The Sun Above the Marshmallow Clouds

As we are approaching to the second half of June, summer holiday may have begun for some already. But for the past week, the sunlight was tucked behind the clouds in London. (Maybe it was ’cause I kept complaining how hot it was the week before?) For those of you who live in hot, exotic countries though, I wonder how many of you are sick of the heat by now? (Trust me, having lived in one before, I can empathise haha.)

But for now, how about enjoying a dessert? This mango and coconut meringue is one to enjoy be it cloudy or sunny weather. The combination of crunchy, marshmallowy meringue and soft whipped cream paired with tangy mangoes is one that can whisk you high up in the clouds. And with its vibrant yellow colours, it was as if the sunshine is brought into the house. ☀️ 😊

Mango and Coconut Meringue

Quantity: 1 meringue

Ingredients:

75g egg whites

100g caster sugar

50g icing sugar

Yellow food colouring

Half a mango, peeled, stoned and sliced into pieces

100ml double cream

80g mango pulp/purée

Desiccated coconut

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 140C/ 275F/ Gas 1.

2. Make the French meringue by whisking egg whites in a clean mixing bowl. Add the caster sugar a bit at a time when whisking until stiff peaks are formed. (To test if it is ready, tip the bowl over and the meringue shouldn’t fall.)

3. Gently fold in the icing sugar into the meringue.

4. Brush stripes of the yellow food colouring inside a piping bag with a star nozzle. Place the meringue into the bag and pipe small peaks to form two circular discs of equal sizes.

5. Bake the meringue discs for about 1 hour, or until crisp and lightly coloured. Cool the meringues slowly in the oven, then open the oven slightly to cool further before taking them out to cool on a wire rack. (If the meringues are cooled down too fast, it may cause them to crack.)

6. Whisk the double cream to soft peaks. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of desiccated coconut into the cream.

7. When the meringue discs are completely cooled, spoon most of the whipped cream on top of one of the discs. Drizzle the mango pulp/purée over and place the mangos on top. Add the remaining double cream, and place the other meringue disc on top to finish assembling.

8. Sprinkle more desiccated coconut over the meringue before serving.

Listening To the Sounds of Music, Eating My Favourite Things

One of my favourite things about summer is being able to spend time outdoor and living every moments under the sun. Truth be told, I always can’t help but feel nervous about the fickle nature of British weather. However, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect for my plans today.

On this Saturday, my friends and I decided to visit the Junction 2 Festival in Boston Manor Park. It was my first time going to a festival, so I didn’t quite know what to expect besides dancing to loud music and mangling among drunk people. Unlike a night club though, being outside under the sun felt much more open and relaxed. The park itself is a large space with woodlands. As we navigated around the venue, walking underneath trees and brushing past bushes, it almost felt like an exploring adventure.

While I expected the alcohol supply here would be plentiful (😂), I was pleasantly by the presence of food trucks supplying hot food in the venue. After hours of dancing and drinking, what could be better than to have something to soak up the alcohol?

I went for a British duck burger with pork stuffing and bacon jam. Despite its lack of colours, the burger more than made up for that in flavours. The gaminess of the duck meat paired very well with the richness of the stuffing and the strong, savoury flavours of the bacon jam. A British classic with a modern twist! It would surely be enjoyed by any meat lovers.

It would be unlike me not to finish the meal on a sweet note. This limoncello sorbet was so refreshing that it was the perfect sweet, cold treat under the sun. The best way to have a cocktail is to have in its ice form!

The British summer sky was always deceiving, and before we knew it we stayed in the festival well into the evening. (Not going to lie my feet was sore from all the dancing and walking we did haha!) Exhausted, I somehow managed to hop onto the wrong underground line on my way home. So, I ended up taking a bit of a detour and also had my late dinner inside a gastro pub at the changing stop.

What are you all up to this weekend? Hope you will be having fun no matter what you are doing! 🙂

Looking For a Place in the Sun

The sun might have gone and rain is falling, but the picnic is still very much going on uninterrupted. The buttery texture of the salmon & avocado quiches, followed by the richness of the raspberry & mango Bavarian cream is sure enough to put a ray of sunshine in anyone’s heart.

Recipes:

Salmon, Avocado and Cherry Tomato Mini Quiches

Quantity: 8 tarts

Ingredients:

210g plain flour

105g unsalted butter

130g fresh, skinless and boneless salmon fillet

½ an avocado

100g cherry tomatoes

Garlic olive oil

1 egg

142ml double cream

Pecorino cheese, grated

Dried herbs (optional, I recommend basil)

Method:

Rub butter into flour with hand until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Add a little cold water a table spoon at a time to bring the mixture together. The mixture should be just combined and be careful not to overwork the pastry. Chill the pastry dough for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and shape into the tart moulds. Make sure the pastry is pushed into all the corners of the moulds. Chill the pastry in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking.
Chop the cherry tomatoes in halves and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle garlic olive oil on top, and season with salt.
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cook the cherry tomatoes at the bottom of the oven while baking the pastry.
Using a fork, lightly prick the base of the tarts. Place baking beans on top of baking paper on the tarts to prevent rising. Blind-bake the tarts for 20-25 minutes. Remove the paper and baking beans, and continue baking for 5-10 minutes, or until they are biscuit brown.
To make the egg and cream mixture, beat the egg in a bowl. Add the double cream gradually, and then stir in cheese, herbs and salt.
Dice the avocado, and chop the salmon fillet into tiny bits. Season them. (I suggest adding a bit of lemon juice too.) Remove the tarts from the moulds once they are cooled. Place the salmon, avocado and roasted cherry tomatoes in the tart shells. Pour the egg and cream mixture into the tarts, and sprinkle more cheese on top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the filling is set and golden brown.

Raspberry and Mango Bavarian Cream

Quantity: 2

Ingredients:

200g raspberries

20ml water

50g sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

250ml milk

150ml double cream

2 egg yolks

7g leaf gelatine

Mango pulp

Dried banana chips, chopped

Method:

Place the raspberries (save a few aside for decoration), water, lemon juice and 20g of the sugar in a saucepan, bring them to a boil. Crush the raspberries as you are cooking. Pass the puree through a sieve and leave to cool.
Soak the leaf gelatine in cold water and set aside.
Beat egg yolks in a bowl with the remaining sugar, and whisk until it is smooth and pale yellow.
Add the milk to the egg mixture and whisk. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook on a low heat until thickened. Continuously whisk as you are cooking to prevent the mixture solidifying at the bottom.
Take the softened leaf gelatine out of the water and squeeze out any excess water. Add the gelatine to the custard and mix well until it is fully dissolved.
Take the custard off the heat, and pass it through a sieve.
Add the raspberry puree to the custard and mix until well combined.
Whisk the double cream until it is airy. Fold the cream into the mixture until well combined.
Pour the mixture into wine glasses. Chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours, or until fully set.
Add the mango pulp on top of the set Bavarian cream. Decorate with raspberries and dried banana chips, and serve.