Tuesday, July 21, 2009

TWD - Raspberry Blanc-Manger



Dorie continues to test our limits and teach us to appreciate the untried. I never ever would have picked this recipe out of a cookbook and said "This one sounds great! I can't wait to make it!" That's the beauty of participating in a group like Tuesdays with Dorie. Someone different picks the recipe each week, and we get to try making (and eating) things we're not familiar with. One thing I've learned is that the weeks where I "don't feel like" making the recipe is the week I absolutely need to make it. Those are the recipes that surprise me the most--in a good way.

My first question this week was "What the heck is a blanc-manger??" It is reminiscent of a coeur a la creme, but has whipping cream and milk with gelatin to stabilize it. This was such an easy recipe to put together. I made it the night before I served it and parked it in the refrigerator overnight.


I went back and forth on whether I should grind blanched almonds or just use my Trader Joe's ground almonds (which are ground with the skins on). It was obvious from the photo that Dorie used blanched almonds, but I was feeling lazy and decided to go for that rustic look.


The recipe came together very quickly and easily. It took longer to pick through the two baskets of raspberries to trash the ones that were mushy than it did to make the blanc-manger. I smoothed the top diligently, wrapped it with plastic wrap and put it in a drawer of the fridge, away from strong odors. When it was time to unmold it, I soaked it in hot (OK, boiling hot) water, and it popped right out, but the top was very shiny. In the future, I'd use hot tap water and I think I'd get the effect the picture in the book shows.

The raspberry coulis was easier than the blanc-manger (picking through the raspberries again took more time). I forgot to reserve some berries to decorate the top, so I decided to make an amoeba-like design on the top with the coulis. Well, I decided to make a design, but my design skills are pathetic.

This was a hit at work. Once people got over the "What is it?" and had a slice, it disappeared in record time.

This is a not a dessert for anyone watching their weight as its predominant ingredient is whipping cream, but it's an impressive and refreshing summer dessert. I used the suggested raspberries, but peaches, apricots, strawberries or cantaloupe would all work.

Thanks go to Susan of Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy. She picked this dessert for us to make this week, and she's something of a visionary in my mind. If you'd like the recipe, please visit Susan, or better yet, buy the book and join us in our odyssey to bake our way through it, one recipe at a time.

20 comments:

Hindy said...

Lovely. Very delicate with an organic touch on top! Mine got away from me and ran down the counter.

Joy said...

The coulis is so pretty - I bet it tasted fantastic, too. I need to try a raspberry one this fall!

spike. said...

looks great, glad to hear everyone liked it. Although it does make me regret missing this week

vibi said...

Ahhhh! I knew you'd keep up!

Not a lot of TWD have made this, but I knew I'd find it here... and very well done at that!

I'm glad you had such success with it!

Anonymous said...

My coulis looks like an amoeba, too, but not intentionally. It really got away from me. Yours looks fantastic!

Anonymous said...

It looks great...flecks, amoeba and all!

Isabelle said...

Looks delicious!
I love that rustic look.
I am glad everyone enjoyed this!

Katrina said...

You did a great job. It looks great. Love the amoeba thing. Now that I think about it, the jam I put on one of my little ones is about the same shape! Good laugh.

I turned mine into ice cream and didn't use fruit--I used chocolate!

Anonymous said...

It looks great with the sauce on it!

I didn't feel like making this one but I made myself do it and I'm so glad!

Madam Chow said...

The raspberry versions looks so pretty. I made mine with blueberries, and tweaked the flavoring a bit. It didn't come out as pretty as yours, but it was tasty!

Cakelaw said...

What a lovely job - your blanc manger looks beautiful. I was too lazy to make the coulis - I glazed mine instead.

Anonymous said...

I love how the raspberries stand out in your blanc-manger! I debated whether I should leave them whole or cut them into bits, next time I think I'll leave them whole. And rats - I thought since it tasted kind of light it would be lighter in calories too!

AmyRuth said...

Beautiful job Leslie! I loved it and would like to try it again maybe strain off the almonds somehow and see how that works. Or maybe the almonds camo the gelatin. Who knows. Lovely sweet cream and fruit.
Smart folks you work with. You are so nice to share with them.
Amy Ruth
Glad you are enjoying the bread baking!

Unknown said...

Your blanc-manger looks awesome Leslie! I actually really like the rustic look you achieved by using the ground almonds. It sort of makes me wish I hadn't spent so much time blanching my almonds :) Glad everyone liked it!

margot said...

I like rustic baked goods, most of the things I make are; I'm sure if I'd had TJ's almonds in my pantry I would have done the same thing. Sounds like it was quite the hit!

Megan said...

It looks so good, I am beginning to wish I had made this!

Anonymous said...

I think it is the perfect summer treat. Your blanc manger looks pretty!

Michele said...

Your blanc-manger looks amazing!

Liz said...

I like the way it looks with the unblanched almonds! And I agree--TWD is the best because it forces--I mean, allows--us to experiment and try new things we wouldn't try otherwise.

Jenn H in San Diego said...

It's a dessert, it's a Rorschach Test! I sat this one out, I simply didn't have it in me. Yours looks great, so maybe I'll give it a try.