CHAJA MESS
This recipe is from my cookbook Confidence In The Kitchen
Serves 10-12
INGREDIENTS
300 ml thickened cream, lightly whipped
2 store-bought sponge cakes, broken into large pieces (see tip)
400 g can dulce de leche
200 g salted roasted peanuts, chopped
2 x 400 g cans mango cheeks or slices (or use the cheeks from 2 large mangoes when in season)
4 large meringues (store-bought are fine)
Freeze-dried raspberry powder, to serve (optional; see tip)
METHOD
We are going to be constructing this dessert a bit like an Eton mess. You’ll need a large wooden board to assemble it on and a nice big serving spoon.
Scoop up a heap of fluffy whipped cream and dollop it on your serving board. Place a few more dollops on the board, then get the back of your spoon and spread the cream out with some big firm whacks! Save the rest of the cream for later on.
Arrange the pieces of sponge on top of the cream, then dollop on spoonful’s of dulce de leche, creating little caramel pockets. Scatter over the peanuts for some salt and crunch, then delicately lay the mango cheeks over the top. Top with dollops of the remaining cream, then crumble the meringues over to add some beautiful sweet crunch. For a lovely finishing touch, you can sprinkle a little freeze-dried raspberry powder over the top.
Take to the table and serve. This is one of those desserts that will be remembered and recreated for years to come!
TIP
I often bake some of the sponge pieces in a 180°C oven for 10-15 minutes to give them golden colour and a bit of firmness.
When assembling this dessert, I find it looks better if you break the sponge into large portions instead of crumbling it into little pieces on the plate.
The freeze-dried raspberry powder is available from the gourmet food store and some health food stores.
