Carageen Moss Pudding

 

A late treat for your Mother today, carrying on using Irish ingredients, using a Darina Allen recipe. Carageen is a type of seaweed that can be used in place of gelatine for us veggies. Its possible to go out during Spring at low tide to collect some yourself, but you should know what you're harvesting so maybe ask someone who knows or bring a book. Otherwise, you can pick it up in health food shops not too expensively.

This dessert is mild and milky with a very faint sea, not fish, aroma. Serve alongside a big dollop of jam like this rhubarb and cardamom, with a swirl of cream and some sugar or a little grated chocolate.

Recipe 

handful of carageen moss

800ml milk

1 egg

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Firstly, soak the carageen in tepid water for about 10 minutes, where it will expand in size. Drain the water and add to a medium pot along with the milk. Bring to the boil before turning down the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. 

At this point, separate the egg into 2 bowls. To the yolk, add the sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk briefly and then with a sieve placed on top of the bowl, pour the milk and carageen mixture onto the yolk mixture. Whisk continually to incorporate well. Now you can mush and squash as much of the   carageen in the sieve, into the milk mixture. The carageenan is what will make the dessert set. Whisk again for a few minutes. Check to see if it will set by placing a spoonful onto a saucer. If it stays in one place and doesn't run down, then it will set. 

Next whisk the egg white in the other bowl to a stiff peak. Gently fold this into the milk mixture, to give a frothy top. Pop in the fridge to chill  and top with whatever you fancy.