Week 4- Results (Honey Vanilla Fromage Blanc)

I have to admit I omitted a major part of this recipe! Sorry! I had forgotten to get the Fromage Blanc, so I used the rest of the ingredients without the main one! Fromage Blanc originates from Belgium and the north of France. It literally means "fresh cheese." It has the consistency like yogurt & is often used with honey & fruit (like this recipe calls for.) I cut up fresh strawberries and added that to fresh blueberries and blackberries. The sauce tasted okay, but I think I will re-try this one with ALL the ingredients next time!
When I am doing fresh berries for a dessert, I love to pair it with homemade whip cream. I am a big believer that homemade whip cream tastes mush better than store bought. I love it because not only is it easy, it tastes better and you can have fun with adding different flavors to it. I love to use heavy cream instead of whipping cream because I find the whipping cream to be too thick (like it coats your mouth when you are done eating it...yuck!) The heavy cream is just heavy enough to be whipped, yet lite enough to not stick to your mouth all night! I use a small carton (about a 1/2 cup) of heavy cream & put it in my electric mixer for a few minutes until you notice the cream starting to thicken. Then add 1 Tbs of confectioner sugar (if you don't have it, regular sugar or Splenda will do.) The confectioner sugar works best because it gives a smoother consistency to the cream than the other types of sugars do. I also add a splash (or 1 tsp) of either REAL vanilla extract or almond extract. The possibilities are endless as to what you can add to your whip cream. Amaretto, lemon or orange zest, chocolate (syrup or you can make chocolate ganache), hazelnut, espresso, or mascarpone. After you have added the flavoring, whisk until stiff peaks form. pour over fruit & enjoy!
As for the seeds of a vanilla bean that the recipe calls for, it is easy to work with, but buying them can be a little expensive. Try skipping this ingredient or substitute with vanilla extract & try that. I haven't tried substituting or skipping it, but I encourage my readers to try things out for themselves. Have fun with cooking! Bon Appetit!