Ambrosia

1. Pour yoghurt into a large bowl. 
2. In a separate bowl, whip cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the yoghurt until just combined. 
3. Gently fold boysenberries and marshmallows into the yoghurt and cream mix. Don’t over mix as the mixture will become watery. 
4. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2 - 4 hours, or overnight if prepping in advance. 
5. To serve, spoon the ambrosia into dessert bowls or glasses, and top with passionfruit pulp, crushed meringue and mint leaves. 

Top tips: 

• Making this the night before will help develop the flavour and allow the marshmallows to soften. 
• Reserve meringue, passionfruit pulp and mint until just before serving to ensure the meringue stays crispy. Passionfruit pulp adds acidity but leaving it overnight may cause the mixture to split. The mint will stay fresh when added just before serving. 
• Layer the dessert multiple times in a large glass trifle bowl to create a stunning showstopper piece (with minimal effort required!) 
• Add milk chocolate flakes through the mixture and on top for an extra layer of sweetness. 
• Use other fruits, fresh or frozen (or a mixture) depending on the season to elevate the berry element. Canned berries are great here and give a sweetness to the frozen and slightly more sour ones.  

Hacks:

• Reserve the syrup from the can to drizzle over your ambrosia just before serving for an additional sweet component and garnish. 
• Place your yoghurt in a clean cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl in the fridge overnight to remove excess moisture—this will increase the fridge shelf life of your ambrosia (if there’s any left!) 
• Buy the smaller marshmallows to fold through if you are short on time—chopped marshmallows may go soggier quicker too as the surface has been cut and exposed. 

Swaps:

•  Can I make this dairy-free/vegan? 
  
  • Yes, you can by swapping out the yoghurt and cream with dairy-free alternatives such as soy cream and coconut yoghurt for example. You can also purchase vegan meringues or use something with a crispy texture like freeze-dried berries or toasted coconut flakes to give a similar texture. Make sure the marshmallows sourced are also vegan-friendly.  
• What if I don’t like meringue and find it too sweet—can I add something else? 
  
  • Absolutely, the meringue gives a crunchy element that is festive and reminiscent of pavlova and meringue nests—you can also add things like chopped toasted nuts for a less sweet alternative. 
• What other fruits can I use instead of berries? 
  
  • You can make this into a tropical fruits themed ambrosia if you don’t like berries—canned guava, mango pulp, frozen mango and fresh pineapple with lime zest are great additions, especially if you are using coconut yoghurt. 
• What can I do about a range of guests and dietaries? 
  
  • You could make the base recipe without any of the fruits, and two varieties (one dairy-free), and then guests can build their own fruits into their individual ambrosia cups for an interactive and fun dessert.  
• How long can I keep this in the fridge? 
  
  • Depending on what you have added to your ambrosia, you can keep this in the fridge in a sealed container for up to two days due to the fresh cream. See notes above for freezing leftovers and creative ways of making ambrosia this Christmas.