Satisfying Summer Sweet Tooth

There's nothing like a special treat on a hot summer day. And we don't mean only liquid refreshments — there's also your sweet tooth to attend to.

All week long, The Early Show is having favorite chefs and cookbook authors visit to whip up their favorite summer recipes in its "Culinary Inspiration" series.

And Wednesday, famous third-generation pastry chef Francois Payard stopped by, sharing dessert recipes for the season from his two New York City restaurants, Payard's Patisserie and Bistro, and In Tent.

FOOD TERMINOLOGY

Lemongrass: Fresh lemongrass stalks are the palest green in color and have a subtle lemon scent. If using in a stock, cut into lengths, then bruise or crush to release the flavor. Otherwise, use only the bulb-like 4- to 6-inch section at the base, after trimming off the top and a layer of tough outer leaves. Slice extra finely if using fresh in a salad; for pastes, slice finely before pounding with a mortar and pestle.

Saffron: Saffron deserves special notice, since it's the most expensive spice in the world. Saffron is actually the stigma of the crocus flower and is harvested by hand. There are three stigmas per flower, and it takes about 14,000 of them to make one ounce of saffron. Not only does saffron give an exotic flavor, but it colors food bright yellow. It has been used through the ages as a dye for fabric as well as for medicinal purposes.

Go to Page 2 for Payard's recipes. RECIPES

Strawberry Lemongrass Soup
Serves 8 - 12

To make soup:

1 2/3 cups water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon liquid pectin, optional (see note)
1/2 cup of sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped or grated zest of 1 lime can be substituted
2 quarts plus 1 cup strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered

To make garnish:

6 strawberries, washed, hulled
8 mint sprigs

1. To make the soup: Combine 1 2/3 cups water, pectin, sugar, lemon zest and lemongrass in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat.

2. Place the strawberries in a medium bowl. Set a sieve over it and pour the hot lemongrass liquid through the sieve. Add the grated lime zest, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

3. To make the Garnish: thinly slice the strawberries lengthwise. Stack the slices, a few at a time, on top of each other and cut into thin strips.

4. Serve the soup: Divide the quartered strawberries evenly into eight shallow bowls. Pour the soup through a sieve over the fruit. Garnish the soup with the strawberry strips and mint sprigs.

Note: Pectin is available in most supermarkets. The pectin slightly thickens the soup. Lime zest is an alternative if you can't find lemongrass.

Roasted Summer Apricots with Honey Pain Perdu and Saffron Ice Cream
Serves: 8 Desserts

Special Equipment: sauté pan, ice cream machine, whisk

Pain Perdu:
2 eggs
2 yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons honey
Brioche slices cut in 5" x 1" strips

Whisk the eggs and yolks by hand in a bowl then add sugar, milk and vanilla bean. Dip the brioche strips in the batter and freeze solid. Heat butter in a sauté pan. When the butter has almost reached the brown butter stage, add honey. Take the frozen brioche slices and brown each side, making sure that they take a good color. Remove from the pan and repeat as necessary, cleaning the pan each time.

Apricot Sauce:

1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 cup apricot puree
1 piece vanilla bean
3/4 cup water

Caramelize the sugar and corn syrup until it is light in color. Deglaze the caramel with half of the apricot puree and add the vanilla bean. Cook to dissolve until lumps dissolve. Add the remaining puree and water. Strain.

Roasted Apricots:

16 apricots — ripe
Powdered sugar, to taste, lightly dust each apricot
2 tablespoon butter
Honey, to taste, apx 2 tablespoons

Cut the apricots in half and remove the pit. Leave the apricots cut side up on a sheet and lightly coat with powdered sugar. Heat butter in a sauté pan until it becomes browned. Place the apricots, cut side down and cook them until the cut side becomes well colored. Remove from pan and place on a sheet pan, cooked side up. Drizzle honey on top of apricots. Bake apricots in 400 F oven for apx. 5 - 10 minutes, until tender but firm.

Vanilla Bean Garnish:

2 vanilla beans
2 tablespoons sugar

Take each of the vanilla beans and cut them lengthwise into 4 strips. Toss them in sugar and place them in an oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes or until the heat extracts the oils and makes the sugar stick. Set aside.

2 tablespoons of crushed nuts, cookies may be substituted.

Saffron Ice Cream:

Infuse 1/8 teaspoons saffron into the vanilla ice cream base. Churn in an ice cream machine.

Assembly:

Warm the brioche and apricots in an oven. Place four of the apricots on top of the brioche and place on a plate. Sprinkle crushed nuts or cookies on the plate and place a scoop of ice cream on top. Arrange the vanilla bean for garnish on the ice cream.