White chocolate filling
- Melt the white chocolate with 15 mL (1 tbsp.) of cream and the vanilla seeds in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Remove from double boiler and let cool.
- Beat the remaining cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the yogurt and melted chocolate into the whipped cream until mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Pomegranate syrup
- Using a citrus juicer, press four pomegranates to obtain 250 mL (1 cup) of juice. Pour juice through a fine strainer held above a small saucepan to remove all particles. Stir in sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and reduce, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until liquid becomes syrupy. Cover and refrigerate.
- Remove arils from fifth pomegranate. Set aside.
Tulips
- Preheat the oven to 190˚C (375˚F).
- In a bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Incorporate the icing sugar, then the egg whites, and finally the flour, beating well after each addition until batter is smooth.
- Spoon 15 mL (1 tbsp.) of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, spread batter to form a circle 17 cm (7 in.) in diameter. Prepare 3 circles at a time, being sure to leave a 5 cm (2 in.) space between each one.
- Bake on middle rack for 5 minutes or until outer edges of cookies begin to brown.
- Use a spatula to lift one cookie at a time and place it over a muffin tin mould. Using a shooter glass, gently press down in centre of the warm cookie while lifting the sides so it forms to the mould. Repeat process for remaining cookies. Set aside to cool.
- To serve, place each tulip on a large serving plate. Spoon some white chocolate filling into each tulip. Garnish with pomegranate arils. Use a spoon to drizzle some pomegranate syrup around tulips and then serve.
QUICK TIP: For a simplified version, prepare the syrup using commercial pomegranate juice and pomegranate arils
(already removed from the fruit). Drizzle some pomegranate syrup into verrines or martini glasses, and then spoon in some
white chocolate filling. Garnish with a drizzle of pomegranate syrup and sprinkle on some arils. Serve with gourmet cookies.
TIP: To remove pomegranate arils easily, cut the fruit in half and place the halves in a large bowl of cold water. Remove the
arils from the membranes by hand. Use a strainer to remove pieces of membrane that float to the surface. Drain the arils.
EXTRA TIP: You can use pomegranate syrup on pancakes or cakes, with meat like pork and chicken, as a sauce base for
sweet and sour stir-fries, or as a substitute for grenadine in cocktails!