Sweet Couscous with Almond Cream and Poached Fruits
Photography by Aaron McLean.
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.
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