Winter Bloom

We enjoyed a good, sunny (pretty warm) week in the Netherlands right in the middle of  winter. My body and mind went into spring mode. I wasn't the only one confused. Even the flowers around the city began to bloom. And, that's when I got inspired to create Winter Bloom.
My creation, Winter Bloom celebrates healthy eating and home-cooking using simple ingredients that I picked up from farmer's markets and Bio stores this week.

To make this exquisite yet simple dessert, here's what you need -

Ingredients

A box full of berries.
I used raspberries but you can use mulberries or even small sized strawberries.
2 teacups organic almond milk (unsweetened)
1 cup organic coconut milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cardamon split open,  seeds extracted &crushed.
Almond slivers
Organic Honey. I used orange blossom honey that I picked up at the farmer's market
Dried flowers
Agar Powder
Water
Moulds/glass vessel for shaping

Method
In a big deep vessel, add the almond milk, coconut milk, sugar and the crushed cardamon seeds. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat so that the mix simmers for at least 15 minutes.

While the mix is simmering, warm one fourth cup water and add 3 teaspoons agar powder to that. If you want your final custard firmer (less wobbly), you can add half teaspoon more. Now stir this mix well so that the powder dissolves in water.

Slowly introduce this agar-water mix into your simmering mix.

Keep the heat on low and stir this mix gently so that the agar blends in and dissolves completely.

Keep stirring for 10-12 minutes.

Take the mix off the heat and pour this mix into moulds.

I used moulds but you can also put it in a deep glass tray if you don't have moulds.

You need to work fast because agar starts setting almost immediately once it's taken off the heat.

Once poured in  moulds, keep these moulds undisturbed for at least an hour.

Once they cool down, refrigerate them.

Presentation

Now this is where you can get creative and dress up your plate in the way you want!

Here's what I did -

I took a shallow glass plate.

I put 4 drops of organic honey.

Gently took out my custard from the mould and added it on top.

Created a forest of dried flowers around it

Gently assembled the raspberries along the perimeter of the custard.

Gently added almond slivers on the inner side of the raspberries.


Notes:

• This is a fantastic make-ahead dessert. Simply make the custard and refrigerate it. 
•  You can just assemble the berries before you are ready to serve. 
• You can also mix up the berries to make your winter bloom colourful. 
• If you have used a glass tray to set your custard, cut it into tiny cubes and assemble it. 

Be creative and push your own boundaries. This is a dessert that you can keep making over and over again and it will look different every time. 

Please write back and tell me or better still show me how yours looks! Would love to hear your comments here or on my instagram feed. Please tag me so I can see your creations! 

Bon appetit!