Do you like magic?
I don’t mean spell casting, mystical creatures or the card game. I’m talking about illusion. Where one takes reality and presents it in a way that shocks and awes.
Take a look at this picture. What do you see? What is it? What inspired it?
I’m not sure what you guessed but I’m willing to wager that you were wrong. I’m also confident that you knew Tinker Bell was the inspiration. Yeah, the title was a pretty big clue. Ok, let’s start from the beginning.
I have been brainstorming this dish for over a month. Nothing came to me. Absolutely…nothing. Then on a recent trip to Disney, Pim (my GF) told me that the Tinker Bell that “flies” from Cinderella’s castle prior to the evening fireworks is sometimes a man (as long as his frame fits the requirements). My first thought: Hmm…I wonder if the man has to shave his legs? Second thought: Tinker Bell + Illusion + Food = Magical Experience.
SOOOO what is it already?
A) Cheesecake
B) Mousse
C) Keylime Pie
D) Creme Brulee
The answer is All of them. It’s ok. I’ll give you a minute to take it all in.
.
.
.
The cloud in the center of the plate is a coconut cheesecake mousse that sits on top of cinnamon toasted graham cracker crumbs. Topped with freshly diced kiwi and mango. On the side, key lime curd holds three caramelized almonds (representing Wendy, John and Michael: the three children that gained the ability to fly above the clouds with Tinker Bell’s pixie dust). Finally, the bruleed sugar bits that blanket the plate represents the pixie dust. Now, if you’ve never watched the movie then I’ll explain it in a way that you will understand below.
Ignore the fairy in the picture above. This decadent dessert was made by breaking down a cheesecake, mousse, key lime pie and creme brulee then rebuilding it with tropical flavors to give you a magical experience (both physically and metaphorically). Now I ask you again, do you like magic? If so then you NEED this in your life.
- 4 large Egg Yolk
- 2 & 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice 5 tbsp, 3-4 limes
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- Lime Zest From the limes
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 oz Unsalted Butter Cut into 6 pieces
- 8 oz Cream Cheese Room temp.
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Fresh Lime Juice
- 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 8 oz Cool Whip See notes for substitution
- 1/4 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
- 1/2 cup Graham Cracker Crushed
- 1 oz Unsalted Butter
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 2 cup Sugar
- 1 dozen Roasted Salted Almonds
- 1 large Mango Diced
- 2 Kiwis Diced
- Lime Zest
- Caramelized Sugar Bits
- In a pot, bring 2-3 inches of water to a simmer. In a bowl mix together all the ingredients for the Lime Curd (except the unsalted butter).
- Place the mixture over the simmering water and whisk until the mixture has thickened. Take the mixture off the pot every minute (this will keep the mixture from curdling up.
- You are done when the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (8-10 minutes).
- Take the mixture off the heat and whisk in the butter a cube at a time (1 tbsp at a time).
- Strain the mixture.
- Store the curd in an air tight container and refrigerate until cold and firm (6 hours).
- Whisk the cream cheese until it is soft, then whisk in the powdered sugar. When the sugar is incorporated, mix in the vanilla extract, lime juice and sweetened coconut flakes.
- MIX in 1/3 of the cool whip.
- FOLD in the remaining 2/3 cool whip. Cover and throw it in the fridge until you are ready to use.
- In a pan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar (Do not let this mixture brown).
- Add in the crushed graham crackers and cinnamon powder. Stir until the crumbs are browned.
- Remove from heat and spread the crumbs out on a pan to cool down.
- Over medium heat, melt the sugar. See notes for a quick video on details.
- Mold the sugar to your liking. Now would be a good time to check out that video ;D (pour the remaining sugar into a pool on parchment paper or a silpat mat).
- When the pool of sugar has hardened, finely chop it up to create the sugar bits.
- All you have to do now is serve up!
If you don't have access to cool whip then whip up a 6 oz of heavy cream with 1 tbsp of powdered sugar.
Amazing video tutorial on how to work with sugar here.
I used Key limes but regular limes are fine.
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