After Lobster and Mango salad (China Daily HK Life) comes a recipe for a perfectly light dessert. That's Macaroons made with Chinese almonds for you. This is a simple dish, which has been a huge favorite in my family for over 40 years.

It all began in 1968 when the legendary cook, Fanny Cradock, demonstrated the delights of the dessert to an enthralled audience in a theatre setting. The woman, who did not believe in cutting corners, has been a guiding light for four generations.

She was a cook par excellence. Thorough in her research, Fanny sought out the gourmet ingredients and churned out the most exacting methods of preparation. She had done all this before modern technology came to reduce the hard manual work in the kitchen.

I'll let you have a peek at an extraordinary dinner menu she recorded for posterity in some of her books, albeit out of print, sadly. Here are the ingredients for Macaroons: 3 ozs (approx 85 gms) fine castor sugar, 4 ozs (app.115 gms) ground almonds, 2 egg whites, a sheet of rice paper.

Whip vigorously the egg whites until stiff. Use a whisk or a fork or two. Mix ground almonds and sugar, add to the eggs and mix well, but gently. Drop a spoonful of the mix onto rice paper and place in the over pre-heated to gas mark 3 (170 Celsius), bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The result should be well-colored, crisp on the outside and chewy soft and gooey inside. Slide a knife under each macaroon to release from paper, then store in an airtight container until ready for use. In 'moist' climate, they should last a week or so.

Although the original didn't use a filling, you can make one from 100g unsalted butter softened, 50g icing sugar sifted, 2 ozs (app.55 gms) fresh raspberries. Using an electric mixer, beat butter until pale and fluffy, and then gradually beat in icing sugar until combined. Crush and add the raspberries to the butter mix and use them to sandwich two macaroons together just before serving - they can sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two - covered.

Another simple but delicious dessert is the "verrine". It is a layering of different complimentary textures, aromas and flavors. One of my favorites is an elegant dessert - a combination of raspberries and chocolates. And there is that no-animal fat version, too, which is made with tofu to suit the palates of vegetarians. It's so smooth!

Crumble 100 gms tofu into a bowl. Add 100 gms soy yogurt, 1 tblsp cocoa and 140 gms (5 ozs) raspberry puree or jam. Mix well together by using a blender or a food processor. Melt 150 grams chocolate, bittersweet and dairy-free - if preferred, in a bowl over hot water (make sure you don't get steam/water into the chocolate) and carefully add to the tofu mixture. Have at hand another 50 gms of rasberry jam or puree.

To assemble the verrine: with a spoon put a layer of the chocolate raspberry mousse in the bottom of a pretty tumbler or wide-mouthed wine glass. Place a layer of raspberry puree or jam on top of the mousse layer, and put a layer of chocolate mousse on top of that.

Smoothen the tip with a spatula and garnish with a raspberry and/or mint leaves. Put in the refrigerator to chill until serving.

I must admit that the combination of lobster Mango Salad (in Life last week) and any of these desserts make an enjoyable supper but if you want to turn it into a full dinner menu, see next week's article in this column.

Food Column

(HK Edition 10/09/2010 page4)