Little Baskets of Fruit Recipe

Little Baskets of Fruit Recipe

100 g/4 oz icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted
100 g/4 oz/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
25 g/1 oz ground almonds

3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 mango, halved and stoned (pitted)

Juice of 1 lime
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp sugar
75 ml/5 tbsp white wine
5 ml/1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

75 ml/5 tbsp water
450 g/1 lb assorted fresh fruits (e.g. sliced bananas, cubed pineapple, halved strawberries or raspberries, grapes)
Icing sugar, for dusting
Mint leaves

Method:

Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment and place four greased 18 cm/7 in flan rings on them. For the biscuit mixture, place the first five ingredients in a bowl and beat together to form a creamy batter. Spoon the batter into the four flan rings and spread evenly. Bake in a preheated oven for 8-9 minutes at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 until golden. Remove the cooked biscuits from the rings and baking sheet immediately and while still hot, place each on top of an inverted small heatproof mixing bowl. Let fall or mould them into a cup shape. Leave to cool until firm. For the sauce, scoop the pulp out of the mango halves and place in a saucepan with the lime juice, sugar and wine. Bring to the boil, then puree in a blender or food processor. Return to the pan. Blend the cornflour (cornstarch) with the water and stir into the mango puree. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until thickened. Pour a pool of sauce on to four serving plates. Handling the biscuit baskets very carefully, position one on top of the sauce on each plate. Fill the baskets with mixed fruit and dust with icing sugar. Decorate each with a mint leaf. Serve immediately.