I've Bean Travelling

Summer is just about wrapping up, but you can eek out one last seasonal recipe with this whipped ricotta parfait. We made this a few weeks ago as a dessert and enjoyed its light and refreshing taste, and the opportunity to use up our remaining batch of strawberries.

Recipe

Adapted from She Loves Biscotti.

Servings: 2-4 glasses | Prep time: 10 minutes | Ready time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

Macerated strawberries

• 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups strawberries, sliced (1/8 inch) or quartered

Parfait

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2-3 tablespoons creamy vanilla yogurt
• Mint leaves and lemon zest to taste

Steps

1) Using a hand held beater, blender, or food processor, combine the ricotta, honey and yogurt. Process until smooth and creamy.

2) Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3) Divide ricotta and macerated strawberries among glasses or serving dishes. Start by placing a couple of tablespoons at the bottom of each glass, spoon a few tablespoons of strawberries on top, and finally top with another tablespoon of ricotta.

4) If desired, garnish with mint leaves and lemon zest. Ready to serve.

👨‍🍳 Notes from Mr. Chuckles

There are several ways to prepare macerated strawberries. We typically use a nice balsamic vinegar, but there are alternative recipes using Grand Marnier or citrus juice. The idea is to soak the fruit in liquid, which softens it and allows it to release its natural juices. This will add flavour and sweetness if the berries are not as ripe as you would like.

In terms of honey, we like to use this Tasmanian Leatherwood that we picked up from St. Lawrence Market.

Now to move onto more autumn cookery…