(Strawberry) Charlotte Sometimes

Any time I hear Charlotte I think of The Cure song, so I couldn't resist with the title of this post.  If you know me, you remember my Robert Smith phase.  I miss those days sometimes :)

As for charlottes, they are good any time, especially when strawberries are in season.  You can of course use other fruit.  This is similar to a strawberry short cake, but at the same time, different.

You'll need ladyfingers, those biscuits used for a tiramisu, as well as cream, gelatine, strawberries, icing sugar, whipping cream, vanilla, some water, and I used wild strawberry liqueur.  Alcohol always adds depth to otherwise bland treats.  I don't have exact measurements, but depending on the size of your charlotte mould, you can figure them out, and follow measurement suggestions on packages of the gelatine, depending on how much you'll be using.

Soak the biscuits in alcohol mixed with some water (much more alcohol than water), line the dish with flat sides facing in.  Dissolve a bit of icing sugar in boiling water, and then dissolve the gelatine in this liquid.

Whip up cream with vanilla, and add gelatine.  Then just fill in the lined mould with layers of strawberries and cream.  Cover with remaining ladyfingers, flat side facing up.  Chill over night, be sure to put something heavy on top, which will make for a firmer charlotte.  Next day, turn it out, and serve with a strawberry sauce, which you can make yourself, by simmering berries with sugar, and mashing or pressing through a sieve, or use a good quality strawberry jam and heat it up with a bit of water and liqueur.  This is a terrific alternative to a strawberry short cake, and it really is a perfect summer treat.

Instant Strawberry Ice Cream

This will probably be the only time I use the word instant here and mean it in a good way.

I just made ice cream in less than 10 minutes.  I was craving something tasty, and thought about making ice cream, but that wouldn't be ready for a few hours to a day, and I wanted something NOW.  Check this out, so yummy and so easy.  Food process frozen strawberries, whip cream with a touch of icing sugar - I should've added vanilla, but I didn't think of that until I was already scarfing down this treat - then fold the berries into the cream et voila.  It was an experiment and I didn't know what would happen, but it worked so well and has so many possibilities.  It has to be served right away, or put in the freezer.  My guess is if you have to freeze it, you may have to blend / mix it before serving.  Also, I think this works best for (frozen) fruit based ice creams.  If you want to use fresh fruit or nuts, chocolate, marshmallows, etc, it'll probably work better if it sits in the freezer for a few hours, so that those ingredients have a chance to soften and mingle  :)  then mix to fluff it.  Yum!

Buon Appetito!  (Italian)

Lemon Lavender Shortbread

I've been craving shortbread for about two weeks now, which is odd, because I only crave shortbread around Christmas time, or at least during winter.  I know it's March, but it feels like May outside, so these cravings don't make sense.

Anyway, I enjoyed them with whipped cream and Earl Grey tea.  I ate at least 8 pieces, but at least my cravings were satisfied.

Here is the recipe I used, more or less:
http://www.homemadesimple.com/en-ca/foodandrecipes/pages/lavender-lemon-shortbread-cookies.aspx

I skipped the chocolate and caramel, because like my ice cream, I prefer shortbread without too much stuff going on.  I can't think of anything that I like more when dipped in chocolate.  Chocolate is good on its own.

Enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/01/baked-oatmeal-with-blueberries-and.html

I got this recipe last week from a friend, and made a half portion for Sunday's brunch, to test it out.  It was quite tasty, so I made the full portion last night for dessert.

Here's what I changed:
- used butter instead of oil
-used whole non homogenized milk
-used more blueberries and pecans
-used less honey

The first time I made it, I used some clover honey and some agave nectar, because I didn't have enough honey.  Even though I used less than 1/4 cup between the two - I didn't measure, but I know it was less than 1/4 cup, I found the dish too sweet.  So, the second time I used about 2 table spoons of lavender honey, and it came out ok, could be a bit sweeter, but since I used pecans, I can drizzle maple syrup on top to achieve a sweeter, more dessert like, taste.

The first time, I also used aluminum foil for the whole time, the first 15 min and the final 30 min, mainly because I assumed I should.  The second time, I noticed it only says to use foil for baking the bananas, which makes sense, because the foil traps in heat and steam, so they bake through quicker and remain moist.

The recipe also specifies ripe bananas, which I used the first time, but the second time my bananas weren't very ripe, they still worked, but I'm thinking the super ripe ones add extra sweetness, an they bake through better.  I say either works, but if you're using light-med yellow bananas, adjust the sweetness, and expect some unbaked bits.

The second time I used foil for the first half and removed it for the second half - more or less - of the 30 minute baking.  The top pecans didn't get as soft, but otherwise it was fine.

When I made the half batch, I still used a whole egg, and I think I liked it better, so next time when I am making a full batch I may use 2 eggs, or one big one from the farm.  I'm waiting for my order to come in  :)

In the end, this is a great idea for oatmeal.  James liked it enough to want me to make it a second time, and he doesn't like oatmeal or blueberries.  I love finding ways of making him eat things he says he doesn't like, and having him ask for seconds, and I didn't even have to disguise the oatmeal or blueberries.

In the future I may use different fruit and nut combos.  I think this would be great with peaches and / or plums with walnuts, and plain yogurt on top when serving; or raspberries and almonds; or even chocolate chips, banana, and hazelnuts, with whipped cream, for an even more desserty alternative.

Enjoy!