Lychee Delight

This delightful recipe is one of the many lychee dishes we first sampled at the US stand during the Expat Food Festival in Dar. It quickly became a firm favorite at the de Lima party table throughout the 1960s and ’70s—and once you taste the irresistible combination of sweet marshmallows and rich cream, you’ll know exactly why!

Ingredients

1 can (400g) lychees (in syrup)

100g marshmallows

1 carton (300ml) double cream

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 sponge flan case (approx. 200g)

A handful of flaked almonds, to garnish

Cooking Steps

Step 1:

Drain the lychees, reserving a few whole ones to decorate the top later.

Finely chop the remaining lychees.

Using clean kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, quarter the marshmallows.

Step 2:

In a medium bowl, stir together the chopped lychees and quartered marshmallows.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours (this allows the marshmallows to soften and absorb the sweet lychee juice).

Step 3:

In a separate bowl, add the double cream and caster sugar. Whip together until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the sweetened whipped cream into the chilled lychee and marshmallow mixture until completely combined.

Step 4:

Spoon the creamy filling generously into the sponge flan case, smoothing it out to the edges.

Decorate the top with your reserved whole lychees and a scatter of flaked almonds.
Tip: For an extra touch of flavor and crunch, lightly toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until golden brown, then let them cool completely before sprinkling them on top!