In my younger years, perfection meant a number to me. For example:
4 – was the dress size I strove to become and so I ran every morning, joined a gym and forced myself to eat oatmeal (although I hated it) for breakfast.
5 feet 5 inches was the height I thought was ideal for a size 4 – and so I took to wearing three inch heels everyday – even if they hurt like hell.
10 was the number of guitar pieces that I wanted to know by heart – so that I could at least say that I could confidently play a whole set if asked.
28 was the age I wanted to get married.
And so my search for perfection went…
As years passed and interestingly enough – I didn’t feel the expected joy when some of these numbers I met and I didn’t feel as bad as I expected to when many of the numbers I didn’t achieve. I’m not sure why – maybe I enjoyed the ride more than I did actually arriving at my destination.
And while I hate to admit it – I am still searching for perfection – although some of the things that mattered to me years ago – either I couldn’t care less about today, or have been adjusted to a more realistic number. And then also, other numbers have taken priority. You know what I mean?
That 4 dress size I so desperately wanted to achieve, well I’d be happy to fit into an 8 now!
I wear 2 inch heels instead of 3 now.
I’ve forgotten all the guitar pieces I know but no one ever asked me to play a full set anyway.
I did get married at 28!
And last night nothing pleased me more than to spend time with the Blog Monster as we searched for that 1 perfect lychee dessert.
This dessert is really called Lychee Perfection. It is a two layer jelly/mousse that is in my Grandmother’s cookbook. I have adapted it by the addition of rosewater to the top layer. Lychees are in season now and we are getting the most juicy and plump fruits you can imagine. This is one of the best ways to celebrate them. Don’t fret though if you can’t find fresh lychees – the canned ones are fine to use too.
Recipe
Bottom Layer
- 1 envelope unflavoured powdered gelatin (7 grams)
- 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 1 can condensed milk (395 grams)
- 200 grams cream, whipped
Top Layer
- 1 envelope (7 grams) unflavoured powdered gelatin
- 2 tablespoons boiling water plus 1 cup boiling water
- 10 lychees peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon rosewater
- pinch of rose food colouring
- For the bottom layer, mix the boiling water and the gelatin in a container and set aside.
- In a double boiler, mix together the condensed milk and the gelatin mixture.
- Mix the gelatin mixture and continue cooking over the double boiler until the mixture thickens, around 5 minutes.
- Allow the condensed milk mixture to cool.
- Once the mixture has cooled, whip the cream until stiff peaks and fold the cream into the condensed milk mixture.
- Pour into individual glass containers and allow to set.
- For the top layer, mix the boiling water and the gelatin in a contained and set aside.
- Place the water, lychees, rosewater and sugar in a sauce pan. Add the gelatin and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat, strain the liquid into a bowl and set the bowl over another bowl of iced water and allow to cool. As the mixture cools, add a tiny pinch of rose food colouring.
- Cut the lychees into pieces and place them over the cream jelly.
- Pour the rosewater mixture over the lychees and allow to set.
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Trissa, what a wonderful dessert. I like the twist you made to the original adding the rosewater. Rose would be just amazing flavour with lychee. What a great recipe….could have been great in the line up for tropical fruit month. Now, that would have been perfect! 😉
OMG! this is PERFECTION HEAVEN!!! I love condensed milk.. and also lychee! THis is a must try for me! Love the colors too!
A georgous festive dessert!! So lovely too!!
So colourful & lychee all the way,…yeah!
Perfection is overrated. However, this looks pretty darn perfect. Gorgeous to say the least =D.
This is the prettiest dessert I have seen in a long time – perfection itself! (And you’ve achieved more of your goals than I have. Size 8 – LOL, my galumphing great self can only dream!
I have this recipe in the old recipe baul, my mom says it’s easy to make. Yumyumyum!!!
such beautiful colours! it looks so delicious!
awww that’s so pretty!
I like lychee cos they turn out very well in savory cooking too such as sweet and tangy dishes.
the ❤ was supposed to make hearts but I've just done it by Alt-3 (on the right-hand number pad!) So here it goes, I ♥ the Blog Monster!!!!!!!
This pink………the rosy pink……the intense hues and the taste of those fresh, slightly sweet, slightly sour lychees have me longing. Great job. I ❤ the Blog Monster.
Ohh it looks so pretty.. tres feminine 🙂 Lychees are the business in Summer, that’s for sure.
OMG! What a gorgeous dessert! Devine is the word that comes to mind. By the way, I have something on my blog for you.
The Lychee Perfection is perfect for this hot summer, Trissa!
It looks so good…….. wanna have one right now!
My Indian distributor who studies Graphology was explaining to me how the force with which you write can be interpreted as the energy level you have. He mentioned something about the best being medium strength -for when a person pours in too much energy into everything he does he will only cause alot of stress and anxiety to himself and others around him and will shutter him from the greater beauty around him. I, too , try to strive for perfection when I set out to do something- not because I am a perfectionist but because it propels one to outdo oneself, pushing new boundaries – and that is exhilerating. Having said that, your Lychee Perfection is indeed a picture of perfection. Rose and Lychee – my own personal favourite combination as well – add Raspberries and you have Pierre Hermes Isaphan desconstructed…
Oh, I like the name – Perfection, sounds perfect! 🙂 And looks perfect actually. Thanks for inspiration for my next batch of lychees! 😉
That is such a colourful, pretty dessrt Trissa! And a size 4??!! Good grief, I’ve never even believed there was room for me below the double digits!!
Amused at all your perfection ideas. I want to have perfect black, shiny hair, but the white ones are slowly coming through LOL. Looking at this lychee dessert, it’s perfect for me…….cos of the condensed milk! 😀 ….love it!
The colour is so pretty. The photos are awesome. The flavours must be amazing. It is perfection.
As coincidence has it; I was already wondering where all the lychees at the market came from when I was roaming around there yesterday. And now I feel sorry that I didn’t buy a bag to try out this recipe! Looks gorgeous!
It’s a dessert breakfast for me. Nice Trissa.
I had similar “perfection quotas” when I was younger! Looks and sounds lovely!
Very pretty, and a fantastic way to showcase fresh lychees. Unlike you, I love oatmeal and have been sticking lychees into my morning porridge, yum!
I will definitely try this recipe on the weekend. What a ‘perfect’ idea!!!
STOP cooking these tasty treats! How am I supposed to lose weight with all these temptations! ;-P
This dessert does look like perfection. I do know what you mean about perfection but sometimes I have realised that everything can’t and won’t be perfect but even the things that aren’t can be just as beautiful/fun anyway.
You like the chase eh?!! ;-)) Love lychees.. this seems like the best thing that happened to them !! :)) gotta try it soon…
Trissa, it’s no wonder at all why this is called Lychee Perfection. They are exquisite! The colours are just twee. And adding rosewater is just genius!
yum perfect indeed! It looks really elegant and appetizing. I love the soft pink.
Oh my! That does look like perfection! Lychees and rosewater sound heavenly! And I like oatmeal for breakfast in the winter months!
trissa this dessert looks gorgeous and your photo’s are just superb – by the way did you end up getting the macro lens that you wanted ?!
They do look perfect,Trissa..
Really, Trissa, the perfect layers and rose colour of your dessert made me squeeeeeal with delight! I am definitely going to try and make it.
Oh so pretty, it makes me smile! I think lychee perfection is the perfect name for it! And loving the addition of the rose on top, I want to try this with the rose syrup I have at home. Gorgeous.
I love that the recipe isn’t fussy but it looks very impressive. Bookmarking this to try!
I agree with Ellie. I kinda wanted to eat this for breakfast. You know my weakness is condensed milk. Looks so good Trissa.
7:30am. You made me wanting this dessert for breakfast!