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Exotic fruit ravioli

This stunning dish is a regular on the menu at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons. The dish may seem complicated but all the elements are fairly simple to replicate at home and each can be prepared in advance. It is well worth the effort for a special occasion! Serves 10

Equipment and preparation: For this recipe you will need a sugar thermometer, 10 x 7cm/2¾in rubber dome moulds and a 6½cm/2½in cutter.

For the lime powder
4 limes, zest only
50g/2oz caster sugar
For the panna cotta
6 free-range egg yolks
50g/2oz caster sugar
450ml/16fl oz fresh pineapple purée, or good quality pineapple juice
130ml/5fl oz coconut milk
4½ leaves gelatine, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, then drained
large bowl crushed ice
4 tsp white rum
4 tsp coconut-flavoured rum
½ lime, juice only
pinch cayenne pepper
For the exotic fruit filling
100g/4oz mango purée
2 tsp caster sugar
½ lime, juice only
100g/4oz papaya flesh, cut into 0.5cm/¼in dice
2 fresh passion fruit, pulp and seeds only
100g/4oz mango flesh, cut into 0.5cm/¼in dice
100g/4oz pineapple, cut into 0.5cm/¼in dice
4 fresh mint leaves, chopped
For the ravioli glaze
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp water
200ml/7fl oz passion fruit juice, without seeds
2 leaves gelatine, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, then drained
For the coconut sorbet
100ml/4fl oz water
100g/4oz sugar
300ml/11fl oz coconut cream
200ml/7fl oz coconut milk
50ml/2fl oz coconut-flavoured rum
1 lime, juice only
For the coconut jus
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
320ml/12fl oz coconut milk
3 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract

For the lime powder, preheat the oven to 100C/210F/Gas ½.

Mix the lime zest with the sugar, scatter onto a baking sheet lined with kitchen parchment and place in the oven for two hours. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. (The lime powder will keep for up to a week in an airtight container.)

For the panna cotta, line the base and sides of a deep, 20cm x 28cm/8in x 11in freezer-proof tray with greaseproof paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Place the pineapple purée (or juice) and coconut milk in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 seconds.

Pour half of the hot pineapple and coconut mixture onto the eggs, whisk them together, then pour back into the saucepan holding the remaining pineapple and coconut mixture.

Cook over a gentle heat, stirring all the time, until the mixture has reached 85-87C/188F, then remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add the drained gelatine to the saucepan, stir well until the gelatine has dissolved, then strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl set over the bowl of crushed ice.

Let the mixture cool, stirring from time to time, then add the rum, lime juice and cayenne pepper.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tray and freeze for 2-3 hours, or until set.

Meanwhile, for the exotic fruit filling, mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and fill the rubber dome moulds to about half their depth, levelling the tops with a small spoon.

Remove the panna cotta from the freezer and carefully lift it from the tray. Cut 10 discs with the cutter and place one on the top of each of the fillings in the rubber moulds. Press down so the filling oozes up the sides slightly. Place the moulds in the freezer for two hours, or until they are completely frozen.

When the ravioli are completely frozen, make the glaze. Gently heat the sugar and water in a small pan to make a syrup. Add the passion fruit juice, heat through and stir in the softened gelatine. Remove from the heat and stir well – the mixture should have an oily consistency which you need to keep as you glaze the frozen ravioli. If the glaze mixture starts to cool and thicken, microwave it for 3-5 seconds until it regains its oily consistency.

To glaze the ravioli, remove the fillings from the moulds and place on a wire rack with a tray beneath to catch any drips from the glaze.

Spoon the glaze over the frozen ravioli until each have a coating about 0.2cm/⅛in thick.

Place the tray of coated ravioli in the fridge for four hours before serving, or return to the freezer if you wish to serve them later than this.

Meanwhile, for the coconut sorbet, bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small pan and simmer for 10 seconds.

Place the coconut cream and coconut milk in a large bowl, pour over the syrup and add the coconut-flavoured rum and lime juice.

Whisk the mixture together and pour into an ice cream maker. Churn for one hour, or until you have a smooth sorbet, then transfer to the freezer until ready to use.

For the coconut jus, place all the ingredients in a small pan, simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.

Pass through a very fine sieve or muslin cloth and store in the fridge until ready to use.

To assemble the dish, using a spatula, transfer the glazed ravioli to the centre of medium-sized bowls. Foam the coconut jus with a hand blender and spoon the foam around the ravioli. Make a small indent in the centre of each ravioli, fill with a scoop of coconut sorbet and sprinkle over the lime powder.

Tip

The ravioli and sorbet can be made in advance. Take the ravioli out and glaze them about four hours before serving and keep them in the fridge. The coconut sorbet should be defrosted for two hours in the fridge.