Raspberry cream with ladyfingers

I know, I know, it was supposed be a molded dessert, stand on its own, looking like a happy cake, with ladyfingers around it. And it probably would have been, if I had waited another 12 hours.
Instead, I gave it 6. Not enough for a cream to firm up. But plenty enough to have a smooth, cool, creamy dessert that tastes like fresh raspberries or even better. It was so good, I barely had a chance to put my camera down, before Hania and Julian cleared the platter. The dessert was supposed to be for me, they decided to have ice cream earlier.

The raspberry cream is made in a similar fashion to chocolate mousse. It's just instead of folding beaten egg whites at the end, you fold whipped cream. Like in a chocolate mousse recipe, Julia Child beats egg yolks with sugar  till thick and then continues beating, first on top of hot water (therefore probably pasteurising eggs) and then on top of cold. This process, complicated and messy at first, the second time is less complicated and less messy. 

The third time, I'm going to make individual desserts in cups, line the sides with ladyfingers and fill the cup with raspberry cream. The chilling/firming will be quicker and un-molding will be...optional.

Ladyfingers are optional as well. Optional is also if you make cookies yourself or buy. So many options...but only one is close to a heavenly dessert. 

Recipe adapted from Julia Child
time: 20 min preparation + 12 hr inactive

ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cups (55 g) powder sugar
• 18 oz (500 g) frozen raspberries (about 1 cup puree)
• 1 cup (240 ml) whipping cream
• about 20 ladyfingers

instructions

1. Prepare raspberry puree. Using a wooden spoon, force thawed and strained fruit (keep left over juice for some other dessert) through a stainless steal wire sieve. Seeds should stay on the sieve. Keep puree chilled.
2. Prepare two large/medium pots, one with almost simmering water (on the stove top) and one with ice water (off the stove top).
3. Using a bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, beat eggs yolks, gradually adding sugar, on medium speed, till thick and pale yellow. 
4. Place the bowl on top of the pot with not quite simmering water and, using a bubble whisk, continue beating till uncomfortably hot to your finger, for about 3-4 minutes. 
5. Now, transfer the bowl with yolk mix on top of ice water and keep on whisking for another 3-4 minutes till eggs are chilled.
6. Fold cold raspberry puree into the eggs.
7. In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream till it has doubled in volume and forms stiff (rather than soft) peaks. Using a chilled bowl and a a bubble whip instead of a mixer, improves you chances of a perfect whipped cream.
8. Slowly fold in the whipped cream into the raspberry/egg mix. 
9. Line cups with ladyfingers and pour the raspberry cream inside. Chill at least 6 hours or better (but hard) yet - overnight.