Hi everyone,

Click on photos to ENLARGE and then hit the back arrow to return to the post.

I hope your 2023 has started out well and you are all enjoying the new year.

I am proud to say that DishingwithDiane is celebrating our 8th Anniversary of posting tablescapes, recipes, and family stories and it has been a highlight of my life.

I consider all of my members extended family and I wish I could host an event someday to meet you all in person since I speak with you via comments and texts and I feel we have been friends for years.

I deeply appreciate all the communication that we have had over the years and thank you for your support of the blog.

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This year I got the idea for the theme of the 8th anniversary in a very unusual way while visiting my son this past Fall.

Let me explain how this happened… Early one morning while we were all sitting around the table having breakfast, my son had the TV on in the background and a show came on one of the cable channels about food from South Africa.

The show caught our attention and after the chefs were preparing various entrees, the host decided to make a very popular classic South African dessert called “Malvapoeding” or “Malva Pudding”. It looked quite interesting and resembled the British sticky toffee pudding.

The dessert comes with a story about one of the fruit trees of South Africa and a folklore legend that this particular fruit makes elephants drunk. Scientists over the years have proved this theory wrong and it is just a myth for tourists.

This tree is called the Marula tree and once a year at the peak of summer, the tree bears a yellow fruit with white flesh the size of a plum.

The Marula tree is a member of the same family as the mango and grows widely in Africa. Its sweet, yellow fruit is used for making jam, wine, beer, and a liquor called Amarula.

Some African communities use the marula bark as an antihistamine and as a prevention for malaria. Marula fruit can even treat stomach aches.

In African folklore legends, the tree is also known as the “Elephant Tree or the Marriage Tree”. Many tribes have acknowledged that the tree and its fruit have aphrodisiac qualities. Believed to be fit for royalty, this tree is protected by African law, just like the elephants.

The magical scent draws the elephants from miles around to the trees and that is when the locals know it’s time to harvest the ripe, yellow fruit or the elephants wouldn’t leave any fruit for anyone else.

Marula trees are incredibly popular for elephants – they eat the bark and devour the fruit, then spread marula seeds around their habitats. The seeds are evenly spread through elephant dung. 

The Marula fruit is then distilled and matured in aged (French) oak barrels for two years before being blended with fresh cream to make the popular liquor “Amarula”

So after the show, we all decided we wanted to try this infamous Amarula Liquor and during our afternoon outing, we went to a local liquor store in town and inquired.

The salesman had the liquor in stock and knew of the myth about the elephants getting drunk and we bought two bottles (one for us and one for my son).

We stopped on the way home for a dessert to pair with the Amarula after dinner, and we tasted Amarula on the rocks with dessert. Delicious!

Amarula is a South African liquor made of sugar, cream, and fruit from the marula tree. This creamy and citrusy liquor tastes great on the rocks or mixed in a cocktail drink. Some of the most popular drinks include Amarula with coffee, coconut or fruit cocktails, and an Amarula milkshake.

In my opinion, it tastes like Bailey’s Irish Cream with a little more caramel.

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Now I had to make the pudding that originally intrigued me. When we got home from our weekend, I searched for a recipe. Some were very complicated with long ingredient lists with and without the Amarula liquor. So I continued to search and finally found a recipe that wasn’t too complicated and I was off to baking and the result was delicious.

It is a sweet pudding made with a yellow sponge drenched in a decadent sauce. It contains apricot jam, which is a classic ingredient in South African cuisine.

The other ingredients include baking soda and balsamic vinegar which caught me by surprise for such a sweet dessert. The vinegar and baking soda are added together to make it rise. The more I read about this pudding, the more interested I became.

The batter is very liquidy and I never thought it would come together but this is my cake straight out of the oven and it was a perfect consistency.

(I poked small holes in the cake to make the sauce saturate the cake and topped it with sanding sugar for a light crunch).

So after my test batch, I made the pudding once again today to celebrate DishingwithDiane’s 8th anniversary and I served it with caramel ice cream, whipped cream, a few fresh raspberries, and of course some Amarula liquor to celebrate.

I want to share the recipe with all of you below.

To complete the theme of Amarula & elephants and South Africa, I am using my safari dishes- one of my favorite sets.

Starting out with a centerpiece that I thought would look perfect with the dishes.

Some cordial glasses for the Amarula, themed candles, coasters, cutlery, and the coordinating sugar and creamer set.

My place setting

And a few random photos of the anniversary tablescape….

I hope you find this as interesting as we did and buy a bottle of Amarula and make the pudding and indulge in a little South African culture for dessert.

Malva Pudding (Malvapoeding)

Author: Mike Benayoun

Cuisine: South African, Vegetarian Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

For the batter

• 1 tablespoon butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon apricot jam
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup brown vinegar (e.g. malt or balsamic vinegar)
• 1 cup AP flour, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the sauce

• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup sugar
• 8 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Amarula liquor – added after the sauce is taken off the heat.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C.
• Whip 1 tbsp of butter with sugar for 2 minutes. Then, add the eggs one at a time, and continue to whip well after each addition.
• Add the apricot jam and mix well.
• Then, add the milk and the baking soda, then the brown vinegar.
• Add the sifted flour gradually and continue to mix.
• Pour batter into a 9-inch ( 22 cm) square greased baking pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes in the oven or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• While the malva pudding is baking, mix all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan on medium/high heat.
• Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Cover. ( I added the Amarula when cool.)
• Remove the pudding from the oven, then pour the sauce on top. Set aside for 15 minutes before serving so that the cake has time to absorb the sauce to saturation.
• Cook Note: I poke small holes in the cake to help with the sauce saturating the cake.
• Cook Note: You can use a cookie cutter to make individual portions
• Serve with custard (like creme anglaise), vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream

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This was a wonderful celebration for us and now we start a new year at DishingwithDiane.com I am so excited about what is ahead…

Again, thank you for your support and comments. Please continue to tell your friends about this blog and ask them to join and become part of the family.

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Until my next post, make every day a celebration!

Stay well,

Diane

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all well. Today is a celebration at my home and for all DishingwithDiane members.

HAPPY 6TH BLOGIVERSARY

Recipe for this cake is at the end of the post.

It is hard to believe that today marks 6 years ago that I started “DishingwithDiane.com” and I want to thank each and every one of my members for making this such a wonderful experience for me.

I feel as if I have gained an extended family sharing my tablescapes, recipes and stories with all of you. I love your comments, messages and feedback when you try a recipe or find a new product I shared.

And thank you for being so patient and supportive through my medical journey with my heart transplant. Your understanding when I wasn’t able to set a tablescape and just share recipes and your kind words of encouragement, love and caring meant the world to me and gave me strength.

I didn’t set a tablescape today because a large majority of my dinnerware sets, platters and cake stands are still in storage and with the Covid19 pandemic I have not been able to get to the unit and retrieve my inventory, but I am still working on that. So there will be many new tablescapes in the future.

So for now on this 6th anniversary, I wanted to celebrate all of you and extend my gratitude to my members/now family. I have a lot of ideas for tablescapes and recipes and plan on having a lot more fun with the blog entering our 7th year.

Until my next post, make every day a celebration!

Stay well,

Diane

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Ask your family and friends to share, like, comment, and join DishingwithDiane.com and become part of the family!

Once you become a member, you’ll never miss a post.

Also, continue to send me your comments and emails, 

I Love hearing from you.

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The recipe for the featured cake slice above (taken from Pinterest) is courtesy of Sugar Hero website

(https://www.sugarhero.com/)

and is listed below:

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MOUSSE CAKE

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake – a gorgeous three-layer mousse cake with chocolate, raspberry, and vanilla mousse, all on a chocolate brownie base. prep time3 HRScook time24 MINStotal time3 HRS 24 MINSSERVINGS: 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER:

• 3 1/3 oz all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
• 2 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (2/3 cup)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 oz unsalted butter
• 7 3/4 oz granulated sugar (1 cup +2 tbsp)
• 2 eggs large, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

• 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream divided use
• Pinch salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp water

FOR THE RASPBERRY MOUSSE:

• 1 1/2 cups raspberries fresh
• 9 oz white chocolate finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided use
• Pinch salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp water
• Pink food coloring (optional)

FOR THE VANILLA MOUSSE:

• 9 oz white chocolate finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided use
• 4 tbsp honey
• Pinch salt
• 2 tsp powdered gelatin unflavored
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (can substitute vanilla extract)

TO FINISH:

• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
• 4 oz heavy cream
• 1 pint raspberries fresh
• Chocolate curls or other decorations

US CUSTOMARY – METRIC

INSTRUCTIONS

TO MAKE THE BROWNIE LAYER:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment and spray well with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Set aside for now.
• Cube the butter and place it in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally as the butter melts. Add the sugar and stir it into the melted butter until combined. 
• Remove the pan from the heat, and let it cool to lukewarm. Once it has cooled, add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. The mixture will start out grainy, but as you add the eggs, it will become shiny and smooth. Whisk the vanilla in. Finally, add the dry ingredients, and stir them in with a spatula.
• Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan, and bake it for 22-24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the brownie layer completely before proceeding.

TO MAKE THE MOUSSE LAYERS:

• Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with sides at least 3 inches tall, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan will work. Line the inner wall with a 4-inch high acetate cake collar or strip of aluminum foil or waxed paper. Make sure the acetate or waxed paper is long enough so that it overlaps itself, and if you are using foil/waxed paper, make sure you cut the strip tall enough to extend at least an inch over the pan’s sides, since the cake is about 4 inches tall.
• Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan, then carefully place the baked brownie on top of the cardboard. Prepare the chocolate mousse layer: combine the chocolate, 3/4 cup of cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• While you wait for the chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and chocolate together.
• Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse on top of the brownie, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for 25 minutes, until the mouse has started to set and is firm enough that a second layer can be added.
• For the raspberry mousse, make a quick puree by blending 1/2 cup fresh raspberries in a blender or food processor. Pour them through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, and measure out 1/4 cup raspberry puree. (If you have extra puree, save it for another use.)
• Combine the white chocolate, raspberry puree, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Continue to make this layer the same way you made the chocolate layer, by melting and cooling the chocolate, whisking in melted gelatin, and folding in whipped cream. Add a few drops of pink food coloring to boost the pink color, if desired. At the very end, stir in the remaining 1 cup of fresh raspberries and pour the mousse over the chocolate mousse layer. Spread it into an even layer, and refrigerate again.
• Finally, prepare the vanilla bean layer. Combine the white chocolate, 1/2 cup heavy cream, honey, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Continue to make this layer the same way you made the previous two layers. At the very end, stir in the vanilla bean paste and pour the mousse over the raspberry mousse layer. Refrigerate to set the mousse layers very well, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To finish the cake, push the bottom out from the pan, or unhinge the sides, and unwrap the acetate strip. Transfer the cake to your serving platter. Make a quick chocolate ganache by putting the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and heating the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny mixture.
• Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, and use a spatula to nudge it right to the edge and over in evenly spaced drizzles. Don’t worry if the top is not smooth—it will be covered up! Add the fresh raspberries and chocolate curls on top of the cake. Refrigerate to set the ganache.
• For the cleanest slices, cut the cake when it is well chilled. Use a large sharp knife, and wash it frequently between cuts. For the best taste and texture, allow the cake slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
• Store Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

NUTRITION

https://eb2b19f3bd81851179aaf9b1ac43cdbf.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.htmlSERVING: 20g | CALORIES: 604kcal | CARBOHYDRATES:50g | PROTEIN: 5g | FAT: 43g | SATURATED FAT: 26g | CHOLESTEROL: 120mg | SODIUM: 115mg | POTASSIUM:342mg | FIBER: 4g | SUGAR: 38g | VITAMIN A: 1105IU | VITAMIN C: 9mg | CALCIUM: 124mg | IRON: 2.2mg