The Seven Series: Lust

The series continues with the sixth sin, one which seduces you to join its path – Lust

An occurrence rarely ignored, a feeling justified by its mere existence, but not an excuse to create a craving for it. Lust as one sees it, is one of the highest forms of evil a human can achieve. Since it’s completely controlled by a persons mind, it’s not very difficult to lose control of ones body by mere carnal thoughts. A fantasy ridden ride for which the limits are endless and the mind eventually pushes your body over the line to commit one of the most wrongful sin.

A part of every beings growing phase, desires are enhanced as we come to know of the worldly ways. Its how one perceives the opposite sex (or sometimes even same sex) through his eyes and what eventually pictures in his mind. Desire is a difficult emotion to wipe out and can haze your thought process once it comes into effect. The only way to amend ones “intense craving” for ones “satisfaction”, is to have respect. Once a being respects another’s space and body, be it a better half, friend or foe, the element of risk to commit this sin is completely negated. Love plays an important part in doing away with lust and oddly sums up the facts herein while eclipsing the carnal sin and making way for the mutual respect between two beings thus enveloping ones mind, body and soul in perfect harmony.

The next in line is the seductive forbidden fruit which lives by its name, the Cripps Pink. An extraordinary apple variety trademarked under the name Pink Lady® and so takes after it. A pink hued beauty offset with green-golden highlights, this variety looks like its perpetually blushing. A tart and crisp apple with distinctive soft features, you will not regret biting into this the moment you lay your eyes on it.

This is a perfect lust inducing fruit, which by the looks of it, will give you the perfect bite in this dessert dish I have created. An enchanting combination of tart Cripps pink apples married with zesty drool inducing orange flavors and served as a trifle, layered dessert of soft, velvety mascarpone folded in white chocolate intermittent with crunchy nougat.

Zesty Cripps Pink with Vanilla Mascarpone & Nougat

A seductive layered dessert of intermittent crunchy Cripps Pink Apple dices with an orange kick, crunchy nougat and soft creamy vanilla scented mascarpone folded in white chocolate.

Ingredients

• 1 Cripps Pink Apple (Cored, un-skinned, and diced small)
• ½ tsp Orange Zest
• ¼ tsp Nutmeg Powder
• 3 tablsp Cointreau® (optional)

For the Vanilla & White Chocolate Mascarpone

• 200gms Mascarpone Cheese
• 100gms White Cooking Chocolate
• 100gms Heavy Whipping Cream
• A Few drops Vanilla Essence

For the Nougat

• ½ cup Mixed chopped roasted nuts (walnuts, cashes and almonds)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water

To prepare the nougat, place the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pan, heat the mixture on high heat till the sugar caramelizes. On the mixture turning brown, lower the heat and keep boiling. Once the mixture starts turning a medium shade of brown add the roasted chopped nuts. Turn up the heat, give it a good stir for half a minute (be careful not to smoke the mixture), and remove.

In a flat steel plate or marble stone, spread the caramelized sugar and nuts with a spatula and even it out as a sheet on the plate or stone, as thin as possible. Let it cool.

Once cooled and hardened. Crack the nougat with the back of a spoon into shards. Crush as much as you would like, you may even pound some of it into little pieces and keep aside.

To prepare the vanilla white chocolate mascarpone – chop the white chocolate into little bits and place in a non stick pan, add 100 gms of the mascarpone and place the bowl over another pan filled with water (like a double boiler). Place both these pans on a low simmer and melt the mascarpone – white chocolate mix till you get a smooth mixture.

Remove from heat and add the rest of the mascarpone and mix well.

Add the vanilla essence to the cream and beat till you get stiff peaks, fold the cream into the white chocolate-mascarpone mix and keep in the refrigerator till you are ready to use it.

To proceed – sprinkle the diced apple with nutmeg and orange zest. Sprinkle the Cointreau® if you want a nice zesty kick to your apple.

To serve – take a tall glass and add a large spoonful of zesty apples, top with a layer of nougat, add a layer of white chocolate mascarpone. Repeat with zesty apple – nougat – mascarpone mix and top with a little nougat in the centre.

Chill the filled dessert glasses till serving time. Serve cold.

Hold on for the last but not the least – Seventh in the sin series …