Chocolate Tuiles With Cherry Diplomat Cream

Oh yes I just needed yet another reason to make one of my favorite things - tuiles!  I honestly don't recall liking cherries all that much, I had obviously not tasted the good ones. This season has been different. I am actually looking out for cherries and even planning to freeze some for later use. Bright red cherries, delicious and elusive even during the season are the the inspiration behind this dessert and post.

I made the tuiles first, unsure if I would be able to whip the dairy cream. Or even find cherries for that matter! Just as well, I told myself, tuiles are supposed to keep well for about a month stored airtight. The tough part is guarding those seriously fragile cookies from breaking, the humidity another challenge!

I was so thrilled to whip dairy cream and loved the taste of it. This opens up so many more possibilities I just can't wait to try! The small big joys of being a  home baker in India. I checked on it now and then just to make sure it hadn't turned into something else! Thankfully it retained its shape and texture quite satisfactorily.

Luckily, I found cherries at a nearby store, though I had to shell out some extra bucks, but worth it. Or I would have spent more time worrying about the precious cookies and a chance to put up a blog post. Rushed home to take a couple of pictures of the gorgeous fruit in the fading evening light.

Made some pastry cream, popped it into the refrigerator to chill. All I had to make was the cherry compote in the morning, cool and fold it in with the whipped cream and pastry cream. And that diplomat cream turned out to be delicious, I suspect it had to do with the taste of the dairy cream! I had invited a friend to taste the dessert. Hurriedly shaped the tuiles lest there should be a power failure. 

After she arrived, filled the dainty, crisp cookies filled with the diplomat cream and served with some compote alongside.

Cherry compote. I had to change the recipe slightly. Please do refer this post by David Lebovitz

Fresh cherries - 200 grams

Sugar - 2 tablespoons (or as needed)

Water - 1/2 cup

Cornstarch - 1/2 teaspoon

Wash, stem and pit the cherries. Take all ingredients in a heavy saucepan, cover and simmer on low heat till the cherries are cooked through and mushy. I had to add water as the cherries did not leave out much juices. I have dissolved the cornstarch in a teaspoon of water and added to the cherries, cooked till it thickened and turned syrupy. Cool and use as needed. Leftovers can be frozen.

To assemble

Chocolate tuiles - 12-15 .Recipe here

Pastry cream, chilled - 1 cup. Recipe here

Whipped cream, lightly sweetened and chilled  - 1/2 cup or to taste

Cherry compote - 1/3 cup 

Fold in the whipped cream into the pastry cream. Fold in the cherry compote. Arrange the tuiles on a plate. Spoon the mixture gently taking care not to break them. Serve immediately with more compote on the side.