charge the whipper shortly before serving.
- Combine the milk and cream in a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered until the mixture has reduced by half, about 45 to 75 minutes.
- Stir frequently, scraping along the bottom, and stir more often as it thickens.
- Stir in the condensed milk and cardamom, then remove from the heat.
- Cool the rabdi over an ice bath, cover, and refrigerate.
- Weigh out 500 g for the payasam once chilled.
- Heat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking pan with parchment. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on high until pale, thick, and fluffy. The mixture should fall from the whisk in a ribbon. Gently fold in the flour mixture in two additions, just until no dry streaks remain.
- Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Begin checking at 12 minutes and bake until the sponge springs back when lightly touched in the center. Cool completely, then cut out ten rounds with a 2-inch cutter.
- Warm the coconut water separately. In a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the sugar over medium heat, adding it in several increments and letting each addition mostly melt before adding the next.
- When the caramel reaches 329°F (165°C), take the pan off the heat.
- Carefully add the warm coconut water a little at a time, letting the bubbling subside between additions.
- Return the pan to low heat and stir until any hardened caramel dissolves.
- Simmer until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- Stir in the coconut vinegar off the heat, then let cool. The sauce should still pour easily at room temperature.
- Spread the cashews on a silicone baking mat set on a heatproof sheet pan.
- Melt the sugar in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When it reaches 334°F (168°C), pour it over the cashews.
- Let cool completely, then break or crush into small pieces.
- Store in an airtight container until serving.
- Whisk the sugar into the coconut milk until dissolved.
- Stir in the chilled rabdi and tender coconut pieces.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
- For a home ice cream maker, churn the thoroughly chilled base according to the machine’s instructions. Divide it into batches as needed to stay below the machine’s maximum fill level. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours, until firm enough to scoop.
- For a Pacojet, pour the chilled base into compatible beakers up to their fill lines. Freeze level for at least 24 hours at −4°F (−20°C), then process from frozen according to the machine’s instructions. Allow at least 2 hours in the freezer after processing, as directed in Kumar’s recipe.
- Pass the cold mousse mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean ¼-liter iSi Gourmet Whip. Charge with one compatible N₂O cream charger and shake according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Lightly moisten each sponge round with milk and place one in the center of each bowl. Top with 1 tablespoon of payasam and 1 teaspoon of cashew nougatine. Dispense enough coconut mousse to cover the payasam, then add a small scoop or quenelle of sunchoke ice cream.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of coconut water caramel around the mousse, dividing it evenly among the bowls. Finish with freeze-dried manuka honey pieces, if using, and serve immediately.
