Daring Bakers Orange Tian

Orange Tian

 The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris. A tian is simple elegant layered dessert. A delicate  shortbread crust covered with marmalade, a fruity stabilized whipped cream,  and fruit pieces topped with a  caramel sauce.

The mandatory steps were: tart dough, caramel sauce, marmalade, stabilized whipped cream with marmalade folded in we also added a dash of triple sec to the cream to boost the citrus flavor,  and fruit pieces. Each step by itself was not difficult and the end result was greater than the sum of the parts. The secret to this recipe is that it is assembled upside down. The tart dough is cut  and baked into individual cookies the size of your mold.The fruit is marinated in caramel sauce than placed in the mold and covered with the whipped cream layer.   Marmalade is spread on ones side of cookie crust, than placed in the mold marmalade side to the cream. Place in the freezer to set. Serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

The result is a luscious light, creamy and refreshing dessert.  Perfect for summertime when you want something cool and fruity.  Of course you don't have to limit your fruit to citrus. Almost any fruit would be a winner.  I not sure that marinating the fruit in the caramel sauce did anything to enhance the flavor and I would probably omit this step in the future, except for fruits that oxidize (bananas,peaches and apples) with air contact. One other important step is to leave your tian in the freezer long enough to set the dessert so you can unmold it cleanly. Once unmolded store in the refrigerator, so the fruit doesn't freeze to hard chunks.

 If you would like the recipe for this elegant dessert or to see what the other Daring Bakers did visit our blogroll at The Daring Kitchen