Ispahan Crème Rose scented creams with lychees and raspberries @Not Quite Nigella

Ispahan Crème for Christmas Dinner

December 17, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella

ispahan creams 1-1

I was at a convent flicking through an issue of Delicious. Yes you heard right, I was at a Convent. I hadn’t checked myself in I should clarify though. It was a convent in Orange where I was having lunch. I was looking through the latest issue of Delicious and murmuring and pointing to various items when suddenly I turned over a page and my heart skipped a beat. It’s that moment. You know the moment, when you’re obsessed with food and you see something that just hits all the buttons. This recipe for rose scented creams with lychees and raspberries spoke to me in a most come-hither enticing way. It also helped that we had a box of the freshest picked berries and cherries in the car waiting to be transported into our fridge at home. That moment my stomach leaped in excitement. I had to make them.

Ispahan creme

I have another food confession to make. I adore tinned lychees. Of course fresh ones are gorgeous but sometimes they’re not as good as you want them to be but tinned ones, they always taste the same. They were the ones from my childhood. I recall sitting for what seemed like an interminable time in Chinese restaurants while my parents chatted to friends. Lychees and vanilla ice cream were the thing I always looked forward to-for starters it signalled the end to the evening and it was sweet, refreshing and creamy at the same time. At home I used to stick tins of it in the fridge to chill it, drain out the juice in a tall glass, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the juice and stir it to mix it and drop in a few lychees. Now that was the most refreshing type of drink to me and fishing out the fat, pearlised lychees from the bottom with a spoon was the best ending.

ispahan creams berry haul

Our fresh berry haul

Anyway, back to the creams. I did a trial run of these using half of the quantity to see whether they’d survive a hectic Christmas schedule and I’m very happy to report that they would most certainly. The wonderful thing about these is the fact that they can be done hours ahead – in fact the cream absolutely has to be done hours ahead although you will want to hold off on decorating it until before serving (an hour or two won’t hurt though). It’s also perfect for the hot Australian Christmas where fruit and ice cream or gelato are often served in place of plum pudding. And the fact that it’s all white, red and gold couldn’t look more Christmassy.

ispahan creme 2-1

I served these in a margarita glass but any wide brimmed glass will do. The rose cream, lychees and berries work wonderfully together in that brilliant homage to Pierre Herme’s Ispahan creation so whilst it wasn’t originally called an Ispahan Crème, I thought this would suit it. And you know what is funny? I read that Herme uses tinned lychees for his Ispahan dessert!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you rate tinned lychees or do you only eat fresh ones? Or do you go for the deep fried ice cream in Chinese restaurants?

Ispahan Crèmes (Rose scented creams with lychees and raspberries)

Adapted from a recipe by Phillipa Sibley of Bistro Guillame

300ml cream
300ml milk
130g caster sugar
1 teaspoon rosewater
3 titanium strength gelatine leaves
a little pink food colouring
2x 120g punnets raspberries, cherries or other berries
Lychees and edible gold leaf

Buyer’s tip: edible Gold leaf can be found at specialty cooking stores, some Indian grocery stores and larger art supply stores. Rosewater or Rosewater essence can be found at most supermarkets.

1. In a small saucepan, place cream, milk and 1/3 cup (75g) of the sugar and roseweater and set to medium heat until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is almost bubbling.

gelatine cream

Placing gelatine in the rose cream

2. Meanwhile soften the gelatine leaves in some cold water for a few minutes. Remove and squeeze out excess water and add to the cream mixture along with a little pink food colouring to tint it a pale pink. Strain through a fine sieve and cool. Pour into 6 serving glasses and refrigerate. Mine took about 1.5 hours to set.

3. While it is setting, make a syrup with the remaining 1/4 cup (55g) of sugar and an equal quantity of 1/4 cup of water. Stir to dissolve sugar and then simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened slightly. Cool syrup. Place 1 punnet of the raspberries with the syrup in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve pressing down with the back of a spoon so the seeds are removed and all of the liquid has been extracted. Chill.

berry coulis

Possibly the ugliest picture to appear on NQN but I just had to show it

4. Take set creams out of the fridge and place a spoonful of the berry sauce in the centre. Dot with fruit and arrange whole, pitted lychee to one side. Using tweezers and dry hands, add gold leaf to the lychee and serve.

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Posted in Christmas, Cooking and Recipes, Other Sweet Things, Romantic, Themes

49 Comments | Add your own

1. gobsmack'd | December 17, 2009 at 6:38 am | #

Hi Lorraine, That’s a must-make recipe! Love it. Perfect for my contribution towards Christmas lunch at friends’ place – I know they’ve already got pud lined up but this can be the pre-dessert. Hah! Personally, I prefer longans to lychees as I find that the latter can be a tad perfumed, if you know what I mean. That applies to both fruits either fresh or tinned. I don’t have anything against fragrant fruits, but in this case lychees seem to me to be doused in it! Oh well …
2. pigpigscorner | December 17, 2009 at 7:32 am | #

This is beautiful! and I agree with you on canned lychee, they are predictable and tasty =)
3. Rosa | December 17, 2009 at 7:41 am | #

A delightful dessert!

Cheers,

Rosa
4. snooky doodle | December 17, 2009 at 7:45 am | #

I have a confession to make too I ve never tried lychees.Shame on me. this creme looks so nice and festive and yummy
5. Amy@takentopieces | December 17, 2009 at 7:46 am | #

They look absolutely gorgeous Lorraine. I don’t think I’ve ever had tinned lychees, only fresh. A creature of habit I always had deep fried ice cream as a child. I have a most embarrassing food confession. I like tinned asparagus! It is, of course, a completely separate beast to fresh asparagus but there is something compelling about the mushy, green spears.
6. Fiona | December 17, 2009 at 7:46 am | #

sounds like a great use for the leftoever berries I have!
7. Carrie | December 17, 2009 at 7:47 am | #

Those are so festive and beautiful…but a bit of an undertaking? You make it all look so easy!

Merry Christmas, Carrie
8. Lisa | December 17, 2009 at 8:07 am | #

They look fantastic – and would make the perfect summer dessert I love lychees! I prefer fresh but don’t mind tinned ones either.
9. sandra | December 17, 2009 at 8:08 am | #

Definitely like lighter desserts in our summer christmas. This ticks all the right boxes.
I have never tried tinned lychees only the fresh ones.
10. Anita | December 17, 2009 at 8:34 am | #

That looks like a gorgeous Christmas dessert.
11. Carolyn Jung | December 17, 2009 at 9:11 am | #

This is as festive as a lovely Christmas ornament, especially with the touch of gold leaf. I, too, confess a fondness for CANNED lychees. I mean, you can have them handy in the cupboard any time of year. How great is that? With cubes of quivering Chinese almond jello, it’s the bomb.
12. Highlands Foodie | December 17, 2009 at 9:19 am | #

Looks delicious…there’s nothing like a large bowlfull of berries on Christmas day! As for the lychees…I like them timmed too!
13. Alex | December 17, 2009 at 9:23 am | #

This really does look like a perfect christmas dessert for hot summer days. It’s so elegant and pretty as well!
14. jooles | December 17, 2009 at 9:59 am | #

have you drawn the competitions yet xxx
15. Lea Ann | December 17, 2009 at 10:07 am | #

Well once again you blow me away with those photographs. Beautiful work Lorraine and this recipe looks so elegant and delicious. Great post.
16. Chris | December 17, 2009 at 10:09 am | #

Your dessert looks delicious ! Definately the deep fried ice cream for me. Love fresh lychees though
17. deana | December 17, 2009 at 10:33 am | #

I just made marshmallows with rosewater… must be in the air. The Ispahan custard looks awesome… and I’ve never tried a lichee!! Time to start!
18. Sarah | December 17, 2009 at 10:37 am | #

ohhh my god! that looks sooo delicious! I love canned lychees too – they always taste so sweet and juicy.
19. Amanda N | December 17, 2009 at 10:38 am | #

Gorgeous!! These would be so nice for a hot Sydney Christmas! (Today is going to result in me melting into a puddle on the floor I think). I would definitely relish having this for dessert at Christmas rather than hot pudding and custard (as much is I like custard).
20. Gera @ SweetsFoods | December 17, 2009 at 10:52 am | #

What a beautiful crème has all the berries I want..so beautiful & gorgeous in its colors too

Cheers,

Gera
21. mlle délicieuse | December 17, 2009 at 11:06 am | #

Fresh lychees please, only because I prefer the texture. Although I do have a soft spot for deep-fried ice-cream from frequenting Chinese restaurants during my childhood and then working part-time in one through uni!
22. Faith | December 17, 2009 at 11:25 am | #

These are so pretty and festive with the gold leaf! Your berry pics are making me long for summer!
23. Lucy | December 17, 2009 at 11:26 am | #

That looks so lovely…..I do the same thing with Lychees…..I always have a tin in the fridge, and eat them chilled with ice-cream. I also do the same thing with tins of satsuma plums…..
24. Krista | December 17, 2009 at 11:36 am | #

Absolutely gorgeous!! I love this so much
25. Arwen from Hoglet K | December 17, 2009 at 11:55 am | #

That’s a very pretty dessert, and perfect for summer!
26. Conor @ HoldtheBeef | December 17, 2009 at 12:41 pm | #

Fresh lychees please, but I’m glad you can get the tinned ones too. I just only ever seem to eat them in season, as I tend to forget about them otherwise!

Glad to see you escaped from the convent.
27. romaverona | December 17, 2009 at 12:55 pm | #

Merry Christmas, Lorraine!

I adore tinned lychees too.
28. Donna | December 17, 2009 at 1:01 pm | #

I can never decide between deep fried ice cream and lychees & ice cream at Chinese restaurants and usually have to make someone else choose for me :p

I LOVE lychees though – fresh & tinned. There’s nothing wrong with tinned lychees, especially because it means I can eat them year round.
29. La Pastry Chef | December 17, 2009 at 1:32 pm | #

Gorgeous photos as usual!

I adore rose, lychees, and berries and canned lychees are really good! There is a Thai restaurant I go to that serves a delicious Lychee Iced Tea – it has 3 canned lychees at the bottom and sweetened with the syrup. YUM!

ps: so did you feel naughty at the convent or what?
30. Einna | December 17, 2009 at 2:11 pm | #

I love nothing more than canned lychees with either ice cream or almond jelly. Yummmm….. This recipe looks interesting. Might try it out at Christmas!
31. Lulu | December 17, 2009 at 2:55 pm | #

I always WANT the deep fried icecream but can never fit it in!!!
32. sophia | December 17, 2009 at 3:11 pm | #

Lychee is the best fruit ever. I just listened to a radio station that was extolling the virtues of the lychee fruit!
33. Philip | December 17, 2009 at 4:40 pm | #

Hi I would like to know where do you get those gold foils to decorate? I couldn’t find it anywhere here! And also rose water and rose essence too? I would like to try this for Christmas functions cos it just looks divine…
34. matilda | December 17, 2009 at 5:45 pm | #

Fresh Lychees all the way for me, I don’t like the tinned ones as they taste tinny lol Also, I believe in eating food that is in season as much as possible, making it even more extraordinary. The whole family love to eat them so I buy 5kilo boxes at a time, deliciously pink, plump and juicy. I took a kilo to a friend’s bbq last weekend and peeled them for everyone, they were devoured within minutes!
35. Cakelaw | December 17, 2009 at 6:13 pm | #

Yum! These look great. I like the name “Ispahan cremes” much better than “rose-scented creams”. I have only ever eaten tinned lychees, usually at Chinese restaurants, so I have no point of comparison!
36. Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes) | December 17, 2009 at 6:24 pm | #

I lovee lychees!! Never tried tinned ones though. This looks delicious!
37. Carrie | December 17, 2009 at 6:55 pm | #

Did you see Nigella tonight on Nightline US? She is so cute!

Carrie
38. anna | December 17, 2009 at 10:52 pm | #

I’m jealous of your berries. I like lychees canned and fresh but the fresh ones can be a pain to deal with.
39. Natalie | December 17, 2009 at 11:40 pm | #

Living in the UK I completely get the ‘tinned fruit’ argument. If I try any exotic fruits over here I am disappointed 99% of the time, so tinned lychees sound perfectly reasonable! Your dessert looks fabulous and I’m now tempted to swap out my planned lime and lemon pudding for boxing day. Hmmmmm …
40. Pam | December 17, 2009 at 11:45 pm | #

Look at that color…amazing! I luv that magazine Delicious, it’s at Barnes and Noble.

Enjoy!
41. grace | December 18, 2009 at 12:54 am | #

i’ve never tried a lychee, but i can state with certainty that you’ve created a pleasing and beautiful dessert! the combo of berries on top is lovely and the cream itself is smooth and luscious. like me.
42. 5 Star Foodie | December 18, 2009 at 1:22 am | #

Sound so lovely with rosewater flavor and just beautiful with the gold leaf!
43. Lauren | December 18, 2009 at 1:57 am | #

Yum! I’ve never had a lychee, but they sound wonderful =D.
44. Su-yin | December 18, 2009 at 2:16 am | #

I love lychees too, and completely agree that tinned ones aren’t as bad as you’d think they’d be! I might just be making this for Christmas, it’s perfect as it can be made in advance…
45. ArtemisIII | December 18, 2009 at 9:21 am | #

You know the moment, when you’re obsessed with food and you see something that just hits all the buttons

It’s sooooo true! I am definitely the same way. My heart just skips a beat and i know i have found my next “adventure”

As for the lychee’s, I have never had the tinned one, but i do love the fresh ones. Pascal’s parents have two large lychee trees and they are the most succulent -drools-
46. YW | December 18, 2009 at 10:10 am | #

When I was little, tinned lychee and longan were like the SPECIAL treat we could have only once in a while. My favourite tinned fruit is rambutan with a piece of pineapple wedged in the centre! Just can’t stop eating them especially when they are chilled
47. Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets | December 20, 2009 at 5:43 pm | #

Oh wow – look at dem berries. I’m so jealous as we’re in the middle of a blizzard in here in DC. I don’t turn my nose at canned lychee but I grew up in China on the fresh kind and prefer those.
48. Alphia | December 21, 2009 at 9:44 am | #

Hi Lorraine,

This recipe looks great – I will definitely try it. I just had the same experience going through magazines my Mom brought over from home – peanut butter fudge brownies with cheesecake swirled through. Not as light and delicate as your recipe – nonetheless I am making them tonight!
49. Not Quite Nigella | December 22, 2009 at 10:23 pm | #

Hi gobsmack’d-Thanks! I agree, it’s so Australian Christmassy Yep I know what you mean (although I personally love the perfume hehe). Hope you like it!

Hi pigpigscorner-Thankyou! I have a tin chilling as we speak

Hi Rosa-Thanks!

Hi snooky doodle-Oh really? Well if you get the chance I can definitely recommend them Thankyou!

Hi Amy-Thanks so much! Haha really! Well I agree it tastes completely different to fresh asparagus doesn’t it!

Hi Fiona-Indeed! Sounds like an idea!

Hi Carrie-Thankyou! No this one was easy I promise Merry Christmas Carrie!

Hi Lisa-Thanks, yes that’s what I was thinking I’m such a lychee monster!

Hi sandra-Yes the heavier desserts are ideal for Winter

Hi Anita-Thankyou so much!

Hi Carolyn-Thanks so much, what a lovely thing to say! I know, they’re so handy and always sweet. What’s not to love?

Hi Highlands Foodie-I know! It’s so Christmassy! Ahh good to know!

Hi Alex-Thankyou so much! I can’t wait to make these for Christmas!

Hi jooles-I have!

Hi Lea Ann-Aww you’re so sweet! Thankyou so much!

Hi Chris-Thankyou so much! Haha yes I love the idea of deep fried ice cream

Hi deana-Hehe definitely! Thankyou! Oh yes definitely do if you see some!

Hi Sarah-Thanks so much! I agree totally!

Hi Amanda-Definitely! And Christmases are always so hot here aren’t they! I’d teleport you some if I could

Hi Gera-Thankyou so much!

Hi mlle délicieuse-Ahh with what kind of sauce?

Hi Faith-Thankyou so much! Hehe come to Australia!

Hi Lucy-Hehe great minds think alike! Imust try that with some satsumas!

Hi Krista-Thankyou so much!

Hi Arwen-Thankyou so much!

Hi Conor-Hehe well I suppose there’s something to look forward to! Haha yes!

Hi romaverona-Thankyou! Hehe you have great taste! Merry Christmas to you too!

Hi Donna-Hehe or you could get both? Yes I agree!

Hi La Pastry Chef-Thankyou! Ooh that sounds delicious, what a great idea! I did rather

Hi Einna-Hubby loves them with that lovely wobbly almond jelly Oh please do!

Hi Lulu-Hehe I know, that’s a common problem!

Hi sophia-Haha really! That’s so funny Sure that wasn’t me?

Hi Philip-I bought them from Acoutrement in Mosman. You can also buy them from art supplies stores (although they come in huge books). Thankyou so much!

Hi matilda-Ahh yes they do a bit but I’ll take them when I can get them. Have you ever tried them in Thailand? They sell them still on the branches and they’re huge and there’s so much juice that pours out of them when you open them!

Hi Cakelaw-Thankyou so much! Yes the good old Chinese restaurant!

Hi Avanika-Hehe well they’re similar but very sweet (albeit a touch tinny) but I take what I can get f them!

Hi Carrie-Aww no, I didn’t! What was she saying/doing?

Hi anna-Yes we don’t often have luscious berries like this!

Hi Natalie-Yes I’ve tried exotic fruit in the UK and it just doesn’t taste the same does it! Hehe great idea although your pudding does sound divine!

Hi Pam-Thankyou! Oh cool, I didn’t realise that it was easy to get overseas

Hi grace-Aww shucks Grace you are too kind! Haha just like you!

Hi 5 Star Foodie-Thankyou so much!

Hi Lauren-They are so good trust me!

Hi Su-yin-Yes that’s one tinned fruit that I like. I don’t usually like other tinned fruit! Yes I agree!

Hi ArtemisIII-Hehe yes! I know what you mean! Oh that does sound amazingly lovely-lucky you!

Hi YW-Oh really! They would have seemed so special! I’ve never tried it that way but I’m so intrigued now! And yes chilled only!

Hi Xiaolu-Hehe thankyou! Yeah nothing quite like the fresh but desperate times call for tinned ones

Hi Alphia-Wonderful! Oh that sounds wickedly good! How did they turn out?