New paintings and regular art updates.
Staying in with a croaky sore throat and a bit of a cough. No covid testing kits, so better to keep away from everyone.
I made this on Sunday, it has jelly with raspberries and port in it. Very soothing for my throat. Its low sugar because I use a bit of sweetner instead of sugar. It’s cool and tasty. Unfortunately I had to use custard (not my favourite), but it went down well.
What’s your comfort food? If I didn’t have this it would be ice-cream or yoghurt.. All the stuff that’s bad for me! ❤️
Dessert is in the fridge. Well half, we have already had some for tea. It’s a trifle made of sugar free blackberry jelly with gelatine (not jam) with added raspberries and port. Topped with chocolate blancmange and whipped double cream.
It’s all sugar free so although it’s got fat and carbs in it, it’s not bad for sugar content. I try not to eat cake or biscuits, but this with fresh fruit in is lovely. I sometimes use strawberry or orange flavour jelly. You can also make it with sherry instead of port or alcohol free. Sometimes you can use sponge fingers in the jelly to make it stronger. It has to support the weight of the top two layers. But I don’t use that because they are too sweet. And some people add a layer of custard instead of blancmange, which us increasingly difficult to get hold of unless you buy it online. If you make it I hope you enjoy it. X
Hot buttered crumpets for tea! The little holes in the top of them allow the butter or margarine to trickle down into tiny tubes inside the crumpet. You heat them under a grill or in a toaster on both sides to heat them up. The base of them is solid so when you add your topping it doesn’t leak out. I only used to have butter, but recently I’ve added grated cheese and microwaved them for a few seconds so it drizzled inside them, also try honey or jam (America calls it jelly). Note these are NOT muffins, that’s a whole different bready food.
This is custard powder made up with milk and sweetner with added chocolate. I love making sugar free trifles. I usually use sugar free jelly and add a bit if fruit (used raspberries today) because trifle sponges are covered in sugar. Then I add blancmange when the jelly is set. I have to let it cool because it can re-melt the jelly. But now I can only get blancmange if my sister posts me some (they still sell strawberry flavour where she lives). The trouble is that most people use custard but I don’t like it’s flavour in trifle. This time I did make custard but added four square pieces of no added sugar chocolate and melted it into the milk. I will use this mix and then add whipped cream on top of the trifle to finish it off. But I just wonder if I can make my own with cornflower and flavourings? That would be a lot easier…
Yes, another trifle. I used sugar free jelly, but I added blueberries. Of course there was fat in it, but I made strawberry blancmange with semiskimmed milk and a sweetener instead of sugar. I used half the amount of whipped cream than I usually do. So I guess it was reasonably healthy, especially compared with other festive treats, such as stollen, mince pies and Christmas pudding (which I sadly indulged in too!).
I was given a cat shaped jelly mould a few years ago but never used it. Then yesterday I decided to make an orange jelly for fun. I could have added fruit or trifle sponges to strengthen it but I wanted it to be pure jelly, and I was going to call it ginger and maybe take a few photos in different places before we have it for tea.
I tried mixing the jelly powder but I didn’t realise it hadn’t all dissolved until I cleaned the bowl I’d made it in, would that weaken the jelly? Then I couldn’t lie it down level because it’s head is higher so I had to prop it up in a bowl to put in the fridge. I let it set overnight. But how to get it loose? I tried running a thin knife round the edge, then turned it up on a plate, wobble, no! Tried running the mould under the hot tap, no! Tried tapping the mould, whoosh, a few bits dropped out, tried a knife again and tapping.. It finally came out, a saggy, wibbly wobbly brother cat to the solid mould.
Does anyone know what I should have done?
Made another trifle today, I used sugar free jelly (not jam) which I added blueberries to with a small amount of port. Then topped with strawberry blancmange. Now it needs a topping of whipped cream… Yum!
I think it’s the cold weather and boredom that has drawn me to making my favourite dessert. The trick is to let the jelly cool and set before you add the topping of blancmange, and to let that cool before you add it to the jelly so it doesn’t melt it. Plus I add slightly less liquid to each bit so I know it will thicken properly.
Tasty.
It turned out very tasty and fruity. I use sugar free jelly and blancmange, but the amount of fruit I put in was very naughty.
As I whipped the cream I was a bit enthusiastic with the hand whisk and some od it went over my Christmas jumper! At least we were not going out so I can slob around in my pyjamas and dressing gown.
By the way instead of sherry I used fortified British wine that was very fruity.
Cheers everyone!
Oh dear! My blancmange was too warm when I put it on top of the jelly. And I got extra thick cream which I over whipped. The whole thing is a delicious mess!
Now, trifle dipping, what is that? The act of knicking an extra spoonful of trifle after you’ve had your fair share! I’ve been known to slice a thin sliver off our Christmas trifle late at night. It is my favourite dessert.
X
Well I made another trifle. Sugar free jelly (raspberry flavour), with added cherries off the tree. Then vanilla blancmange because I didn’t have any others. I poured a punnet of blueberries in the mix as I boiled the milk for it. Now it’s a nice pink colour. It’s setting in the fridge and I will add whipped cream when it’s ready. Yummy.
Enough of the recipe. But the challenge did give me the excuse to make it. Now there are only about three more of this set of challenges left. We will have to come up with some new ideas.
X
Mallaband-Brown