Princess Louisa’s Raspberries, Brandy & Cream for Valentine’s Day from Lord John and the Succubus
Grey felt momentarily as though he had received an actual blow to the pit of the stomach; his mouth opened, but he was incapable of speech. Or at least he thought he was. To his surprise, he heard his own voice, sounding calm, politely admiring.
“They are very handsome indeed. I am sure they are a consolation to your wife, in your absence.”
Von Namtzen grimaced slightly, and gave a brief shrug.
“Their mother is dead. She died in childbirth when Elise was born.” A huge forefinger touched the tiny face, very gently. “My mother looks after them.”
Grey made the proper sounds of condolence, but had ceased to hear himself, for the confusion of thought and speculation that filled his mind.
So much so, in fact, that when the princess’s special dessert – and enormous concoction of raspberries, brandy, sugar and cream — arrived, he ate it all, despite the fact that raspberries made him itch.
Diana Gabaldon, Lord John and the Succubus (Chapter 5 – Dark Dreams)
Is Lord John Grey destined to walk alone until the end of his days? He’s got no shortage of friends, admirers and, of course, there’s the occasional tryst, but when it comes to true love, LJ has yet to find his perfect match.
Stephen von Namtzen, with his feathered helmet, Teutonic blood and noble good looks seems a striking enough candidate to help LJ wipe a certain unattainable Scotsman from his wishlist for good. But then, just as LJ’s loins were starting to warm, Stephen had to go and confuse matters with talk of children and dead wives.
Does Stephan have itchy feet? Can LJ scratch them while Stephan soothes his own allergic reaction to raspberries? There’s definitely something there…we’ll have to wait and see.
These parfait-style desserts make for a deliciously easy, make-ahead end to a romantic Valentine’s dinner. I added a few sliced almonds for some crunch.
(Click on the title below for a printable version of the recipe.)
Princess Louisa’s Raspberries, Brandy & Cream for Valentine’s Day from Lord John and the Succubus
: Simple, decadent and delicious.
Serves 2 to 3
- Raspberries – 1 Cup (240 ml)
- Granulated Sugar – 1 Tble (15 ml)
- Brandy – ¼ Cup (60 ml)
- Whipping Cream – ½ Cup (120 ml)
- Granulated Sugar – 2 tsp (10 ml)
- Vanilla – ½ tsp (3 ml)
- Sliced Almonds – 2 Tble (15 ml)
Reserve a few raspberries for a garnish. Toss the rest of the berries, sugar and brandy in a small bowl. Stir well to dissolve the sugar, and allow to macerate at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Whip the cream to soft peaks. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Toast the almonds in a small pan over med-low heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Cool.
In small bowls, wine glasses or champagne flutes, layer the cream and berries, drizzling the sugary brandy over the berries and topping each layer with a few almonds for crunch. Garnish with the reserved berries and refrigerate for up to 3 hours before serving. Serve chilled.
Ith gu leòir! (Eat Plenty)
Notes:
- Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, raspberry liqeur (or the booze of your choice) are good fill-ins if you find yourself short on brandy.
Looks yummy!!! I’m sure you are asked this question repeatedly. But how can I get a printable copy of this?
Scroll down to the recipe, Chris. See where it says “(Click on the title below for a printable version of the recipe.)?” Follow those instructions. :)
Thank you!! :)
Sorry, now I can’t change the comment…I see the step about the nuts now, I just didn’t read it carefully! Sorry!!!
No worries, Michelle! (It’s entirely possible that the nut step was missing from the printable version. My self-editing has been known to miss a few things. ;) )
I bought raspberries and whipping cream at the grocery store today…
A question though – is it just regular granulated white sugar in the whipping cream, or is it icing sugar?
Also, the downloadable version of the recipe leaves out the step on toasing the almonds, just FYI. ;)
just plain old granulated sugar…I’ll change the recipe to reflect that. It’s a good question.
I’m from Wisconsin….never a shortage of brandy here! :)
a never ending supply!
Oh, so yummy sounding! Excuse me while I find a napkin…
You’re excused, Michelle. ;) Hurry back now!
just an idea …there’re the cherries from our Great Cherry Bounce Experiment still in my freezer….hmmm ….maybe I’ll give it a try….Cherry, Whisky & Cream for Valentine’s Day…
Now why didn’t I think of that? GREAT idea!
Oh I have raspberries in my freezer from the garden last season. Do you think they would do the job? I know they will not be pretty for the decorative part, but I have macerated them before for an ice cream recipe and they look pretty good before they go into the ice cream maker. What do you think?
This is the the perfect use for slightly old frozen berries…no one will ever know, Mary!
Mmmmmm…..and a don’t care for Raspberries, but I want to try these!
Strawberries will do in a pinch, if they’re more to your liking, Sherry!
Mmmmm! Blackberries, or even mixed. But I would be willing to try any berry! What about mini Trifles? Add pound cake, small chunks, brandied?? (Lol)
The sky’s the limit!