Tepache Sorbet
Braised Pineapple, Smoked Pineapple Jam, Tepache Fruit Leather, Piloncillo Crémeux, Coconut Florentine
Pastry Chef Erin Kobler of Proxi and Sepia | Chicago
“The idea for this dish came from wanting to learn how to brew and ferment tepache and then to use it as the main frozen component in a dessert. When developing the dish, it was a no-brainer to utilize the pineapple skin and core given the other components going on the plate (the jam and purée) and use the core as part of the main ferment of the tepache. Our tepache is made with the pineapple flesh as well as the rind and core for the added sweetness. After the tepache was done, I took the fermented fruit to make a fruit leather as part of the garnish.” — Pastry Chef Erin Kobler of Proxi and Sepia
Adapted by StarChefs | August 2024
INGREDIENTS
Smoked Pineapple Jam:
Yield: 2 quarts
1 kilogram grilled pineapple, core and skins removed and reserved
600 grams granulated sugar
24 grams fruit pectin
Juice of 4 limes
Zest of 2 limes
Braised Pineapple:
Yield: 2 kilograms
3 whole pineapples, cut into quarters, core and skins removed and reserved
450 grams simple syrup
150 grams brown sugar
3 vanilla bean pods
200 grams canola oil
Pineapple Chips:
1 pineapple, halved, crown, bottom, core, and skins reserved
Tepache:
5 whole pineapples, cut in wedges
907 grams piloncillo sugar
227 grams granulated sugar
Tepache Sorbet:
Yield: 6 quarts
600 grams coconut cream
1.1 kilograms pineapple juice
1 whole egg, kept in shell
Simple syrup
48 grams sorbet stabilizer
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Spent Tepache Fruit Leather:
Yield: 2 sheet trays
1 tablespoon Ultra-Tex 3
Canola oil
Citric acid
Piloncillo Crémeux:
Yield: 2 quarts
1.232 kilograms coconut milk
180 grams piloncillo sugar
10 grams kosher salt
8 grams vanilla paste
55 grams Ultra-Tex 8
Coconut Florentine:
Yield: 2 quarts
240 grams butter
320 grams dark brown sugar
170 grams honey
10 grams vanilla extract
8 grams kosher salt
50 grams gluten-free flour
240 grams coconut flakes
METHOD
For the Smoked Pineapple Jam:
Heat grill. Once hot, grill pineapple on all sides until slightly charred and smoky. Dice pineapple and transfer to a mixing bowl. Toss with sugar until pineapple is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, transfer pineapple to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Pulse until a jam-like consistency is achieved. Transfer mixture to a pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Add fruit pectin and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until desired consistency is achieved. Transfer to a nonreactive container set over an ice bath and let cool. Once cool, fold in lime juice and zest. Cover and refrigerate.
For the Braised Pineapple:
Heat oven to 325°F. In a vacuum bag, combine pineapple quarters, simple syrup, and brown sugar. Compress and let sit1 hour at room temperature, or until sugar is fully dissolved. Transfer pineapple to a hotel pan with vanilla and oil. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil and bake additional 30 minutes, or until pineapple is deeply golden brown. Using tongs, transfer pineapple and vanilla beans to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Purée until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Pineapple Chips:
Heat oven to 140°F. Prepare and assemble a meat slicer. On a work surface, cut pineapple in half to form two cylindrical pieces. Using the meat slicer, slice pineapple into paper-thin rings. Arrange pineapple slices on clean egg cartons, draping around each divot to create movement. Dehydrate until crisp. Transfer to airtight containers with silica packets. Reserve.
For the Tepache:
In a 22-quart container, add reserved Smoked Pineapple Jam, Braised Pineapple, and Pineapple Chip skins and cores. Submerge scraps in 14 quarts cold water. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add piloncillo sugar and 2 quarts warm water. Mix until sugar is fully dissolved. Pour sugar-water mixture into the pineapple container. Cover with a cheesecloth. Let sit at room temperature 2 days. Add granulated sugar. Cover with cheesecloth and let sit additional 3 days, or up to 2 weeks, depending on room temperature. Once desired fermentation is achieved, transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Tepache Sorbet:
In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut cream, pineapple juice, 480 grams Braised Pineapple, and 1.950 kilograms Tepache. Using a Vitamix Commercial immersion blender, purée mixture until smooth. Drop egg into the mixture. Add enough simple syrup until the tip of the egg breaks the surface. Remove egg. Transfer 1 quart of the mixture to a pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Add 8 grams sorbet stabilizer and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir until well combined. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. Repeat process four times. The next day, spin base in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
For the Spent Tepache Fruit Leather:
Heat oven to 100°F. Remove skin and core from all reserved Tepache pieces. Transfer 1 kilogram spent Tepache to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Purée on high speed until smooth. Reduce speed to low and add Ultra-Tex 3. Blend until fully combined. Repeat process until a thick nappe consistency is achieved. Weigh mixture. Add eight percent canola oil by weight of tepache purée. Return to Vitamix Commercial blender and blend until mixture is fully emulsified. Season with citric acid. Pour mixture onto acetate sheets and dehydrate overnight.
For the Piloncillo Crémeux:
In a pot over medium-high heat, bring coconut milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla paste to a boil. Strain into a nonreactive container and refrigerate until chilled. Once chilled, transfer coconut mixture to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Blend on low speed while slowly streaming in Ultra-Tex 8. Once combined, transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Let sit 15 minutes. If needed, add additional Ultra-Tex 8 until a stiff and creamy consistency is achieved. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate.
For the Coconut Florentine:|
Heat oven to 350°F. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring butter, sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt to a boil. Whisk in flour and coconut flakes until fully combined. Pour batter onto silpat-lined sheet trays. Bake 10 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Let cool, then chop into pea-sized pieces. Transfer to quart containers and reserve.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a small serving bowl, pipe 1 ring Piloncillo Crémeux. Fill ring with 1½ tablespoons Smoked Pineapple Jam. Scatter 1½ tablespoons Coconut Florentine around Piloncillo Crémeux ring. Top with 1 scoop Tepache Sorbet. Garnish with Pineapple Chips. Fill open spaces with Tepache Fruit Leather.
