A long leisurely lunch with a jug of Pimm’s is Jo’burg floral designer Stefan Norval’s ([email protected] or afreshevent.co.za) ideal way to spend a Sunday afternoon

INGREDIENTS

  • 150ml strong coffee
  • 45ml castor sugar
  • 60ml coffee-flavoured liqueur
  • 250g mascarpone cheese
  • 250ml cream
  • 30ml icing sugar
  • 5ml vanilla extract
  • 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
  • 40g white chocolate, finely grated (optional)
  • 18 small sponge finger biscuits
  • 12 Amaretti biscuits (optional)

 

TO SERVE:

  • 15ml cocoa powder
  • 2ml ground cinnamon

METHOD

1. Place the strong coffee and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer very slowly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the liqueur and chill.
2. Place the mascarpone, cream, icing sugar, vanilla extract and the seeds from the vanilla pod in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. If using the chocolate, stir it in now.
3. To serve: divide the chilled coffee mixture between 6 small serving glasses.
4. Spoon the creamy mascarpone mixture into another 6 serving vessels. Dust with cocoa powder and ground cinnamon.
5. Place a coffee glass and a mascarpone cup on each serving plate and serve with the sponge fingers and Amaretti biscuits (optional). The idea is to dip the biscuit in the coffee and then in the mascarpone.

 

This recipe serves 6.