A very warm welcome to Sugar et al’s brand new home. This partly explains my absence from my favourite blog-o-sphere for a while. Partly because along with my website, I moved too. Not that I had planned it this way…just a fantastic coincidence.
9 weeks, 18 posts, a few hundred requests and a brilliant techie later, I finally decided to give my blog a little makeover. Yes, the much awaited SUBSCRIBE button is here…at last! Now my friends there is no escaping the mush, the mash and the mousse (does it rhyme…who cares!) Get ready with a spoon and a box of tissues to follow me on my new journey.
My heart is full of affection and gratitude for all the people who have been with me all this while. You made me realise that relationships can form anywhere, anytime…across nations, despite boundaries, without ‘subscribe’ buttons. I take this opportunity to thank my friends who came to check on me every now and then…Mary, Julia, Nazneen, Pavithra, Evelyne, Gloria, Tia, Nilu, Deepti, Soni, Uru, Dhanish, Rita, Nava and livened up my blog with lovely comments. A few days back Pavithra did a beautiful post called ‘A lesson in Unity’. I believe in that more than ever today.. And Nazneen, I am so touched that you wrote to me out of concern.
And for my silent readers, I know you are there and I am grateful. I love you for the time and patience you shower on me each day.
I also need to thank Adrian, an extremely enthusiastic techie for helping me to make the blog look like one. Despite his super busy schedule he kept coming up with plenty of ideas and suggestions of navigation options, designs etc (half of which wouldn’t even register in my non-techie brains). Thank you Adrian..you are a genius!
This blog is incomplete without food. And since I have grown up with a belief that good things and celebrations start with sweet, I am sharing another favorite with you. The passion fruit mousse takes less than 5 minutes to put together if you have the passion fruit curd pre made like I do (home-made or store-bought). The strawberry meringue crumble is unique and looks very beautiful. This recipe like few others was born out of a refrigerator clearance exercise that I had to undertake recently. The recipe can be substituted with lemon mousse using lemon curd if passionfruit is not available.
I moved houses 2 days back and still in the process of getting settled. A totally new locality, neighbourhood, supermarkets…it is like starting all over again. While I said a goodbye to my previous suburb with a heavy heart for all the warmth, convenience and memories (I hope to write about that too) that it had to offer, I am very excited to explore the new one. Little by little, I am trying to make it my home. It always intrigues me how a few walls, a floor and a roof can house so many dreams..stand witness to a million stories that take place everyday…where people grow older…each time you turn that key in, you let yourself into a world which is so familiar, so comfortable…the sights, the smells, the feel..that you want to come back to it over and over again. A place called HOME..
I am taking in the warm rays of the sun falling out of a big window as I write to you. I saw the sun rise, right before my eyes today. It feels good to be HOME!
Passionfruit Mousse with Strawberry Meringue Crumble
Passionfruit Mousse (Serves 4)
3/4 cup Passionfruit Curd, cold (recipe below)
1 cup whipping cream/heavy cream
Sugar (optional/to taste..I did not add any)
Whip the cream to soft peaks using a stand mixer/hand mixer or simply by hand with a whisk. To understand the various stages of whipping here’s a handy link. Gradually incorporate the passionfruit curd 2 tablespoons at a time and mix slowly till all the yellow streaks disappear and the mixture looks uniform. Pour into serving glasses and chill for about 3 hours to firm up.
Note: If you are in a hurry and want to serve it right away, you can do so by whipping the cream to stiff peaks and mixing it with the curd. The only difference is that the mixture is a little fluffy to handle and therefore hard to put into serving glasses unless piped. If you don’t mind that, there is no difference in the taste otherwise.
Strawberry Meringue Crumble
7-8 strawberries chopped into cubes
10-12 meringue kisses, crumbled (home-made (recipe below) or store-bought)
A handful of roasted macadamia nuts, chopped (or any other nut of your choice)
Mix every thing together just before serving to retain the colour and texture.
Passionfruit Curd (Makes about a large cup)
4 egg yolks
125 g unsalted butter, chilled
3/4 cup castor sugar
3/4 cup fresh or canned passion fruit pulp
Combine the egg yolks, butter, sugar and passionfruit pulp in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly till the mixture thickens to a consistency of mayonnaise. Cover and cool to room temperature and then chill for an hour.
Meringue kisses
This recipe from Joy of Baking has always worked for me. Once the meringue is ready, play around with different nozzles and pipe them in whatever shape and size you want. For this recipe, shape really does not matter so if you are not comfortable with piping, spoon the meringue into mounds on the baking paper.
Hey Congratulations on your brand new site as well as Home!! Love the look of your new site, simple and just right! I’m sure you have lots of set up to do at home, good luck with that.
Isn’t it very sweet that you quoted ‘A Lesson in unity’ here, I’m soooo happy and HUGS to you!, I’m glad you liked the post 🙂
Also the mousse with meringue looks very colorful and would like to jump in and help myself, if only I can! Can’t wait until you jot down the recipe with quantity and stuffs. Looks yum and perfect clicks!
Subscribed already!! I’m sure, i’m gonna learn a lot of gourmet recipe from you and surprise my mom/dad once in a while 🙂
Thank you Pavithra! The post was so beautiful..I always had that in mind. Unfortunately, there seems to be a problem with the subscribe button..looking into it. HUGS back to you:-)
My name? Thanks a lot. Great change especially coming to this new site. Lovely mouse to celebrate the move. Yes, the mousse is very colorful and has made me jump.
Thank you Nava! Your name appears in so many of my posts..grateful for the support:-)
Welcome back Sonali and congrats on your new home and the new look of your site dear.. The mousse with strawberry meringue looks absolutely amazing and delicious.. It creates a very festive feel which is apt in celebrating your comeback.. Oh my Sonali! I want this now.. Subscribed to your posts.. I will be coming back soon.. Until then Happy Blogging
Thank you Nilu. The Subscribe button has let me down:-( Hopefully it will work soon. Happy Blogging to you too:-)
Sonali:
What a nice makeover!!!!
The pictures of these delicious passion fruit mousse cups is also absolutely gorgeous!!! Great, great job on everything…
Thank you so much Denise!
Congratulations Sonali on your new home and your new blog home! The site looks wonderful my friend; very clean and crisp. Yay! A subscribe button, I will subscribe now! Thank you for the shout out, it was very sweet of you. Passion fruit curd and mousse sound so lovely! I can’t seem to find passion fruit here in the US, once in a while I will come across a rare one. I will have to search out a ready made one so I can put together this lovely mousse! Love the crunchie, fruity bits on top. Nice to have you back.
Nazneen xx
Thank you so much my friend. The software got the better of me..Subscribe is not working. Hope to fix it soon. You can substitute Lemon for passion fruit. Glad to be back among friends:-)
I am lovin’ your new look. The mousse sounds wonderful as well. I hope your week is off to a good start. Blessings…Mary
Thank you Mary for your generous and warm wishes.
Congrats on the new place – hope you settle in and make it all homey soon! Moving can be a huge stress, so hopefully it’s all working out seamlessly for ya! This passion fruit mousse looks amazing! And with all the treats on top….so pretty and delicious!
Thank you Julia. True, it is a huge stress but hopefully will overcome soon:-)
I am a true believer as well, when it comes to celebrations come with deliciousness! This absolutely calls for a celebration…it looks very delectable!
Thank you so much Gloria.
Wow! Wow! This is awesome good looking site. Heartiest Congrats Sonali. Its great to see you back in action. I do visit often to see whether you have any new post. So now i can subscribe via RSS.
I love desserts in glasses! Great photos as always 🙂
Thank you Dhanish. Your support means a lot. There seems to be an issue with ‘Subscribe’..hope to resolve asap!
Hey, this is great!!! Finally you got a subscribe button placed…So now, i don’t have to scan everyday 😉
So this is hosted at wordpress, is it?
I know that bitter sweet feeling of shifting home…Hugs Sonali…
The dessert looks lovely!! And did you say 5 minutes?! I want some, please…
Thank you Pankti! Yes, a self hosted wordpress which has been troubling me ever since. Apparently, the button is not working…what a let down! Trying to fix it. True, shifting is bittersweet and stressful but hoping to settle down soon:-)
Congrats on both new homes 🙂 Hope they are both a place of peace and happyness. That dessert is a great start to celebrate. Looks wonderful and curious about the Meringue Crumble!
Thank you so much Evelyne! Posted the recipe.
First of all many congratulations on two new homes!!Love this layout and colors!Wishing you tons of happiness in your homes and that passionfruit curd looks to die for!Love the color and that strawberry meringue perfectly compliments the curd 🙂 Beautiful pics!
Thank you so much Soni!
Love the makeover! And this crumble is just BEAUTIFUL!
Thank you for stopping by:-)
What number can I dial for home delivery, sis?
It shall be hand delivered by your sis:-)
Hi, just wanted to tell you, I liked this article. It was funny. Keep on posting!|