Today someone I know gave me ten or so olallieberries that he had picked from his garden. Then he pestered me until I tried one. I had wanted to save them for a small batch dessert, but I finally relented and tried one. They are probably my favorite berry! But I managed to save the rest for this.
I have a friend of a friend who has eaten something I made with olallieberries and, still, persists in telling me that olallieberries do not really exist - that I made them up. So, I decided to do a quick little Olallie FAQ in case you, too, are unfamiliar.
Olallie FAQ
What is an Olallieberry?
Pronounced oh-la-leh, it is a hybrid that was developed at Oregon State University in the middle of the 20th century. It's a loganberry (blackberry + raspberry) and a youngberry (blackberry + dewberry) blend. Since it's a majority blackberry, genetically, it possesses similar flavor characteristics. However, it's much larger and generally sweeter than the blackberry.
How did the Olallieberry get its name?
“Olallie” is the Chinook (Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest) word for 'berry,' so you’re actually saying “berry-berry."
How do you spell it?
O-l-a-l-l-i-e-b-e-r-r-y, but I've also seen it as – ollieberry, ollalieberry, olallie berry, lallieberry, olalliberry, ollaberry, and olliberry,
How does it taste?
Delicious! It’s tart, sweet, and juicy.
What can you do with olallies?
Here's one thing: Olallie Chocolate Mousse.
This chocolate mousse is light yet intensely chocolate and it's relatively easy to make. You just need a little patience. And you only need a few berries!
Ingredients
Mousse
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chips, chunks, or chopped into shards
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup organic granulated sugar
1/2 cup organic heavy cream
5 or 6 olallies
Also needed: individual serving glasses; baking dish and beans or rice if you want to make them set diagonally
Serving
1/2 cup organic heavy cream
2 Tablespoons organic granulated sugar
cocoa powder
5 or 6 olallies
Procedure
Create a bain-marie by placing chocolate, butter, cream, and olallies in a stainless steel bowl and nestling it over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Smash the olallies into the chocolate, then let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. The mixtures should be smooth and glossy. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. See photo above. The peaks will stand straight up when the beaters are lifted from the mixture. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture until uniform in color, making sure it is fully incorporated but don't mix it too much as you'll deflate the air you've added.
Divide the mousse between 6 individual glasses. If you are planning to let the mousse set diagonally, place beans and rice in a baking dish. Angle the glasses in the dish so that they sit at a diagonal. Place in the refrigerator and chill until set, approximately 3 to 4 hours, but at least two hours.
Before serving beat the whipped cream with 2 Tablespoons sugar into medium peaks and scoop it into your glasses. I used a piping bag to top the dessert, but you don't have to do that. Dust the top with cocoa powder and top with an olallie. Serve immediately.
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