Fresh Berries with Almond Cream

Yum... what a wonderful low-fat dessert! You will not believe how creamy the sauce is even though I used fat-free milk. :)

Plan at least 5 hours ahead for this!

2 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1 cup fat-free milk
1/8 cup sugar
3/4 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. amaretto
1/8 cup fresh organic raspberries
1/8 cup fresh organic blueberries
1/4 cup fresh organic strawberries

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Roast the almonds on a baking sheet for 15 minutes until they become light brown. Allow them to cool and then pulse them in a food processor or coffee grinder until they are finely ground.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the ground almonds, 3/4 cup milk, and sugar. Stirring every minute or two, bring this mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the almonds steep for 1 hour.

3. Strain the mixture over a glass bowl through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on the almonds to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids left in the sieve.

4. Bring the almond-milk mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup milk. Gradually stir the cornstarch-milk mixture into the simmering liquid. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. Add 1/2 tbsp. amaretto and stir.

5. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to keep a skin from forming. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

**The custard can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.**

6. Marinate the berries in the remaining amaretto for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, beat the custard with a wire whisk. Pour the custard over the berries.

Reference:
From The Occasional Vegetarian (Original recipe title was "Mixed Berries with Almond Cream). The only change I made was to use strawberries in place of blackberries. You can make this with whatever berries you have on hand.