Seven days until Christmas. Now that’s 2016 almost over. I just can’t believe it. Can you?! We have been having quite a rainy week and for the very first time yesterday I felt the cold and the humidity. Is it really time to wear our coats? Could be, but it should get a little warmer over the next few days so we’ll just have to see about that. My friends in MI have been some wicked snowstorms. I’ve been asking for some but none of them obliged yet! Oh well.
I hope your Christmas prep is going well. I think I have everything settled, except for a couple of trinkets here and there. It’s a tiring time of year – no question, but there are those little joys which make these days special, for which I’m always grateful. Meeting friends for a Christmas coffee is one. The simple things are the ones that make me happy. Christmas is more than gifts. I hate all the commerce that goes with it. It’s just too much.
With all that’s going on in this world of ours, recipes seem futile, right now, at least to me. As I write this, I’m looking at a photo by Reuters of children in east Aleppo waiting in the freezing cold to be evacuated. My heart is heavy. Sometimes, for fear of sounding too negative, I rarely mention anything that to me, and to many many others, is very worrying. In the West we live in our own little worlds, live our little lives, and turn the page when bad news is concerned. I’m guilty of this myself. However this conflict is real, the victims are real and we cannot just turn a blind eye. Aleppo is completely destroyed. This is a humanitarian disaster. There’s nothing. And the people in Aleppo have nothing. We on the other hand, have everything. I’m leaving you with that thought.
I hope you all have a good Christmas. Stay safe, don’t drink and drive, and show people you love them. It’s all we really have. I’ll see you next year.
- 6 ramekins
- 100g gingernut biscuits
- 400g mascarpone
- 1 teaspoon good-quality vanilla extract
- 125g caster sugar
- 300ml whipping cream
Tip the gingernut biscuits into a food processor and blitz until you get a breadcrumb consistency. Press the crumbs equally into 6 ramekins.
In a mixing bowl whisk together the mascarpone, vanilla extract, sugar and whipping cream until the mixture is smooth.
Spoon the mascarpone mixture into each ramekin, distributing it as equally as possible on top of the biscuit mixture.
Cover the ramekins with cling film and place them in the fridge to set for 4 hours.
Enjoy.
(Recipe loosely adapted from Takes 5 by James Tanner, Kyle Cathie Books, 2010.)
Chorizo & Thyme 
I was so excited about the delightful cheesecakes until I was completely saddened by the thought of the children in Aleppo…
Yes. I know what you mean. Sometimes I say to myself how frivolous my food blog is when compared to the sad things going on in this world. I think and pray for those children every day.
thanks Roberta for your thoughtful comments in your Blog.
Christmas for us is on hold this year – both just out of Hospital! –
Back with full steam in January ’17. For now I wish you a wonderful, peaceful and safe Christmas. Carina
Thanks for writing Carina. Sending all my very best to you and yours, and hope you both get well soon xx