BAVAROIS BANANA / THE MATCHA!

Okay, the early days of spring are a bit messy... But we can't blame him, it's never easy to get back into the swing of things, and then the sun has to find its place, play elbows with the clouds, which have been taking up residence in the sky for far too long... I'm counting on you, and I'd like to point out that I'm organizing a BIG aperitif for my 10,000 followers on the banks of the Canal St Martin, so please, I'd rather pull on my floral shorts than my K-way for the occasion. Until I meet you in person, to celebrate the sunshine and your enthusiasm for Make My Lemonade, I'm looking forward to imagining recipes with edible flowers, which I find charming, delicate and topical... I think flowers are going to become a regular ingredient around here... Kisses and good luck this week! Go Go Go little mister sunshine!

 For 6 small bavarois you need:

• - 400g peeled bananas,
• - 20cl cold whipping cream,
• - 1 tsp agar-agar,
• - 25g sugar (a little too much for now)

For the matcha tea shortbread, you'll need..: 

• - 150g flour, 
• -100g softened butter,
• - 45 g caster sugar,
• -1 sachet vanilla sugar,
• - 1 tsp matcha green tea (special for pastries) 

And to top it all off, edible flowers! Available in punnets at the Grande Epicerie in Paris, but I think you can also find them at your local greengrocer's, or at the market?

To begin, prepare the bavarois by pureeing the bananas in a blender and setting aside. In a bowl, whip the whipping cream until stiff and set aside in a cool place. In a saucepan, add about 5 cl of water and the sugar, bring the mixture to the boil and, when it begins to simmer, add the agar-agar. Mix well so that the agar-agar dissolves perfectly, add the banana purée and leave to cook over a low heat for a few moments. Remove from the heat and gently fold the mixture into the whipped cream. Finally, line small silicone muffin moulds (which are much easier to remove from the moulds). Place your bavarois in the fridge for a few hours, or prepare them the evening before to serve at lunchtime...

While the bavarois are setting, prepare the matcha tea shortbread. Mix the softened butter, flour, sugar and matcha tea in a bowl, then knead the dough. If it becomes too sticky, add a little more flour, and film it before placing it in the fridge for around 15 minutes. Once your dough has solidified and cooled, roll it out on a floured surface by about 1cm. Using a cookie cutter the same diameter as your muffin tin, or slightly larger, cut out the shortbread. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake at 150°C for 20 to 25 minutes.

Let the shortbread cool completely before handling, then arrange the matcha tea shortbread on your plates, unmould the banana bavarois on top and finish with a small bouquet of fresh, edible flowers! Enjoy! 

Bonus: apple + kiwi + mint + ginger and a hint of matcha!