- 400 g strawberries (Gariguettes, Mara des Bois)
- 50 cl very cold UHT liquid cream
- 40 g icing sugar
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
- 1 orange
- 30 g shelled pistachios
- Hull the strawberries and cut them into strips. Layer them at the bottom of four glass verrines. Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and drizzle with the juice from the orange, which you've peeled with a paring knife—saving the peel.
- Finely chop the orange peel and gently confit it in a light syrup.
- Whip the very cold cream into Chantilly, gradually adding the icing sugar and Grand Marnier toward the end. Divide the cream among the verrines.
- Top with a few strawberry slices, then delicately sprinkle with the candied orange peel and slivered pistachios.
One of my readers shared she often struggles with Chantilly. Here's how to nail it every time, based on years of perfecting desserts:
- Chill everything: bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15+ minutes, and use ice-cold UHT liquid cream.
- Start whipping at medium speed, increase after a minute, and add sugar gradually. Stop when soft peaks form—don't overwhip into butter.
- Opt for full-fat liquid or whipping cream; UHT versions with carrageenan stabilize beautifully. Avoid light versions—they won't hold peaks.
