Upstart Pastry Chef - Chapter 105

Chapter 105: Golden Gelato

Having gone with Duke Lenaril to greet Marquis Volg, I found myself serving dessert due to how the conversation unfolded.

Right now, Marquis Volg’s servant is guiding me to the kitchen.

Making a dessert on such short notice comes with several restrictions.

First, the restriction on ingredients: I can only use what is available in their kitchen.

Second, the time limit. Dinner is starting soon. Since dinner won’t begin until I take my seat, I only have about an hour before it starts.

"I guess baked goods that require fermenting dough are out of the question."

To make dough soft and fluffy, you need to let it rest for about an hour, but I don't have that kind of time. The restrictions are pretty tight.

Spinning my gears at full speed, I inspect the kitchen. While checking what ingredients are on hand, I picture the final form of the dish in my mind.

Alright, I can make that.

"Tina, Chloe, let's get right to work."

"Yes, Kurt-sama!"

"Leave it to me, Kurt!"

Tina responded with her fox ears pricked up, while the elf Chloe answered with a firmly clenched fist.

I’ll make this dessert with the help of these two. However, just being delicious won't be enough. It has to be a treat that will truly amaze Marquis Volg.

Among the sweets I excel at making, there is one that I have never seen once in this country. That's the one I'll create.

"I can't believe they have mangoes. That was an ingredient I was just thinking about experimenting with. I'll make good use of them right away."

The very mangoes I had tasted at a restaurant and been moved by were prepared right here. Today, I'll make a dessert with these taking center stage.

"Chloe, pour some water and bring me salt. And Tina, make plenty of ice, please."

"Kurt, is this much water okay?"

"Kurt-sama, the ice is ready!"

What I'm planning to make is gelato—an ice cream born in Italy. Compared to regular ice cream, it has a lower water content and a higher density, giving it a rich flavor profile.

In this country, obtaining ice is difficult, so no one has ever seen frozen confections. Let alone exquisite gelato—no one could even imagine it. That’s precisely why I'm making it.

I peel the mangoes and cut them into dice. I pick up a piece and pop it into my mouth.

"With mangoes of this quality, it's better not to over-process them."

If they were poor-quality mangoes, I'd need to go out of my way to reinforce the flavor, but with mangoes like these, that would be a bad move. I'll focus on bringing out the natural taste of the fruit.

Using some high-grade liquor from the kitchen, I simmer it down to remove the water content and enhance the sweetness. Into that, I add a small amount of white sugar from my pouch.

White sugar is also an important weapon. To fully enjoy the delicate flavor of fruits in frozen sweets, it's best to avoid brown sugar.

I ask Tina to cool down the syrup made by simmering the liquor with sugar. Then, I mash the mangoes in a bowl. I deliberately leave the mash coarse to retain the texture of the fruit pulp. After that, I add the syrup I just prepared and stir it in.

"While letting the flavors meld, I need to whip up some fresh cream."

Using the ice Tina gave me, I chill the milk and agitate it to separate the fresh cream. For fruit-based desserts, egg whites are often used instead of heavy cream, but mangoes and fresh cream are an outstanding combination, so I’ll use heavy cream this time.

I pour the freshly made cream into the bowl and mix it in. From here on out, it’s a battle of physical stamina.

I prepare a larger bowl, throw in a generous amount of salt and ice, and set the bowl with the gelato ingredients inside to chill. Thanks to the salt, the ice water cools below freezing, causing the gelato mixture to solidify.

Once it solidifies to a certain extent, I stir it to incorporate air. Doing this creates the unique texture of gelato. Gelato is extremely simple in terms of ingredients and preparation.

Fruit, liquor, sugar, and fresh cream. You just mix them together and freeze. However, if you mess up the timing of the stirring, the texture will be completely ruined. If you mash the fruit too much, its natural charm is lost. Though simple, it's a sweet that requires careful attention.

After solidifying and stirring it several times in the same way, it's finally complete.

"It's done. Mango gelato... Should we call it 'Golden Gelato'?"

"Waaaaah, it looks so delicious!"

"It's cool, sweet, and smells amazing!"

Tina wags her fox tail, while Chloe is practically drooling. Thanks to the two of them, a golden gelato with a sweet and sour aroma is complete. With this, Marquis Volg should be satisfied.

◇

Asking Tina to keep it chilled at a temperature where it won't melt, I return to the dining room. If cooled too intensely, the gelato will harden and be ruined, so I feel bad for Tina, but I have her stay right by its side.

Since Tina and Chloe cannot join us at the dining table, they rest in the kitchen while keeping an eye on the gelato.

And so, dinner begins.

As expected of a dinner hosted by a Marquis's house, it features a succession of wonderful dishes. Marquis Volg's wife and daughter are also seated with us. His daughter isn't what you'd call a beauty, but she seems to have a bright personality and laughs easily.

Dinner proceeds with pleasant small talk. We've just reached the final course. It seems he truly regards Duke Lenaril like a daughter. I can clearly sense his genuine affection.

"How was it? The dinner at my estate."

"It was a wonderful meal. I could feel the chef's dedication."

"Is that so? A true noble must always surround themselves with the finest things. Daily meals require the greatest effort of all."

"As expected of Marquis Volg. I must follow your example."

They gathered the finest ingredients and executed the prep work perfectly. The meal was so magnificent it needed no flattery. This won't do; I've been indulging too much lately. My palate has grown refined. I might have a hard time once I return to Arnoldt.

"Now then, it is finally time for your dessert. Both my wife and daughter have high expectations after hearing that it's a special dish made by the owner-chef of Arnoldt."

"Ah, the pudding! Ever since I bought it at your shop once, I've been obsessed with it! I wish you'd stock it permanently instead of keeping it as a limited item!"

"I still prefer the dried fruit cake. That simple yet deep cake! That very simplicity is the essence of Arnoldt."

His wife and daughter argue over which of Arnoldt's sweets is the most delicious. So it was true that they love Arnoldt's confections. That makes me a little happy.

"Then, allow me to present my dessert."

I had already instructed the servants to call Tina and Chloe.

"Tonight's dessert is Golden Gelato. Because it is a cold and fleeting sweet, it cannot be prepared in advance. Therefore, it cannot be placed in the shop—it is a phantom sweet made exclusively for this moment today."

When I say that, Marquis Volg's family leans forward. His wife and daughter in particular react strongly. In any era, women are weak to the phrase "limited edition."

Guided by the servants, Tina and Chloe arrive. In their hands are plates covered with cloches. The two of them finish serving.

Gulp. I can hear someone swallowing their saliva.

"Please, enjoy at your leisure."

With those words, the covers are lifted.

There sits the neatly plated golden gelato. It is decorated with mango sauce and garnished with whipped cream and herbs.

Marquis Volg, eyes shining with expectation, is the first to reach out and take a bite.

"This is cold! Cold as ice! And yet, what a smooth and soft texture—it yields softly before melting away on the tongue. Ah, and what a rich fruit flavor! I have never tasted a sweet like this before."

"Soft ice! It's almost like magic!"

"Truly a phantom sweet. You couldn't eat something like this anywhere else."

I quietly heave a sigh of relief. The Volg family is eating the Golden Gelato with absolute devotion. It seems the mango gelato was a huge success. I had a hard time due to the many restrictions this time, but I'm glad they liked it.

"Next Baronet of Arnoldt."

Marquis Volg's sharp gaze pierces right through me. I brace myself just a bit.

"What is it?"

What if he brings up something troublesome again?

"Thank you. That was the ultimate dessert. If you ever find yourself in trouble, rely on me. Your talent in making confections is a national treasure."

He stands up and offers a handshake.

"Yes, I will rely on you should the occasion arise."

I take his hand and smile back.

In any case, this settles things nicely. Finally, today's round of greetings is over. At the very least, a foundation for getting along well with the Royalist Faction has been established. There is still plenty to do in the Royal Capital. I must stay sharp going forward.

And besides...

I should treat Tina and Chloe later. I made extra gelato, so I'll give them a little bonus for working hard. They'd probably be delighted if I turned it into ice cream crepes.

That was what I was thinking.

◇

Afterward, I went to the kitchen, but Chloe persuaded Tina that since the leftovers would just be thrown away anyway, they might as well eat them. Tina and Chloe ended up eating all the remaining gelato. Both of them were rubbing their swollen bellies with blissfully happy expressions.

The moment I told them I was planning to make ice cream crepes for them—and that they could have eaten an even more delicious sweet if they had waited—the look of utter doom that washed over their faces was so hilarious I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Well, it was just a harmless prank. I'll be sure to make proper ice cream crepes for them another time.