Friday, July 26, 2013

Sweetness all around

Okay, before we get into ducklings, I am sharing this yummy dessert I made the other night. Raspberries are in season right now around here:


I got the recipe out of Coup de Pouce magazine. Allow me to translate it for those who don't speak French:


•••••
Little Raspberry Creams with Coconut Milk

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) fresh raspberries
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 mL) sugar
juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) melted butter
1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp (30 ml) ground almonds
2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch

PREPARATION
1. Spread 1 cup (250 mL) raspberries in the bottom of four heat-resistant 250-ml (1 cup) jars (I used Mason jars) or ramekins. Butter each jar.  In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until the mixture is smooth. Beat in lemon juice and lime zest, melted butter, coconut milk, almonds and cornstarch. Divide the mixture among the four jars.

2. Bake in preheated 350 deg F (180 deg C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cream has set. Cool. (You can prepare the cream in advance and cover. They will keep up to 2 days in refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.)

3. Just before serving, sprinkle with remaining raspberries.

4. EAT!

•••••


So easy, so yummy! I garnished them with coarse sugar and mint sprigs from the garden.

And before we get to more sweetness, I ask you this: WHY? Why did I climb into bed last night only to discover the back half of a chipmunk gracing the comforter? And there were two very content cats snoozing on the bed. Now I know why Emily and Naomi didn't eat supper.

Gordon was my knight in shining pajamas, and came to take away the body. Or rather, half a body.

This also explains why the cats were staring under our basement freezer yesterday. I just figured it was a mouse but no, apparently we had a chipmunk in the house again. Ah, country living! It's a good thing I'm not squeamish. This morning I found a big bloodstain on the basement floor. I'll be cleaning that and laundering all the bed linens today!

And now, sweetness:


I'm betting that little guy in the front  left, turned sideways and with lots of brown, is a boy.I can already see the difference in the boy/girl profiles. We'll see if i'm right!



I wonder what Mama was saying to her kids?



I have a plastic lawn chair in their run and the babies like to hang out underneath it.


Aerial view! Looooook at that widdle beak!!!


Meanwhile, I threw Mama in the swimming pool yesterday. She had a big long bath and seemed very happy with me babysitting the kids while she cleaned up.



Shake it off!


But the babies missed her.


"Mama! Why are you on the wrong side of the fence?!"



That's better!

Have a marvellous weekend. I'm extracting honey this afternoon.

17 comments:

  1. That dessert looks really jummy , says the mom-person :)
    She goes Squiee over the duckies and says that she would have screaming like a pig if she found a half squirrel in her bed *mol

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    1. Easy to make and very tasty!! I wouldn't blame your Mom for screaming. I think I have now had so many pets bring me so many disgusting things, I'm past screaming. ;)) Nothing surprises me anymore!

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  2. RIP poor little unfortunate chipmunk!
    There is a duckling in the water dish on that last photo :)

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    1. I know, I did feel very sorry for the chipmunk. I really like them! I have to figure out how they are getting in the house. Or else the cats are nabbing them in the outdoor cage and bringing them in!

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  3. I didn't notice the duckling in the water dish till I read Pasha's comment. I just adore all your posts whether they're about ducks or hens or dogs or horses etc. You really brighten my day!

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    1. I didn't notice it until I saw the pic on my blog! Glad my blog can make you happy, Ms Sparrow. That makes ME happy!

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  4. Inquiring minds want to know which half or the chipmunk is sweeter.

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    1. Apparently the butt end was inedible. I took a photo, then realized it would be indecent to post it! :)

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  5. Just finished dinner here and after seeing those little fuzz-balls I feel as though I've had dessert. They are adorable. (Have experienced the extra-livestock-in-the-bed moment myself, but at least it was alive.)

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    1. Ooooh, I got the live chipmunk dumped in the bed last month. This month we got dead. I wonder if it was the same chipmunk? Poor thing! Glad someone else feels my pain! :)

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  6. These little chicks are just lovely.
    Here some years we have chipmunks, some years we don't. In the 1970s the fisher (a member of the mink family) was reintroduced and chipmunks and squirrels are part of its diet. There are no chipmunk or squirrel this year but they will probably be back next year. They always come back eventually.

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    1. We have fisher around here but fortunately they don't seem to come close to the house. I saw one in our woodlot though, and I've seen them around the roadsides here too. A lot of people lose cats to fishers around here. Another reason I have indoor (or out in a cage) cats.

      Hope your chipmunks return. I do think they are awfully cute and I wish my cats wouldn't leave them on my bed!

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  7. I don't know what Mama was saying, but it looks as though one little duckling was answering her back. They are absolutely adorable little babes.

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    1. I am rather smitten with them. :)

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  8. oh that looked so yummy. But sadly reminded me our raspberry crop was a total bust this year due to the spring weather...:(

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    1. My crop was terrible too. :( I had to BUY these raspberries!

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  9. Awwww love these photos! I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at sweet baby ducklings :) I bet you extracted a ton of honey!

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!