Saying it with berries

Delicious Desserts

Those with a sweet tooth can start rejoicing because March happens to be a ‘berrylicious’ month! The Oberoi is hosting a berry-inspired dessert promotion, all of which have been innovated by chef Tanisha Ravindra.

From berry cheesecakes with strawberry and mint sorbet to traditional strawberry tarts with Kerala vanilla bean ice-cream, each of the desserts has been well thought out and is unique in its own way.

A dessert tasting and plating session was conducted at the hotel recently, where chef Tanisha not only presented each of her delicious inventions but also took the media through the conception and plating of each one.

“I’m personally a big fan of both berries and chocolates and the best part about both ingredients is that they go together in any permutation and combination. There’s a lot of scope for experimentation, which is why I’ve steered clear of the tried and tested recipes,” informs Tanisha.

She also spoke of the various properties of berries, which are extremely beneficial for health. Not only are they a rich source of antioxidants in general; blueberries are good for the brain, strawberries are rich in vitamin C and manganese and red currant is a high fibre fruit that helps with digestion.

“The idea was that even though you’re indulging in a few extra calories, berries help the body too, which justifies eating the dessert,” she shares.

On the inspiration for the collection, Tanisha adds, “The international trend right now is deconstructed desserts, which I’ve been toying with as well. There’s a lot of layering in each item with contrasting and complementing elements. There’s also the fact that the desserts are plated in such a way that they become 360 degree desserts – each side has a different view.”Which is her personal favourite of the lot?

“The one I work most on was ‘Textures of berry and chocolate’, which has berry macaroon, sorbet and chocolate soil. I also love using chocolate garnish in my desserts because of its snowflake effect,” she smiles.

The other items include the ‘Summer berry tiramisu’ served with coffee granita; ‘Rum stewed strawberries with berry mousse and berry lamington’ served with Mascarpone ice cream; ‘Fresh berries with white chocolate ice cream’; and ‘Chocolate and berry mille feuille’, which is a must-try for chocolate lovers.

Each dessert is priced at Rs 550 and will be available at all restaurants at The Oberoi through March.