Brilliant summer treat and the fab shabby chic's giveaway...

Feeling a bit hormonal today, in sharp contrast to how I felt over the weekend. I just could not stop smiling, for no particular reason at all. Do you have day like that, where you really feel on top of the world.
Not sure what brought this feeling on, the fact that I bought some lovely books, or the fact that I lost my first stone... And no, there is no way I will tell you how long that took me, or how many more I need to lose, it is gone, and that is the most important thing. To celebrate, I made myself the most wonderful dessert, and only 281 calories a portion... OK that is quite a lot, but then, it counts towards my five-a-day. It is gorgeous though, and if you are in need of a treat, I highly recommend it.

Raspberry and cherry gratin (serves 4)

7 fl oz milk
1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise
2 eggs, separated
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
squeeze of lemon juice or eau de vie
10 oz cherries, stoned
10 oz raspberries

Heat the milk and vanilla pod in a pan until nearly boiling, then leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. Whisk together the egg yolks with 2 tbsp of sugar until pale and light, then whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste. Whisk the warm milk into the paste. Pour the mixture into a pan, than cook for 3-5 minutes until thickened and the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Pour through a sieve into a large bowl, discarding the vanilla pod, then leave to cool a little.
Whisk the egg whites until trebled in size and stiff peaks form. Add the remaining sugar a little at the time, whisking well between each addition, untill the mix is thick and glossy. Stir in the lemon juice or eau de vie ( I used the latter I am afraid, it worked really well with the fruit) into the custard mix. Add a third of the meringue to the custard, stir well to incorporate then carefully stir through the remaining meringue in two goes.
Scatter the fruit into a large, shallow heatproof dish. Put under a medium grill for 3-5 minutes to soften the fruit slightly. Spoon over the custard mix. Return to the grill for 3 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Apparently these count as 1 of 5 a-day...
I never made custard from scratch like this, particularly not a meringuey one...
Before it went under the grill...
And just after... The last thing I want to mention is the wonderful giveaway Mel from Country in the town is staging. If you do not know her blog, you simply must have a look. It is incredibly fun and colourful. She really is a very creative and talented lady. I am sure her give away will be worth entering as she makes gorgeous things and has a really good eye for pretties.

I realise I have not been able to read a lot of blogs in the last few weeks, I really missed you all and will do my utmost to catch up with you all in the next few days.

Have a gorgeous evening!