Craving strawberries…

… and cherries, and raspberries, and everything red and not red as long as it’s ripe, juicy summer fruit.

But who doesn’t? There is actually something else I want to share with you today, something I’ve been hiding from you for too long, something very personal and magical I’d like to share with you…

During the last six months I’ve turned into a summer-fruit-eating little ‘whale’ (an orca if you wish, as my 5 year old nephew kindly puts it): I’m pregnant!!! Dutchie and I are so excited and a little overwhelmed too…

There’s so much things to arrange though and I have the feeling of living on a roller coaster lately. And that’s not all, I’ve got many more news to share with you, and I will very soon.

One thing at a time they keep telling me… So, let’s first take a moment to celebrate the big news with you over a red fruit desert (with no doubt inspired by the little one growing inside me). I is a very personal take on the traditional Eton Mess. I called it Messing with Eton… juicy red strawberries marinated with basil on a cloud of greek yogurt mousse with crunchy bites of meringue here and there. Mmmm!

Messing with Eton…
Greek yogurt mousse, stawberry marinated in basil and crumbs of meringue – Mousse au yaourt grec, fraises au basilic et miettes croquantes de meringue

serves 6 pers.
prep: 15 min. rest: 1/2 hour + 1hour

Ingredients:
For the mousse:
400 g Greek yogurt,
20 cl whipping cream,
3 sheets of gelatin,
2 to 3 Tsp sugar (according to taste);
1/2 vanilla pod (the grated seeds);

And also:
300 g fresh strawberries (or a mix of your favourite red summer fruit);
juice of 1/2 lemon;
6 basil leaves thinly chopped;
1 Tsp sugar;
6 to 8 mini meringues (I could have made them myself but I got them at my favourite patisserie), or 2 to 3 larger ones;

Prepare the mousse:
. At least half to one hour before hand, set the Greek yogurt to drain in cheese cloth, a clean towel or in kitchen paper.
. Soften the gelatin in a bowl of cold water. Reserve one tsp whipping cream to melt the gelatin and whip the rest of the cream until stiff. Whip the drained Greek yogurt with the sugar and vanilla seeds until shiny and relatively stiff;
. In a small pan melt the drained gelatin with 1 tsp of cream. Immediately incorporate to the whipped Greek yogurt;
. Incorporate the whipped cream delicately to the Greek yogurt mixture;
. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Dress the desert just before service:
. Marinate the strawberries cut in thin slices with the lemon juice, chopped basil and 1 Tsp sugar;
. Pour the mousse in individual glasses; in alternate layers with roughly crushed meringues and the strawberries.

Bon appétit!