Looking to elevate a summer salad with asparagus, burrata or a caprese? A German balsamic specialist has created a frozen yoghurt-mustard dressing that melts over the plate.
Uwe Tippmann's own creation, "Nero e Crema," is frozen in ice cube trays and grated or melted over the salad just before serving.
"I recommend either grating the ice cube dressing over the salad with a hand grater, or letting the confection melt in the centre, depending on the salad arrangement," Tippmann says.
Yoghurt-mustard dressing cubes with balsamic marbling
Yield: 2 standard ice cube trays (24 cubes of 25 ml each)
Ingredients (for 700 ml):
- 400 g Greek natural yoghurt
- 100 ml organic whole milk
- 80 g Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot (approx. 20 g), finely grated
- 1 tsp honey (Manuka or acacia recommended)
- Juice of half an organic lemon (approx. 2 tbsp)
- ½ tsp fine fleur de sel
- ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
For the marbling:
- 2-3 tsp Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (aged at least 12 years, thick and syrupy) - 2 to 3 drops per ice cube
Tip: The dressing is best prepared the day before, as it requires a freezing time of at least 5 hours at -18 degrees Celsius.
Method:
- In a large bowl, stir together the yoghurt, milk and Dijon mustard with a spoon until you have a smooth, velvety, pale beige mixture. Add the finely grated shallot, honey, lemon juice, salt and white pepper. Whisk vigorously or use a hand blender for 1-2 minutes to emulsify the mixture and distribute the heat of the mustard evenly.
The mixture should taste mustardy, slightly tangy, creamy and with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Acidity and intensity can be adjusted with lemon juice or mustard. The consistency should not be too watery - add a little cream if needed.
- Distribute the mixture evenly between two ice cube trays, leaving 2-3 mm of space at the top of each compartment to allow room for the balsamic.
- Using a small spoon or pipette, place 2-3 tiny drops of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP into the centre of each cube. Immediately swirl with a cocktail stick in circular, wavy or straight lines to create an elegant marbled effect. The balsamic will sink slightly and form dark veins in the beige cream. Do not stir too vigorously or the mixture will turn brown rather than marbled.
- Carefully place the ice cube trays flat in the freezer. Freeze for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight. The dressing confection will keep in the freezer for at least 8 weeks.