Guess what my lovely readers? Spring is here at last and that means no more soggy robes the moment you step out of your front door and no more dark, gloomy nights stuck indoors. Not that I am a huge fan of leaving the comfort of my home, but that's beside the point. At least now I can go out beyond the house and the SOUP offices without needing a well-cast impervious charm if I choose to.
One such trip was my next visit to Ottery St. Catchpole to meet our lovely kitchen witch Momma Fox. Having got to know the miniature marvel quite well over the last 6 months, I had an uncharacteristic but noticeable spring in my step as I approached her home. I was excited to see what she would have for me to try this month, a feeling that seemed to be reflected in the bright sunshine and playful, fresh breeze that wrapped around me as I walked down the cobbled streets. You know what they say? Spring fever can make even the most jaded of us feel hopeful.
As usual, the tiny, mischievous fox lady was already waiting for me with her dark eyes sparkling, a warm smile on her lips. "Well good morning to you, child! Someone is looking fresh and bouncy today!" Hurrying up to her, I have to admit that I may have been just a little foolish. The warm air was making me just a little giddy that day and I may have giggled like a silly teenager admiring Victor Krum in his prime. Trying not to damage her sensitive ears, I bubbled in reply, "Good morning Momma Fox. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? It makes me want to be outside for a change. Please tell me we are doing something quick today so we can enjoy your lovely garden?"
Disappearing back into the house with a wave, Momma Fox merely chuckled as she bid me follow her. Trotting behind her to my usual spot, I waited eagerly for the familiar parchment to be placed into my hands. When it was, I scanned it quickly and beamed. "There you go Dear, I already figured that you'd have a bee in your bonnet today so I thought you could use up some of that bounce with a bit of whisking. Once you've done that, We can certainly take a glass of punch and these Lemon Ginger Lush puddings outside to enjoy. So let's begin shall we?"
With a quick nod, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work!
Ingredients:
12 Sponge Fingers, broken into pieces
180ml Ginger Ale
300ml Double Cream
Juice and Grated Zest of 1 Lemon
150g Greek-style Yoghurt
3 tbspns Good quality Lemon Curd
1 Heaped tsp Ground Ginger (Optional)
Directions
1. Lay the sponge fingers in the bottom of a glass dessert dish and sprinkle with ginger ale. Make sure the sponge fingers are damp but not soggy.
2. Pour the cream into a large bowl, add the lemon zest and juice and whisk until soft peaks form.
3. Combine the yoghurt, lemon curd and most of the ground ginger in a bowl and then fold into the lemon cream until it's evenly mixed.
4. Spoon over the soaked sponges and chill for approx 30 mins or until ready to serve. Sprinkle the remaining ground ginger on top to garnish if desired. For this stage, a muggle fridge will do or you can use a very gentle application of the Glacius Charm for roughly one to two minutes. Just make sure you stop the incantation once the pudding is firm but not solid.
Needless to say, by the time I was done whisking and whipping to Momma Fox's satisfaction, this reporter's arm ached. It was worth it though, to see the cream stiffen and form into the delicious miracle was more satisfying than I had imagined. So much so, I could work out for myself why my teacher had not let me do it with magic. A little manual work is something I can definitely recommend to those of you with excess energy this spring!
So until next time my dear readers, happy cooking! I'm going to relax and enjoy the sun with my new favourite dessert - Nikita