The other day it appeared like a vision, the Raspberry Mascarpone tart with Cointreau Raspberry Ice. It was far more pleasant than the vision I had when I thought my sister was going to die in Sumatra.
We were on Samosir Island in the middle of Lake Toba, the biggest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world, measuring 100 kilometres long, 30 kilometres wide, and up to 505 metres (1,666 ft) deep. After finding that the toilet facilities were inhabited by animals we were not in the least surprised to find that the actual bathroom was a share affair. Tui, who rented us a Batak house, laughed as she pointed towards the Lake and added that there was plenty of water for everyone.
Raspberry Mascapone tart
Yes, a swim in the lake was the only cleansing we were going to get. There was certainly no where to plug in the hairdryer. A bath in the lake is not fun in the morning if you dont like swimming, a bath in the lake is not fun at night if you dont like swimming with fish. A bath in the lake was no private affair. As we walked along the shore line in sight of our Batak hut we suddenly became One Direction again. Dressed in our bathing suits with a sarong wrapped around our white limbs, we were followed by about 20 kids and their Dads, yes their Dads. As we worked out how to get the soap into those areas that required, little brown faces splashed around us, laughing and diving under to get a close up. But this wasn’t as bad as the sleeping arrangements.
There were no beds in the Batak hut, we had sleeping bags with us because some beds in small towns in Sumatra had not seen a clean sheet in decades. There were a couple of sleeping mats and this is where we laid out our bags. The first couple of nights passed and we started getting into the lifestyle and rhythm of being followed like the Pied Piper, the trauma of the pigs and the all consuming darkness under the canopy of stars at night. Every move was made by the light of a torch, and my sister’s large backpack filled with possessions that fitted into a more electronic world, sat in the corner.
I didn’t know that something that happened that night would frighten me so much that we would hightail it out of there the next day. We walked back to our hut after dinner by the light of our torch, climbed the ladder and sat on our bags for a little while chatting, sisters never run out of things to chat about.  As we settled into our sleeping  bags, zipping them up to stop the mosquitoes, I flicked the torch off. Several minutes later I heard a scream and thrashing about as I tried to locate the torch. I had only just placed it beside my bed, and yet I couldn’t put my hand on it. Now she was saying there was something in her sleeping bag and could I just please turn on the light. Oh my God where was the light?
My hands were shaking and my heart was beating fast and I was swearing at my own stupidity. She was completely tangled in that sleeping bag and screaming that some thing was in it with her. Finally I put my hand on the torch and turned it on to see her legs flying out of the bag. We shone the torch into her bed where a angry centipede looked back at us nippers the size of a yabbies snipping the air.  Deep bite marks in two places on her legs proved she had done battle with the ugly creature and she had started to feel sick.  I sat beside her with the light on all night wondering if we would make it through the night and then the 10 hours to the airport in Medan so we could fly to Singapore. I worried and stressed as she threw up and I prayed that she wouldn’t die. In the morning as the sun came up I saw she had fallen into an uneasy sleep and I went to the dock to find a boat back to the mainland.  She did live  but it took her several days to recover.
Raspberry Mascarpone Tart with Cointreau Ice
Raspberry Mascapone Tart with Cointreau Raspberry Ice
Ingredients
- 225 gm plain flour 1 ½ cups
- 40 gm pure icing sugar ¼ cup
- 125 gm unsalted butter chopped
- 1 Egg 70gm
- 20 ml cold water 1 Tablespoon
Mascarpone Filling
- 2 eggs 2 yolks x large
- 100 gm caster sugar 3.5 oz
- 250 gm mascarpone 8 oz
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1/2 vanilla bean split and seeds removed
- 100 gm frozen raspberries just defrosted, 3.5 oz
Cointreau Ice
- 500 gm frozen raspberries NOT defrosted
- 20 ml Cointreau liqueur
- 40 ml agave syrup -2 Tablespoons 1 heaped Tablespoon icing sugar- instead
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Use a 23 cm ( 9-10 in) tart case with a removable bottom.
- Preheat the oven 180 C (350 F)
- Put the flour, sugar & butter into the food processor and blitz till combined ( breadcrumb texture). Mix the water and egg well in a cup then add 3/4 of it to the flour mix. Turn on the machine and watch till it starts to come together, if it stays quite crumbly then add the rest of the egg till the mixture forms a ball.
- Tip out onto a bench, wrap and chill, till firm.
- Roll the pastry out quite thinly between two pieces of baking paper making sure to use extra flour to prevent sticking and tearing. One in the tin trim, then chill again till firm ( freezer is good)
- Bake the pastry blind in a 180 C(350 F) oven for 15 minutes then remove the weights and bake till golden ( approx another 15 min) .
- Meanwhile beat the eggs, yolks ,sugar and vanilla until very light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone and cornflour and beat till combined and fluffy .
- Fold the raspberries into the mixture with a spatular and pour into the tart case.
- Bake on 160 C (320 F) for 35-40 minutes or until set and just a bit wobbly.
- Cool, then refrigerate to set completely
You will need a food processor (Or super blender) for this:
- Put all the ingredients into the processor and blitz till a rough puree forms( i left mine a bit chunky) add the egg white and blitz till the colour lightens and the puree tightens up a little. Pop into the freezer while you serve, try not to leave it here too olong as it will harden up and wont be easy to scoop
The tart looks very delicious. That’s something I would enjoy, too. As to your story, apart from that centipede, I might enjoy that, too.
Chris recently posted..Drink with me … Piña Colada Dessert
OMG I wouldn’t cope at all! I need to devour this whole tart to get over the story 😮
That tart is really impressive. I might have to give it ago when our next round of raspberries come on. YUM.
oh my that tart looks amazing!
!!!!How terrifying for you both! Did anyone offer to help you , or at least offer any type of tradditional medicine at all?
I adore the look of your tart, it sounds creamy, tart, sweet, and delicious all in one. This is certainly on my to-do-list for Easter thanks 🙂 x
This looks like such a refreshing, summer tart but oh so decadent with the mascarpone and Cointreau in it. Lovely!
Monica recently posted..Vodka & Orange Cake
Oh Tania I’m so sorry for your sister. I hope she is perfectly fine now. I had no idea centipedes could cause and illness or that they bit — good to now. Nature and I don’t really get along so exotic trips like this are out of the question for me. But I admire you for going. Your tart looks like a good way to put a mind at ease from such an experience.
You are one tough cookie. NO WAY will I sleep with bugs. I consider a 3-star hotel to be camping. 🙂
I’d reconsider if I got a piece of this tart.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef recently posted..Nose to Tail Cooking Class
What a crazy story! Happily it enede well but u certainly travelled on the adventurous side! As for the tart, vision of heaven and angels. Orders please???
That’s not a fun experience.
The cheese tart looks fabulous!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Belgian Endive Salad with Blood Oranges and Goat Cheese
That tart looks seriously lovely and can just imagine the texture of all that creaminess with the juicy raspberries. Gorgeous!
thelittleloaf recently posted..Black Pepper & Fennel Seed Rye Bread
OMG you are good
That open line well, you had me at the picture to be true… but that opening line is brilliant
so nice to see you the other day xxx
I love reading your stories – so crazy! The tart sounds great, thanks for joining again this month!
JJ – 84thand3rd recently posted..Chocolate Caramel Tart – slightly drunken, utterly decadent, perfection
Eeeek! The idea of centipedes is frightening let alone being bitten by one. I’m glad that she was ok in the end!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..Ume, Surry Hills
Well there goes my husband’s theory that centipedes are harmless, it’s the millipedes you have to worry about. There was one in the bathroom with me a few weeks ago and he wasn’t the least bit concerned.
How terrifying for you both!
Love the look of your tart. Yum!
A terrifying adventure and a beautiful recipe.
Sophie – thestickyandsweet recently posted..Dark and Stormy Cupcakes
What a fantastic looking tart!
yummychunklet recently posted..ffwD: Orange-scented Lentil Soup
Girlfriend, I am sitting here, shaking my head. I won’t stay in a hotel room if it doesn’t have airconditioning, so I can’t believe you’d bunked down in a share hut with pigs in the toilets and no showers and sheets that hadn’t been changed in a decade and CENTIPEDES in the sleeping bags!! Good grief, I think I need a drink. Or maybe a slice of your gorgeous tart.. 😉
Celia recently posted..Counting the pennies…
GORGEOUS! This looks so tasty…I want some!
sara recently posted..Easy Chocolate Bundt Cake