Friday, January 23, 2009

'AFFIRMATIVE' GARDEN WHITE BLOOMING FRIDAY~ 'WINTER WHITE' CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRIFLE

"White ... is not a mere absence of colour;
it is a shining and affirmative thing,
as fierce as red, as definite as black....
God paints in many colours;
but He never paints so gorgeously,
I had almost said so gaudily, as when He paints in white."

~ Gilbert Keith Chesterton
[British author, 1874–1936]
“A Piece of Chalk,” Tremendous Trifles (1909)

~ White Garden Wonders
(Annabelle hydrangea, astilbe, Yoshino cherry blossoms, Rose of Sharon bud, white poinsettia, tulip, daisy, trillium, bloodroot, iris, candytuft, (center ~ Yoshino cherry branch), viburnum, peony, lily, lily of the valley, African violet, dogwood, Queen Anne's lace, anenome, phlox, anthurium, hosta, English Daisy, Kousa dogwood
_______________
WHITE RASPBERRY TRIFLE
~ 'Winter white' classic dessert slightly adapted from clipped from Bon Appetit (2005)
______________
3 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
12 ounces high-quality chopped white chocolate
1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water (or Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur)
7 ounces crisp lady fingers ~ Boudoirs or Champagne biscuits
(or 7-8 oz. sliced pound cake)
1 cup raspberry jam, melted, divided
1 1/2 12-ounce packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, divided
2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries
3/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
  • Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Beat 2 1/2 cups cream and 1/2 teaspoon extract in large bowl to soft peaks. Fold in white chocolate mixture.
  • Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water (or Chambord liqueur) in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts. Mix in 3/4 teaspoon extract; remove syrup from heat. Quickly submerge 1 biscuit (or sliced pound cake) in syrup; shake excess back into pan. Place dipped biscuit (or cake) in bottom of 14-cup trifle dish. Repeat with enough biscuits to cover bottom of dish.
  • Spread 1/3 of melted jam over biscuits in dish. Top with 1/3 of partially thawed berries with juices. Spread 1/3 of whipped chocolate cream over. Repeat layering with dipped biscuits (cake), melted jam, partially thawed berries, and whipped chocolate cream 2 more times. Mound fresh berries in center of trifle. Sprinkle almonds around edge. Cover and chill at least 5 hours and up to 24 hours. (10 servings)

25 comments:

beckie said...

Your whites are gorgeous! White flowers in the garden are like splashes of light-your eye is drawn to them. Oh my, another delicious sounding temptation.

Hope you have a great weekend, Joey!

Unknown said...

OOOOH, I just gained seven pounds reading that recipe, so I won't make it! The photos are lovely, perfect for a sunny but cold winter's day.

F Cameron said...

Joey,

Let's make a deal. I'll cook the main course, you bring the dessert!

Cameron

Philip Bewley said...

This whole post is so elegant. What an incredible dessert, and I love your collage.

greystonepatty said...

Well isn't this a small world. Here I was sitting in northern mi checking out the gardening blogs and I find yours. A woman after my own heart who loves cooking as well as gardening! Hello Mrs. Randall, its Patty Hixon Campbell. Of course I saw the photo, and thought what an accomplished young woman she is. I on the other hand am sporting a full head of grey hair these days! Love to you and your family, say hi to the village as well. Happy New Year, Patty

Barbee' said...

Joey, I have named you in my list of Friendly Bloggers. If you'd rather not further the award that is ok with me, but I do want you to know I thought of you. If you would like to see the post CLICK HERE.

Brenda Pruitt said...

White seems ever so appropriate for January. But we don't get snow here! That's fine by me!
Brenda

Anonymous said...

Hi, Joey, As usual a major delicious temptation offered! It seems so appropriate to be thinking of an elegant white dessert this week after the whole nation contemplated that frothy white dress Michelle Obama chose for her inauguration ball. :)

joey said...

Hi dear Beckie ~ I'm a white flower lover. Though my garden is filled with many stunning colors, at times too stimulating, I find white centers me down ... the same with a bite of white chocolate :)

Exactly what I had hoped on this cold winter day, dear Jodi (at the lake with blustery wind and zero temps). Are you sure I can't tempt you ... thought you might need a bit of fat on your bones after your illness :)

You're on, Cameron ... truly, wouldn't it be fun!

Thanks, dear Philip ~ you know how to make a woman feel wonderful with your thoughful comments :)

Patty, Patty, Patty ... I'm stunned you found me (but you've always known my love for food, photography, and gardening)! What a wonderful surprise ... actually, I'm at the lake also, celebrating my sister's (Nancy) birthday. Please keep in touch (loonfeather@comcast.net) the kids would love to hear from you also. BIG HUGS ...

Dear Barbee ~ I'm most honored to accept this award. You are also always a wonderful read and deserve this warm award. Thank you, dear friend :) I will proudly display this when I get home and have access to my own computer.

Even though I'm one who thinks snow is beautiful, dear Brenda, these sub-zero temps are a bit much! With gusty winds and temps of zero to -17 tomorrow, looks like even snowshoeing might have to wait until we return in 2 weeks ... I look at the frozen lake and dream of summer :)

So you, dear Kathryn ... love it! Not surprised, I think your heart heard mine since we're here at the lake celebrating Nancy's birthday and life! Hugs dear friend.

Anonymous said...

I've developed a new fondness for white flowers, which were never a particular favorite before. And most are very fragrant, too. The recipe sounds like a fantastic dessert!

joey said...

Hi Nancy ~ the older I get, the more I appreciate the pure simplicity of white flowers, both inside my home and in the garden. This trifle IS good, Nancy, trust me :)

Katarina said...

And what a gorgeous Bloooming Friday it is! I enlarged your white collage - and I was stunned! It's such a beautiful selection of flowers!
Enjoy your weekend!
Katarina

spookydragonfly said...

Joey, Your collage of all the pristine whites in bloom is just beautiful! Oh, I'm missing the warm weather!

Nan said...

Those white flowers are just beautiful. I'm looking out at white, too, but its a wee bit different from flowers. :<) (though just as lovely in its own way!)

Rose said...

Joey, You convinced me this summer that I have neglected to plant enough white flowers in my garden. They are so pure, so elegant.

Oh my goodness, this recipe sounds so delicious...I avoid making too many desserts here because no one else eats too many sweets. I think I could finish off this trifle all by myself:)

Sunita Mohan said...

Joey, what a beautiful symphony in white! Love that collage!
I'm bingeing on whites in my garden now. I hope that'll cool the extremely warm weather we're getting nowadays . (Am I being mean when I say that?)
Thank you so much for visiting my site. I enjoyed seeing you there !

joey said...

Thanks dear Katarina ~ it's fun to look back then forward to tomorrow (not really tomorrow since it's still frigid, but hopes for my spring garden):)

Hold on, dear Kim! Though winter is still on stage, big time this year, spring is hiding in the wings :)

White wears many different hats, Nan ... all beautiful in their own way.

Hi dear Rose ~ I've always loved white in my garden, especially because it speaks softly to its more vivid neighbors. This trifle is wonderful for group gatherings (I love scraping the remains on my spoon as I clean the dish :)

I would imagine white is wonderfully relaxing in your garden, Sunita. It has a way of cooling the eye.

marmee said...

white is one of my favourite garden colours, i have often dreamt of having an all white garden.

Jan said...

I will always be awed by your talents and skills, not to mention creativity and sensitivity. Each post is so beautifully and thoughfully arranged. With added bonuses of delectable treats so soothing to the palate;)

Did you do a Desert Island post, Joey? If so, I cannot find it.

Shady Gardener said...

What a beautiful collage of white! And then, dessert, too? Wow! ;-) (I love anything with almond and/or raspberry!)

joey said...

I think all white gardens are stunning, Marmee. My gardens are so extensive, it would be impossible though I have often tried all white areas, especially in the back garden where white glows at night.

How kind Jan. Thank you for your thoughful comment. Re: Desert Islant ~ I did not post here, but was early to comment on both Shirl's and Jodi's blog with this answer ...

(With 'no limits to growing conditions', and since I'm a a 'woodland' lover: Betula papyrifera (paper white birch) for shade and love the bark ... can also use it to write a thing or 2 upon; woodland ferns (have survived on the planet for eons and need to be surrounded by plenty of green); and lily-of-the valley (the smell reminds me of my mother and 1st garden mentor). Thanks for the fun post, Shirl :)

Thanks Shady :) I also love raspberries and almonds. Wouldn't it be fun to eat this dessert surrounded by an all white garden?

Unknown said...

Hello, saw that you have been to many of my favorite wineries! Love black star. I work up on the leelanau peninsula in the summers. It's my favorite place. I lived in lake leelanau last summer with some friends.

I'm from Manistee. Love your blog. keep it up.

joey said...

So happy to meet you, flowgirl! You're a lucky gal ... Manistee is lovely. Aren't we fortunate to live in this beautiful state? Perhaps we'll meet since we visit Leelanau Peninsula often ... Thanks for your kind comments and please return to catch up :)

Catherine said...

Beautiful post Joey...delighting the senses! I so love white flowers inside and out in the garden!I can never seem to plant enough white in my garden.:)
Your White Garden Wonders collage is fantastic! And I am drooling looking at the White Raspberry Trifle recipe..and I will be making it soon~It sounds heavenly! My son is alergic to almonds, would it be alright to substitute it with vanilla or some other flavoring...?
Enjoy your week bloggin sis!
Hugs
Cat

joey said...

The older I get, the more I appreciate white, dear Cat. Thanks for your thoughtful words. Indeed you can substitute with good vanilla extract then top the trifle with raspberries instead of toasted almonds.