Raspberry Blancmange with Langues de Chat

 

This is another one of my bake off challenges and, if I'm honest, is not something that I've actually ever eaten before as it's a bit of an old fashioned dessert. I decided to do something different with this bake and venture into the world of vege-gel now that I've used up all of my gelatine I had leftover from a while ago. I have to admit, it took two tries to get it right as I didn't  read the packet instructions properly, but overall I am impressed by the result and think I'll be sticking to my vegetarian diet much more closely and not turning to gelatine any time soon. 

Recipe - Makes 3

For the blancmange: 

• 4.5g vege-gel   
• 120g raspberries 
• 5g cornflour 
• 55ml whole milk 
• 30g caster sugar 
• 1/2 tbsp ground almonds 
• 1/4 tsp almond extract 
• 55ml double cream 

For the langues de chat: 

• 1 egg white
• 30g butter, softened
• 45g icing sugar
• 55g plain flour

Start by dissolving the vege-gel in 140ml water. Set aside. Tip the raspberries into the bowl of a food processor and blitz to a fine purée. Pass through a sieve into a clean bowl. Mix the cornflour with a little of the milk in a medium pan. Add the remaining milk, along with the sugar and ground almonds. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes to thicken. Add the vege-gel and bring to the boil then remove from the heat and add the almond extract. Stir in the double cream and the raspberry purée, combine thoroughly, then pour into three small clip top jars (if you have them) or ramekin dishes. Leave to set for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.  

Make the langues de chat by creaming the butter and icing sugar together. Mix in the egg white and beat until smooth, then sift in the flour and fold in gently. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain piping nozzle and pipe 7cm lengths on a lined baking tray. Bake at 200C for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving with the set Blancmange.