Sweet Couscous with Almond Cream and Poached Fruits

, from Issue #24. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Sweet Couscous with Almond Cream and Poached Fruits

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

Couscous
2 cups orange juice
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons caster sugar
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
350 grams instant couscous
1⁄2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1⁄4 cup pistachio nuts

Almond cream
450 ml milk
2 tablespoons cornflour
3 tablespoons ground almonds
3 tablespoons caster
sugar pinch of salt
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract
finely grated zest of 1 small orange

To serve
Any of the following poached fruits: quince, figs, prunes, stone fruit, dried apricots
fresh figs, oranges or dates
mint leaves
icing sugar for dusting

METHOD

Couscous: Combine the orange juice, cinnamon, caster sugar and the lemon zest and juice in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.

Put the couscous in a bowl, pour over the hot juice, stir and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave for 15 minutes.

Almond cream: Mix the cornflour with 3 tablespoons of the milk then combine with the other ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Strain through a coarse sieve into a clean bowl. Cover and set aside to cool.

To serve: Stir the almonds and pistachios into the couscous. Pile it onto a platter and form into a cone. Place the poached fruit and sprigs of mint around the base. Dust with icing sugar.
Serve the almond cream in a jug and pour over individual serves. 

Good quality preserved poached fruits or fruits in syrup can be purchased from most food stores and good supermarkets.