An Ember Days Dessert

Oh what a glorious Friday the Lord has made! The sun rose today. Birds have taken to the sky. Somewhere out there new live is coming into this world. Isn’t that reason enough to give thanks?

Today is the second of three Ember Days of Pentecost or Summer. As a Friday in Ordinary Times, we still choose to forego the consumption of meat. Today we are actually having Lasagna Roll Ups filled with Shrimp, Spinach and Ricotta Cheese. It’s a supper I will be sharing with you soon. It’s just not possible to share with you a supper at five in the morning that I won’t be making for another twelve hours. I suppose with the aid of a time machine, that might be possible. No offence, but if I had such a machine, I’d rather go backwards than forwards. Just five more minutes with my mother, my brother, my sister and my daughter. I’d pick a time of celebration with the whole family gathered. Father Dennis would say a blessing and we’d sing a hymn of thanksgiving. Just five more minutes.

When I was a girl my mother often made a simple dessert of sliced Angel Food Cake and Pudding. That was it. Most of the time it was Chocolate Pudding since Brother Dear thought nothing else existed, or should exist. Over the years her simple dessert has inspired me. I’ve gone beyond the cake and pudding stage to include fruits or creams. Do you remember a while back when I made Classic Lemon Tartlets with Meringue Kisses as part of a Pentecost Sunday Tea? Having never made the Tartlets before, I wasn’t sure how much Lemon Pudding was needed. I made too much. (The recipe published has been adjusted to the correct amount). Rather than toss out all that extra pudding or eat it plain, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to honor my mother with her Angel Food Pudding Dessert. Hubby said he was hesitant, really didn’t think he would like the flavor of lemon with fresh berries. He was pleasantly surprised.

While the recipe is mine, the dessert was executed by my amazing Sous Chef aka Kiddo. He has been cooking at my side eve since he could stand on a chair. All I did was tell him to slice the cake, top it with pudding and fruit. The entire presentation was his creation. And it was perfect.

An Angel’s Summer Dessert
1 (3.4 oz) box Instant Lemon Pudding
2 cups Milk
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 cup Strawberries
1 cup Blackberries
1 loaf Angel Food Cake

In a chilled bowl whisk pudding mix, milk and lemon juice together until a soft pudding stage is reached, about 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate pudding to fully set and chill.

Hull, clean and slice strawberries. Rinse blackberries. Chill fruit until ready to serve.

Slice cake into desired slices, about an inch or so thick. Place cake slices on individual dessert plates.

Spoon lemon pudding over the top of each slice of cake. Arrange strawberry slices over the pudding. Add a dollop of pudding on the berry in the center. Arrange blackberries over the strawberries in an attractive presentation. Serve and enjoy.

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Shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life.