“Give me book, fruit, French wine, and fine weather and a little music out of doors played by someone I do not know”
John Keats
We’ve been stoned nice and proper this summer! No, no, it’s not what you think. It’s just that we’ve had a wonderful bounty of stone fruit, and just when I think it’s the end of the season, the vibrant bazaar and the vendor tempt me back with more fruit to offer! A few days ago, my favourite fruit-vendor promised me another week of peaches. Just when I heaved a sigh of relief that I still had time, and there was really no need for ‘fruit’ panic, he showed the most luscious peaches. I had walked into the trap!
Got back home with a kilo of the most gorgeous peaches, and had them peeled and pitted in next to no time. Had several thoughts of what to do with them. Then my Dad dropped by for lunch, so they were hurriedly chopped up and served with a lightly sweetened cream! Classic and so comforting in every spoonful, ‘Peaches and Cream‘ have to be the most simple yet luxurious dessert to serve in a jiffy!
Predictably, I was back to the shop that afternoon to get another kilo of peaches. I had Tropical Fruit Verrines from Tartlette on my mind, and this years bounty of stone fruit ensured that I could chase this unfulfilled foodie dream! A bag of peaches, a fridge full of mangoes, kiwi fruit and a jar of preserved cherries. {I preserved those in May} were all singing to me. Could see a very happy family in the near future! Toyed with using just hung yogurt in the topping, but then in last minute decision thought that a little low fat cream wouldn’t do too much harm, so in it went. A scraped vanilla bean in the topping tied it all up deliciously!
The verrine originated from France, and is a dessert or appetizer made by layering different ingredients in a single serving glass. It can be either sweet or savoury, and makes an attractive presentation. I’ve never tried making a savoury one, but have heard of layered salads, appetizers etc which are becoming a culinary trend. They are a display of art, and often offer a fascinating blend of colours, textures and complimentary flavours! Another plus is that this one can be made in advance, and the flavours mature beautifully. It is entirely customizable to taste. It’s fun to play around with the layers and ingredients.
Found joy at many levels here. A light make ahead dessert, stone fruit based, seasonal, simple, vegetarian, low fat, healthy, colourfu,l and above all, glass scraping delicious! Try it before the stone fruit season disappears. Cherries have gone from the market here, but you can use burgundy brandied cherries or canned cherries instead, or even use plums! You have to try it, and I promise you won’t miss the heavy cream. The topping is luxurious and creamy.
I enjoyed the explosion of colours the fruit in the verrine offered. Sliced fresh peaches and cherries completed my colour palette … I loved making it and we all enjoyed devouring it!
Tropical Fruit Verrines Recipe adapted minimally fromTartlette Serves 6 2 mangoes, peeled, and pureed with lime juice 2 tbsp lime juice 1 cup drained preserved cherries, or fresh, or canned 2 kiwis, skinned and diced 3 peaches, skinned, stoned and diced 1 mango, peeled and diced 1/2 cup hung yogurt {should be very thick} 150ml low fat cream {25%} 1 vanilla bean scraped 2 tbsp powdered sugar
Method: For the bottom layer, peel the mango and cut in rough chunks, run them through the food processor with the lime juice until you obtain a fine puree. Divide it evenly among glasses or dishes. Mix the diced fruit and cherries to get a nice fruit salad, add a couple of tbsp of lime juice to prevent the fruits from turning brown if you want. Divide on top of the mango puree evenly among the glasses. Mix the hung yogurt, cream, powdered sugar and scraped vanilla bean in a small bowl with a whisk until just well blended & smooth., and divide it between the glasses. Top with fresh sliced fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
Your photos are amazing! This whole summer I've been craving peaches but have only had 2 (one of which my boyfriend ate!) It's a tragedy. Loved stumbling upon your blog.
I love all the vibrant colours of the tropical fruit in your photos. And after reading about the lovely fruit in your last few posts, I am really impatient for summer to come around in my part of the world! 🙂
ARRGHH!!! The preserved cherries take it over the top! SO wishing I had done this when I saw it making the rounds a few months back. Making a note right now to make some next spring! Your dessert looks lovely! Thanx!
Thanks to recipes like this, my verrines will benefit from a newer dimension of flavors and colors. You would look at my usual classic verrines and you probably would be pleased by the work of taste in there, but they lacked of the fun and varied touches of yours.
34 Comments
Nithya
Looks absolutely fantastic. I'm drooling 🙂
Pavithra
Wonderful dessert with lovely pictures …
Priti
Looks so attractive and simple …nice pics
Rosa's Yummy Yums
What lovely little verrines!
Cheers,
Rosa
Sue
So bright and vibrant and fresh! Yum!
sensiblecooking
That is right up my alley. No baking, lots of fruits and creamy yogurt.
sarah
Now this is my kind of dessert!! Yum, yum.
shayma
deebz, absolutely adoring your photography- your food styling. so, so beautiful. xx shayma
Khaugiri
It's really tempting!!!
Asha @ FSK
Lovely photos Deeba. Such a crisp composition!! Love it!
Aparna
Fresh fruit is always the best dessert, IMO and with verrines they also look beautiful.
Great pictures, Deeba. Is the new camera helping? 🙂
s
gosh they looks amazing…stunning pics as usual!
Stela James
I like to eat.
home jobs
Cristie
All that wonderful fruit, it looks and sounds delicious! Peaches so early, I'm completely jealous.
MeetaK
this is the perfect summer time dessert deeba! looks healthy and amazingly refreshing!
Sanjeeta kk
Refreshing dessert Deeba! Love the colors and the clicks.
monisha mehta
hey , nice blog , like it ,
won't be nice if i u can clickover to my blog page too ,
& post some suggestion
Kitvy
Wonderful information and the photos, it is very very…. How to say that?…… 🙂
shaz
Oh these are so beautiful, you are tormenting me Deeba! Can't wait for stone fruti season here.
As always, I'm blown away by your photos, I love the super saturated hues here, just eye-popping. How do you get your reds so red?
mysimplefood
Looks absolutely delicious. Especially in this hot summer!!!
Kamalika
Absolutely divine…..the snaps are just awesome…
Gera @ Sweets Foods Blog
What a vibrant, colorful and delicious post Deeba!! All these fruits and pictures are fabulous! 🙂 One my favorite desserts…the lovely verrine!!
Cheers,
Gera
Barbara Bakes
This is a gorgeous, inspirational post. A perfect summer dessert.
Erika Beth, the Messy Chef
Your photos are amazing! This whole summer I've been craving peaches but have only had 2 (one of which my boyfriend ate!) It's a tragedy. Loved stumbling upon your blog.
Stela James
Interesting! I have been looking for this info for the last few hours.
home business
Honey @ honeyandsoy
I love all the vibrant colours of the tropical fruit in your photos. And after reading about the lovely fruit in your last few posts, I am really impatient for summer to come around in my part of the world! 🙂
UrMomCooks
ARRGHH!!! The preserved cherries take it over the top! SO wishing I had done this when I saw it making the rounds a few months back. Making a note right now to make some next spring! Your dessert looks lovely! Thanx!
Suman Singh
looks so refreshing with those beautiful colors..
RamblingTart
Absolutely STUNNING, Deeba!! 🙂 I love these so very much.
bellini valli
This is a great way to use tropical and local fruits. Delicious!!!!!!
S Lloyd
Thanks to recipes like this, my verrines will benefit from a newer dimension of flavors and colors. You would look at my usual classic verrines and you probably would be pleased by the work of taste in there, but they lacked of the fun and varied touches of yours.
bake in paris
Just like me … when I have cherries, I can't have enough angles to take, they are just simply beautiful 🙂
Sawadee from bangkok,
Kris
Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]
Stunning pictures, D!! That looks so easy, and so delish! I might try it out with the last few peaches of the year!
sarah
Thanks for the fantastic idea. I mentioned you in my weekly links round-up.