
Joffrey Villa, Pastry Chef, Saint Louis Club
Joffrey Villa, Pastry Chef of Saint Louis Club (St. Louis, Mo.), says his poached apples in cider and pommeau dish is an especially nostalgic dish for him.
“[The flavors of] apple and apple cider bring back lots of memories with my family, enjoying apple cider with crepes and other sweet dishes,” says Villa. “We always had apple cider from Fougerolles, a small town of Franche-Comté, France, the birthplace of my grandmother Yvette.”
The flavors of the dish are strong and bitter with the mix of cider and pommeau, notes Villa, but the cremeux and the ice cream bring forward plenty sweet, soft flavor, creating the perfect balance.
“It’s not a heavy dessert to eat—there is no cake or other biscuit,” adds Villa. “The Arlette melts in your mouth, as does the slice of poached apple.”
The recipe is also not particularly difficult, he notes, making it an especially appealing dish for chefs; it doesn’t request any special equipment beside the sous vide, and depending on the cider and liquor you use, it can be cost-efficient, too.
Poached Apple in Cider and Pommeau
Click here for the recipe.