I’ve not been doing enough cooking or baking recently, so I’m taking on a series of little challenges over the next few weeks, to try and kick my backside into the kitchen. Not easy when the resting temperature in there is about 27 degrees without switching the hob on.
The first of these is thanks to Villa Plus and their #VPEats challenge, who have asked some bloggers to come up with local recipes that can be made easily, reasonably price wise and are, of course, tasty. Having been given Furteventura, I was at a distinct disadvantage. You see…. I’ve never been.
So this called for a fair bit of research – luckily one of my closest friends is a regular visitor and raved about wrinkled potatoes (papas arrugadas) and Canarian stew (puchero Canario). But given the warmth and my current craving for sweet things (low carb diets are hellish sometimes) I opted for something a little different. Gofio mousse.
Gofio is, effectively toasted cornmeal – easily available in Furteventura. Maize is toasted (but not popped, like pop-corn) and then ground into a cornmeal. Sometimes other grains like wheatmeal are added too.
It’s interesting stuff, often in Fuerteventura babies are weaned on it, it’s used in stews and savoury dishes, as well as sweet. The mousse though is the one that most tourists will know well and personally, having tried it frozen into ice cream and chilled as a mousse, I’m a bit of a convert. The flavour of those old fashioned waffle cones and vanilla icecream. Delicious!
Admittedly, having none directly available in the UK (I couldn’t find any in Manchester, but I’ve no doubt someone will tell me where I can find some!), I found taking regular cornmeal (very cheaply available) and toasting it gently in a dry frying pan, you get the same colour and texture as the original.
This means price wise, it’s a very cheap make and it goes a long way. This was enough for two generous servings and another two or three to go into the freezer. The entire cost at enough for four was £2.17. Bargain!
Flavour wise, it’s so good, I’m using the remnants in the fridge to do it again this weekend and maybe pair it with a Bramley apple sauce – the gentle sharpness should go really well with it.
Gofio Mousse
Serves 4
3 egg yolks
150 ml condensed milk
250 ml whipping cream
Gofio (I used around 6 tablespoons)
Almond flakes
In a clean bowl whip the cream.You may only have a whisk or fork in self catering accommodation, but it really doesn’t take long to do at all. I promise!
In a second bowl, mix the condensed milk and egg yolks.
Fold the two together and then add the gofio, also folding gently. It should now become slightly thickened by the gofio, but still have a light and soft feel.
Now, you can go ahead and chill it, sprinkle with almonds and eat (ideal to put together in the morning and eat when you come back from the beach, or need a little dessert treat on the balcony).
Or like me, you can pop it in the freezer compartment of your fridge and create ice cream.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I’ve enjoyed discovering it.
Villa Plus supplied each blogger with funds to cover the cost of ingredients used to make this recipe. No other payment has been made.