Fruity Tiramisu

Okay, I hold my hands up, I didn't make this one. Lucy did. But, as it was made in my kitchen and eaten in my flat, from my bowls and with my spoons, I feel like I can share it here.



Every couple of months or so I meet with four friends and fellow artists to talk about the projects we're working on. It's all about mutual support and constructive criticism. All of us really enjoy those get togethers and, as well as the talk about our practice, of course we also involve food, drink and chat about life in general.

For our session a couple of weeks ago Lucy, who doesn't like coffee, made Fruity Tiramisu and we all couldn't stop ourselves from having a second helping. There was only a tiny little bit left at the end, which J's partner was lucky enough to get in a doggy bag. It's a good job that none of us is pregnant. It doesn't have alcohol in it like a regular tiramisu, but it does contain raw eggs, so make sure they are really fresh.

Oh, and I nearly forgot to take a picture, so all you get is a photo of the table with the half eaten tiramisu.



Fruity Tiramisu (serves 6)

4 really fresh eggs, seperated
150g caster sugar
30-40 sponge fingers
300ml orange juice
250g mascarpone cheese
2tsp vanilla essence
mixed fruit of your choice, such as starwberries, kiwi fruit, banana, blueberries etc.
a pinch of cinnamon

Place a heat proof bowl over a pan of boiling water and with an electric whisk beat the egg yolks and sugar in it, until pale, doubled in volume and creamy.

remove from heat and allow to cool, stirring from time to time.

Dip half the sponge fingers quickly in the orange juice, don't let them soak it up and use them to line the bottom of a square flat dish.

Once your egg mixture is cooled, gardually fold the mascarpone cheese into the mixture, using a wooden spoon.

Then carefully add the vanilla essence and fold in.

In a clean bowl and using a clean electric whisk, beat the egg whites until stiff.

Carefully fold them into the mascarpone and egg yolk mix.

Slice/chop your fruit, keeping a little aside for garnishing and carefully stir it into the mix.

Pour half of it over the sponge fingers.

Dip the rest of the sponge fingers into the orange juice and arrange in another layer on top of the mascarpone/egg mix.

Cover with the rest of the mascarpone/egg mix.

Cover with cling film and refridgerate for a minimum of 2 hours or over night.

Top with some more sliced fruit for garnish and dust with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Enjoy!

Rockamole

Another month has passed without me doing much blogging. It looks like I'm having too much of a good time enjoying myself and no time left for much experimenting in the kitchen. My flat seems to be a transitional place at the moment, where I come to change, dump my stuff and sleep.

Last Friday part of the having a good time was inviting some friends round for a little food, drink and a bit of a boogie though, so I seized the oppertunity to try a couple of new recipes. One of those I found in Nigella's Express cook book. A really simple and of course 'express' recipe for a guacomole with a twist. The blue cheese goes brilliantly with the avocado. I went down a treat and I think the name makes it even more perfect for a party! I didn't have jalapenos in, so here is my version using dried chili flakes.



Rockamole

125gr Roquefort or St. Augur cheese
60ml sour cream
2 ripe avocados, peeled and stone removed
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
2 spring onions, finely sliced
a pinch of sweet parika

Crumble the cheese into a bowl and mix it with the sourcream.

Add the avocado and chili flakes and mash, using a fork until you reach the desired consistency and everything is combined.

Stir in the spring onions.

Sprinkle with a little paprika and serve straight away.

As with any guacomole, the avocado means that the dip will turn brown after a couple of hours, so it's best to make it at the last minute, but a minute is all it takes.