POM Cube With Chocolate Streusel

POM Cube:

Prepare fresh pomegranate juice, if necessary.* Place a medium pot with about 2 cups of water over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Combine 3 oz. pomegranate juice, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla in a heat-safe bowl and set over heated water, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 175°F. Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat at medium-high speed for 3 minutes, allowing mixture to cool. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold heavy cream, and allow it to soak for a few minutes. In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream until medium soft peaks form, and then add pomegranate mixture, gently folding it in. Place the soaked gelatin and cream in a small pan. Heat over a low flame just until all of the gelatin dissolves, and then fold it into to the pomegranate mixture. Fill ice cube molds – about 3 oz. per mold – and allow it to set in a refrigerator overnight.

POM Raspberry Sauce:

Combine 2 oz. pomegranate juice with strained raspberry puree and agar. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Put sauce into small dish and chill for 1 hour. Then place chilled sauce in blender and blend until smooth.

Chocolate Streusel:

Prepare fresh pomegranate arils, if necessary.** Reserve 1/2 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.) Preheat oven to 350°F and get a sheet tray ready with a silicone baking mat. Place all ingredients except arils in a large mixing bowl and knead together with hands until smooth and crumbly. Sprinkle streusel on sheet tray with silicone baking mat and bake about 6 minutes or until crisp. Allow streusel to cool and sprinkle over POM cube with POM raspberry sauce. Serve this pomegranate recipe.

*To prepare fresh pomegranate juice, cut 2–3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.

**To prepare fresh pomegranate arils, score 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl.