Berries and Cream
Did I tell you the Blog Monster went back home? Last Sunday. It’s been almost a week since she left and while I can tell you I am missing her… my kitchen must be missing her much more. Gone are the days when the refrigerator was so full that an actual free space was more coveted that Hong Kong prime real estate. Today, I opened it, and it was almost empty. Now I don’t need to fight with anyone for kitchen space – but somehow I miss having to compete over kitchen time.
There was none of the usual tears when she left though. The reason being I knew I was going to see her in a two days! That’s right – there’s going to be a Blog Monster reunion this Saturday! Not only that – my two other sisters will also be joining us. It’s been ages since the “girls” had a week away. Shopping, eating, and shopping some more… It’s going to be fabulous!
So while I say good-bye for a bit (see you back in early February!!) – I will be enjoying the company of the Blog Monster once again!
In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a treat which was inspired by a dessert I had when I took my Mum to Quay Restaurant a few days before she left.
Berries with a Vanilla Mousse
How could I let my Mom leave without trying Quay restaurant? She’s probably the only one in my family willing (and wanting) to sit down for more than three hours enjoying the food of one of Sydney’s best restaurants. The dessert I had at Quay was called Cherries and Berries. It was a plated dessert of various coloured cherries, assorted berries, a sorbet and what seemed like their vanilla mousse. This is the super simplified version – but when you have berries as good as what we’ve got nowadays, you just really have to let the berries talk!
Berry Berry Nice!
Recipe – adapted from Quay Restaurant (original post here)
- 250 ml milk
- 50 grams caster sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 1 1/2 sheets titanium gelatine (7.5 grams) soaked in cold water for 5 minutes
- 250 ml cream
- 70 ml egg whites ( about 2 eggs from 55 gram eggs)
- 125 grams caster sugar
- Berries in season (I used strawberries, blackberries and blueberries)
- Heat the milk, 50 grams sugar and vanilla bean until just simmering.
- Squeeze water from the gelatine and whisk into the milk until dissolved. Cool slightly (15 to 20 minutes), strain into a bowl.
- Meanwhile, whisk the cream in a bowl until soft peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggwhites, gradually adding sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the cream and meringue gently through the cooled milk mixture.
- Place in a bowl and refrigerate until set (around 6 hours)
- Top with your choice of berries
Berries and Vanilla Mousse
Oh and, by the way, a big thank you to everyone who has left a comment for the Blog Monster. I feel like you all know her already. I wanted to give you an idea of how she looked like as well as show you some of the “friends” she met while she was in Australia. Enjoy!
The Blog Monster & Friends (Margaret Fulton, Tetsuya Wakuda & Tony Bilson)
Trissalicious 
I couldn’t agree more and I like how you incorporate the vanilla beans on this, it just looks absolutely beautiful. Definitely going to give it a try, thanks for the recipe.
Wow, the berries look so fresh and appetizing. I am sure that I will love this. 🙂
Oh look at those luscious colors of berries…I am so jealous.
Berry nice post, Trissa 🙂 Lovely recipe and photos. Have a good trip!
OMG, trissa, we’re totally in sync! Look at my latest post, although your mousses looks a lot better than my pudding, especially the gorgeous photos! 🙂 I guess we’re in a ‘berry’ state of mind..in a glass, over a white mousse or pudding LOL
Blog monster rocks heehee, hope she will get a chance to post now and then in the future. Your dessert looks berry yummy indeed!
I saw your blog title and had to laugh…. great sense of humor and lovely photos!! Glad that I found you!
Berries and cream…always love this combination…simple and yet elegant 🙂
Hello Trissa,
what a fabulous looking summer dessert!! Waw!!! I so love this!
Berries & a lovely mousse!!! MMMMMMM,;..what’s not to like??
That dessert looks delicious! I love that you have such a fun, cooking relationship with your mother! I would like to cultivate that with my own children {if I ever have any!} Wishing you the best of times with your family!
What a lovely way to end the Blog Monster’s visit to Sydney – with a trip to Quay! Are you going to share photos of that meal too? Love the mousse with berries. Sounds so light and refreshing 🙂 Hope you’re having a fantastic holiday, Trissa!
Yum! This looks so nice and light! What a great dessert =D.
Looks like I know your mom very well even without meeting her. Feel like I’m missing her too. It’s so wonderful to have mom around. I wish my mom is here! Love your berry mousse. I have to eat more of this healthy food before Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day come 😛
Beautiful pictures. Love your blog!
STUNNING photos……………………………….and I miss the BM!
Nooooo! I will miss the blog monster. Sigh….
Your pictures are beautiful though Trissa. I’m looking forward to our summer when we have berries again.
Laura
Nice!! off for a vacation??! awesome!.. love the photos of your mum.. so cool!!
Oh how I love those pics of your mum Trissa! She’s like the celebrity Blog Monster 🙂 Have a great time away and see you when you get back. Those balckberries look so good – drool.
Wow all your food looks restaurant-worthy! I wish we had nicer berries here… I think the berries don’t enjoy Singapore’s climate too much =)
your pictures are stunning… love the berries.. lovely, lovely post!
I love th ephotos of the 3 bowls with their hands on their hips!!!! so adorable…u take beautiful photos and are so funny! m glad I found you!
Your dessert is so tempting and summery! Have fun in Hong Kong 🙂
This looks gorgeous! Have a great week with your sisters. Glad your mum got to go to Quay with you – it’s a lovely experience.
have a great time in hong kong! you’ll all be together pala, that’s so cool. too bad I’ll miss you by a few days. anyway, I’m writing this from boracay!
I am soo jealous. I want those berries ! I bet it’s so perfect with the mouse..
Have a great time!
Ha ha… I was indeed going to ask you about the Blog Monster… like I said, so many time,I am looking forward to her own blog!! Love your humour about the fridge space rivaling the property price of HK real estate… LOL. Great looking dessert too…
Oh wow – what a delicious post!!
You are completely right – the berries we have available at the moment are exquisite! I made blueberry curd the other day when I found a stray punnet at the back of the fridge a friend left for me – so delicious – and I am already scouring my recipe books for other berry treats before the season is finished 🙂
A berry nice mousse indeed! Glad you get to see your Mum again soon. I love the photos of her with the famous foodies!
Gosh, I have to say your photography is simply amazing. What awesome pictures (and the desert looks delicious by the way lol).
*kisses* HH
You’ve def made the berries the star here Trissa! This looks stunning! Enjoy your trip away!
You have to tell me what type of camera/lens you use – your photos are always so gorgeous. Though, with your delicious creations, it makes it easy to take great shots. PS: Good ad for Woolies – and your mum sounds fun!
Hehe berry berry nice indeed! The Blog Monster is so lucky she got to meet so many people while she was here. I didn’t realise you were going away, have an awesome time Trissa!
Trissa, I want to dive into the screen and get into that that dessert. It looks heavenly! Wonderful shots as usual, I can’t take my eyes from these berries.
This is my kind of dessert!
Oh man, another recipe to add to my ever-expanding list of things to try, haha. Dang does Margaret Fulton live in Balmain?
lovely lovely shots of those berries! And it just looks sensational. too pretty to eat…
That’s kind of a panna cotta- which I adore.
Great photos of your berries! So clear and fresh….you want to grab a mouthful.
Forgot to comment on that lovely dessert… Yes almost as good or better than quay restaurant, very well done….
It was with great pleasure doing some work for trissalicious…. See u Easter Sunday… O I forgot, the small but terrible monster with be off to Spain and Paris by that time….so we ve got to wait n see.
Wait, I’m new here! I feel like I have to be acquainted with the Blog Monster…
Anyway, have fun! I am so jealous of the Australian summer bounty. I love berries to death.
O have fun Trissa!! (which I am sure you will) Love the berry dessert too, but we don’t have berries at the moment so will need to wait a bit for summer to arrive!
Awwww … sweet post, Trissa! 🙂 Your shots are crystal clear!!! What a beautiful fruity dessert. Berry berry nice! Your mom’s a lovely lady. 🙂
These photos are killing me! This looks so refreshing and those berries look like they are bursting with sweetness. I love simple desserts like this.
I hope you have a wonderful time with your mom and sisters. What fun!
U rock mom!
You two have a great relationship and that’s great. And guess what, I have two sister too who are older than me. This berry mousse is fabulous and your photos are beautiful.
I will certainly miss the Blog Monster. I felt like I got to know her from your post Trissa. I cant wait till she is back in the country again. Maybe this time I will get to meet her. Why she was certainly hanging out with the cool group while she was here. eheheh. Love the mousse Trissa. As usual your photos are incredibly enticing.
I feel like singing… woolworth’s the fresh food people…. yummy berry dessert!