In this dessert, you get the same flavor twice but with different textures: creamy ice cream and slightly chewy strawberry leather. Fruit leathers are an ideal way to incorporate secondary flavors, like herbs, and making leathers is really easy.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 on it¿s own or 12 as part of fourplay

　　

For the Strawberry-Lavender Leather

13 ounces (370g) fresh strawberries

　　6 tablespoons (75g) sugar

　　5 sprigs fresh lavender, buds only (see note)

　　(makes 12 pieces)

　　

To Serve

Strawberry Ice Cream (page 228)

　　2 sprigs fresh lavender, buds only

　　

For the Strawberry-Lavender Leather

Step 1

Heat the oven to 150°F. Line a 9 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat.

　　

Step 2

Hull the strawberries and process them in a food processor to a fine puree.

　　

Step 3

Put the puree and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced by a bit more than half, stirring and scraping often with a heatproof rubber scraper. Work the puree through a fine strainer (discard the solids) and stir in the lavender. Spread into a thin layer on the Silpat.

　　

Step 4

Dry in the oven until leathery, about 4 hours. It will still be slightly tacky and flexible. Let cool.

　　

Step 5

Alternatively, set a dehydrator to 130°F. Line trays with acetate and spray lightly with cooking spray. Spread the puree into thin layers and dry for 3 hours.

　　

Step 6

To make curls, cut 2 x 4-inch-wide strips as soon as you take the leather out of the oven, roll them loosely, and place them in something to hold the shape as it sets. I use baguette forms in the restaurant. You could use something similar at home, or wrap the leather around a rolling pin. It will take about 1 hour to set.

　　

Step 7

If you are not serving right away, peel the strawberry film off the Silpat and lay it on a piece of parchment. Roll it up and wrap in plastic. It will keep for a few days.

　　

To Serve

Step 8

Scoop the ice cream into dessert bowls. Garnish with a curl or piece of the leather and some lavender.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Make sure your lavender hasn’t been sprayed

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__