Berry and Pomegranate Charlotte

Tonight I had my lovely and most dearest friend Annie, Deb and their lovely son Jesse (also known as the 'Miester') over for dinner. Annie and I have been friends for over 24 years....isn't it amazing when you can say you have got friends who have lasted for that long? I have only a few other friends with that kind of longevity...my friend Leigh is most notably one them! With life being so busy you realise how little time we get to spend with these people who are so precious to us. Sometimes it's all we can do to get through our working week (especially when you are a shift worker and going against the grain of every other 'normal' working person), looking after our children, doing all the normal house stuff and keeping up with family. At times, though, I realise with horror how long it has been since I have spent time with any friends. You forget how important it is to maintain these friendship and 'feed' them, instead focusing on all the everyday stuff. I guess the same could be said for any relationship.....

Anyway I digress. Tonight I made a lovely dip which I heard Helen Jackson talk about on the radio the other morning. I roasted 2 red peppers, took the skins off and blitzed them with some roasted cashews, a bit of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and some good EVOO. I have to say it was delicious especially for how simple it was. I also made, amongst other things the Annabel Langbein Sausage and Caramelised Onion Tart and the Zucchini and Feta one too. A plain rocket salad, the Spicy Eggplant salad from Ripe's cookbook and some plain cooked corn on the cob accompanied it. I also made some lovely marinated Chicken Wings done in Indian spices and cooked on the BBQ (recipe found in Monday's Herald bite) for the kids but in fact they also ate the pizza too.

For dessert I made Annabel Langbein's Vanilla and Citrus Terrine from her latest book but I was really underwhelmed by it. On the way home from a 4 hour shift this morning I had a quick change of mind and bought the ingredients for this Berry and Pomegranate Charlotte which I had seen in the Sunday Star Times this morning. It is lovely BUT next time I would make a couple of changes. It is a celebration of all that is good about summer....berries! And I think it looks pretty stunning too.

Berry and Pomegranate Charlotte

1 c sugar (next time I would use 1/2 c)
1/2 c water (I would use 1 c water next time so it isn't so sweet)
2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 1/2 c raspberries (I used 2 punnets of blueberries, 1 punnet strawberries and 1 punnet raspberries all up)
1 1/2 c blueberries
400g mascarpone
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp icing sugar
18 savoiardi biscuits

Line a terrine mould or loaf tin with clingfilm.

Place the sugar and water into a pot and cook over a low heat for about 10 mins without stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stir through the pomegranate and simmer a further 5 mins.

Place all the berries into a bowl, pour over the sugar syrup, mix well and cool.

Beat together the mascarpone, vanilla and icing sugar.

Layer into the mould beginning and ending with the biscuits. I went biscuits, berries, marscarpone and biscuits. Wrap tightly top prevent leaking when inverted (I forgot to invert mine).

Chill 4 hours flipping halfway.