Summer Delights: Chilled Strawberry Soup With Pistacchio Snow Eggs

When summer finally arrives I love to visit the farmer's markets and enjoy the huge variety of seasonal veggies and fruits they offer.
Their joyful colors and wonderful aroma brightens up even a rainy day and is good for body and soul.
In Austria and other countries of central and northern Europe, people enjoy on hot summer days  a special kind of dessert which we call "Kaltschale", a kind of chilled fruit soup, loaded with vitamins and great natural flavors as nothing else is added than pure fruits,((sometimes) Greek yogurt a bit of sugar and spices.
My favorite one is  chilled strawberry soup with oeufs a la neige (snow eggs) and pistachios.

Ingredients:

750 g strawberries   (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup Greek yogurt
 3/4 cup of caster sugar (or less, depending on the sweetness of the strawberries)
some basil leaves for decoration
For the snow eggs:
1 egg white
50g sugar
1 pinch of salt
2 spoonful coarsely chopped pistachios

Method:
-Cut about 200g of strawberries into small pieces

-Puree the rest of the strawberries together with Greek yogurt, sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
-Refrigerate until chilled.

Snow eggs:
-Put the egg white in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until foamy.

-Add a pinch of salt and then gradually add icing sugar and  keep beating until firm peaks are formed and the mixture is thick and glossy.

-Use two large metal spoons to shape ovals of the meringue mixture.

-In a large pot, bring 2-3l water to boil, then lower the temperature until water is simmering
-Drop the merengue ovals gently into simmering water.

-Cook for 1 minute each side, then transfer to a baking sheet.

-Place the chilled strawberry soup in a large glass bowl, add the small pieces of  strawberries and top with snow eggs.

 -or serve the dessert in smaller portions in cocktail glasses

-Sprinkle the snow eggs with chopped pistachios and some basil leaves.

Serves about 8 portions.
Enjoy!
See you next Tuesday.

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A First Taste Of Summer - Strawberry Delight

Strawberries are one of  Mother Nature’s best gifts.

Their appearance is a sign that summer is underway; they are healthy, low in calories, have a reputation of being very sensual and taste delicious.
Plus they are loaded with vitamins and minerals… what else could we wish for? 
There are so many ways to prepare them, but today I felt like presenting something very uncomplicated and fresh.

With my husband just recovering from a minor surgery, I wanted to spoil him a bit, knowing that he loves desserts and he loves strawberries.
So, who says an easy dessert can’t be delicious?


To prepare the strawberry delight you need:

1 ½ packet of soft cream cheese

¼ cup light cream

¼ cup of sugar

1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice

2 ½ cups of oatmeal cookies

½ cup espresso

1 spoonful amaretto

1 cup strawberry jam

1 spoonful water

2 cups ripe, fresh strawberries

Preparation:

Put the cookies in food processor and crush to rough crumbs.

Apart, beat the cream cheese to soften, add sugar and lemon juice, beating again until mixed well.

 Add the cream and beat again until  mixed to a smooth batter.

Combine the espresso with amaretto

 and mix well with cookie crumbs.

Press the mixture into the bottom of a ring mold.

Pour in the cream cheese mixture.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Clean the strawberries choose six of the nicest ones and set them aside.

Cut the others into small pieces.

Warm the strawberry jam with a bit of water in a pan until it becomes liquid.

Brush the whole strawberries with the still warm jam,

Pour the rest of the liquid jam over the cut strawberries and mix gently. 

Top the ring mold with the strawberry mixture and place one whole strawberry on top.

Take the ring mold carefully out and dust with icing sugar.

Serves 6.

Enjoy, see you next Tuesday!

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Sweet Rice Soufflé With Strawberry Sauce

Sweet treat from Austria : Rice Souffle with Strawberry Sauce

This is a classic of the renowned Austrian Patisserie.

 Austrians love candies as much as the love music, so tradition and the cuisine, especially the sweets, are part of our culture and history.

Even though not as famous as the Sacher Torte, the sweet rice soufflé has made a remarkable career among  the ones with a sweet tooth.

It is also another one of my son´s, the biggest sweet tooth in our family, favorites.

It takes a bit of patience to prepare, but you will see that you will be well rewarded.

You need:

250 g (8.8 oz.) short-grain rice

1 l milk

1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest* (I used lime because I can't find lemon over here, but the taste is more delicate using lemon)

1 teaspoon butter (for the milk)

1/4 cup sugar   (for the milk)

100g (3.5 oz.) butter

150g (5.2 oz.)sugar

3 eggs

A pinch of salt

For the apple filling:

¾ kg apples, peeled and sliced

1 spoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup sugar

Cinnamon

For the strawberry sauce:

4 cups ripe, fresh strawberries

3/4 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

 Preparation:

Strawberry sauce:

Mix strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in blender until creamy.

Rice Soufflé :

Peel and thinly slice the apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Pre cook the rice for 3 minutes in abundant, boiling water.

Drain and rinse with cold water.

Set aside.

Add sugar, the teaspoon of butter and lemon zest to the milk and bring to a  boil.

Add the rice and  cook  at low heat, stirring from time to time for about 10 to 15 minutes or until rice gets soft and creamy.

Set aside and let cool down.

Grease a large, rectangular casserole.

Beat butter (at room temperature) and sugar until creamy then add the yolks one by one

 Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Add the lemon zest and incorporate to the rice mixture.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.

Gently combine 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into rice mixture, and then add carefully the remaining egg whites.

Spoon half of the rice mixture into a casserole.

Cover with the apples.

Spread the remaining rice mixture until covered.

Bake at medium heat  (220 C) for about 45 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Let cool down, then cut into small squares or, with a ring mold, into small, round cakes.

Serves 12.   Enjoy!

See you next Tuesday.

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La dolce vita at its best: Tiramisu

La dolce vita at its best: Tiramisu in a glass

There are many versions of  this Italian classic and many families like to add their personal touch to the preparation of Tiramisu.

This dessert comes originally from the northern Italian region of Veneto but  it became soon very popular in and outside Italy's borders.

Tiramisu is an easy and elegant dessert and can be served  as a  big non bake cake or in individual portions.

I prefer to serve it in small portions, presented in a glass because I think it simply looks prettier that way.

To prepare Tiramisu you need:

250 g (8oz ) of Mascarpone

1 spoonful of thickened cream, lightly whipped

2 egg yolks

2 spoonful of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1/8 of cold espresso (or strong black coffee)

2 EL of Amaretto or another almond liqueur     

100-150 g (4.8 oz ) of sponge fingers

2 spoonful cocoa for dusting

1 cup fresh raspberries and some mint leaves for decoration

Preparation:

Pour coffee and Amaretto in a pot and set aside.

Beat egg yolks, sugar ,Mascarpone and lemon zest with an electric beater until thick and creamy.

Add the whipped cream, combine gently with the other ingredients.

Place sponge fingers in a large dish and brush generously with the espresso Amaretto mix, until  soaked.

Break sponge fingers into smaller pieces, fit them into a martini glass, pressing down gently.

Cover the layer generously with the Mascarpone mixture.

Repeat layers once.

Dust with Cocoa, top with fresh raspberries and a mint leave.

Serves 4
Enjoy!

See you next Tuesday  :)

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