Charlotte cake
Gifted medium MITCHELL COOMBES is here to help!
Celeb chef Kirsten Tibballs shares her berry-licious recipe
SERVES 8-10 To make berry bavarois, heat oven to 150°C fan-forced. Soak 1¼ gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water. In a separate bowl, whisk 2 egg yolks and 1 tsp caster sugar. Boil 125ml thickened cream, then slowly pour it over egg yolk mixture while whisking. Return mixture to heat, stirring, until it reaches 80°C, then remove from heat. Squeeze excess water out of gelatine and place into saucepan. Mix to combine. Strain mixture into a bowl, allowing to cool to 34°C. Add 60g Bonne Maman Strawberry Raspberry & Elderflower Spread (or another berry jam), the zest of ½ lemon, 50g chopped strawberries and 50g raspberries, then gently fold to incorporate. Place 50g caster sugar into pre-heated oven for 10 mins.
Semi-whip 175ml thickened cream until it has some body but still collapses. Whisk
1 egg white, hot sugar and a pinch of cream of tartar until you achieve medium peaks. Gradually fold fruit mixture through meringue. Add semi-whipped cream and fold through. Line base and sides of 160mm round tin with cling film. Gently warm another 40g of your berry jam. Using two shop-bought sponge discs (160mm diameter), brush top and sides with spread. Place one sponge disc into prepared tin and spread evenly with half of the berry bavarois. Repeat with a second layer of sponge and bavarois. Place into freezer for a minimum 6 hours to set. Prior to serving, transfer cake into refrigerator for 30 mins. Before arranging, place lady fingers around outside of cake. Top with 250g strawberries and 250g raspberries, then dust with icing sugar to serve.
Q Can you please help us with our young son? He feels like he doesn’t fit in and is unliked, but he is such a kind and beautiful person. Sensitive already beyond his years, his tears are heartbreaking. Should we change schools?
Worried Mum
MITCHELL SAYS I feel your son is an old soul – he has certainly been here before, which is why he is so sensitive. There is a lovely lady from your mother’s side who is watching over your son like a guardian angel from the spirit world. I’m told that changing schools would make a huge improvement to his overall happiness, but you’ll need to do more research to ensure you are choosing the right one. Always remember that his sensitivity will be his greatest gift. I feel your son will go on to achieve great things in his life.
Q My mother and father died within two weeks of each other in July 2021. Are they watching over me? I wasn’t present when they died. Did they forgive me for not being there? Are they trying to visit me? Mark
MITCHELL SAYS Your lovely mother tells me she is with your father – they are happy and together upstairs. Your parents love you very much and say it’s OK that you were not able to be with them when they passed. Your mum says she does not want you to be upset or to hold on to any guilt connected to their deaths. Your dad says he is very proud of you and does not want you to worry about what the future will bring. Your parents tell me they have been visiting you in your dreams to let you know that they will always protect and watch over you. Your mum adds that they will send feathers to you as a special sign from them in Heaven.
MITCHELL’S TOP TIP
Practise tuning into your intuition! The next time your phone rings, see if you can sense who’s calling without looking at caller ID. Can you pick up what they’re calling about? With practice, you’ll amaze yourself.