You are here: Home / Archives for Desserts


Mango and Raspberry Fruit Salad with Frozen Passion Fruit Cream

May 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In Spain we have a lovely ice cream called Helado de Nata – just frozen cream really, simple and fabulous, in my opinion some of the best desserts are those that time little time and effort. The frozen passion fruit cream is just as good in its own way; the dessert is simple to make and two of the components, i.e. the passion fruit cream and syrup can be made in advance. Store the cream in the freezer and the syrup in a sterilised container in the fridge; prepare the fruit when ready to serve.

Frozen Cream
4 large eggs, yolks
150 grams unrefined caster sugar
80 ml passion fruit juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
250 ml whipping cream – whisk to soft peak stage
2 passion fruit – cut in half, remove pulp
Syrup
160 grams unrefined caster sugar
1 lemon – remove rind using a zester (long thin strips, reserve zest for decoration)
120 ml cold water
1 handful mint leaves, bruised
50 ml Limoncillo
Fruit
2 Mangoes – cut into cubes
150 grams fresh raspberries

Frozen Cream – whisk egg yolks until pale and fluffy. Combine sugar and passion fruit juice in a small saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until syrupy then add to the egg yolks in a thin steam, whisking continuously until mixture cools completely. Fold in the cream and passion fruit pulp, transfer to a container and freeze for 6 hours or overnight until firm or process in an ice cream maker following manufacturer´s instructions.

Syrup – combine sugar, lemon zest and water in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, bring to the boil, simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add the mint and Limoncillo, allow to stand until cool then strain, reserving lemon zest and syrup. Allow to cool then cover and chill until cold.

To serve – combine the fruit and reserved zest, drizzle syrup over the fruit and toss gently. Serve with scoops of frozen cream.

Share|
Filed Under: Desserts Tagged With: , , ,

Simple Peach Cobbler

May 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Many people feel that tinned fruit is in some way inferior and bad quality, not so. Tinned fruit, at least good quality tinned fruit, can be used in many desserts, cobbler being just one.

I worked full time all my adult life, with the exception of a short period for maternity leave – so I know the pressures facing parents who work long hour; preparing family meals using ready made products, i.e. tinned fruit, ready made pastry, meringues when making desserts etc. are a good way to get the meal on the table quickly. Serve with ice cream, chilled cream or custard if preferred; in fact anything that appeals.

Save making from scratch for the week-end, if you feel the need!

2 tins sliced peaches in fruit juice
Scone topping
10 oz plain flour
2 oz unrefined caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
5 oz unsalted butter, chilled in the freezer for 20 minutes before required
1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten
4 fl oz single cream
1 egg yolk whisked with a little milk
Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 220ºC
Lightly butter an ovenproof dish

Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder into a baking bowl, grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients, lightly rub in using fingertips only. Put the egg and single cream into a jug, whisk to combine then pour onto flour mixture, mix until combined being careful not to overwork

With floured hands, transfer the scone mixture to a lightly floured working surface and roll out to about 1” thick. Cut the dough into 2” rounds with a biscuit cutter, place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill

Drain the peaches, add to the dish and drizzle, pour over 6 fluid ounces of juice. Place the scones onto the peaches, brush the tops of the scones with egg wash taking care that it does not run down the sides

Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling, allow the pudding to cool a little before serving

Dust with icing sugar and serve with Double cream

Share|
Filed Under: Baking, Puddings Tagged With: , ,

Caramel Bakewell Tart

May 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is a lovely take on the traditional Bakewell Pudding with the addition of a salted caramel sauce instead of jam or fresh fruit compote. While this is a lovely pastry recipe, I prefer rough puff pastry – recipe at the end. As with all recipes on this site, this suits my tastes, it may not suit yours – so if you fancy using a different caramel recipe, do so!

Preparation – 30 minutes
Baking – 60 minutes

Pastry
120 grams plain white flour
Pinch fine salt
30 grams unsalted butter or block margarine
30 grams lard
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 to 3 tbsp cold water
1 egg white – lightly beaten
Caramel Sauce with Sea Salt
170 grams unsalted butter
170 grams light muscovado sugar
375 grams condensed milk
1/4 tsp sea salt flakes
Filling
150 grams butter
150 grams unrefined caster sugar
3 large fresh eggs
150 grams ground almonds
1 lemon – finely grated zest
Decoration
2 rounded tbsp almond slivers

Preparation

  1. Pastry – mix the butter, lard and zest until blended, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the freezer until firm.

Pastry

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a large baking bowl, remove butter from freezer, while dipping in flour throughout the process grate over the dry ingredients, tossing to coat. Briefly rub in.
  2. Add the lemon juice and water – one tablespoon at a time, using a rounded bladed knife to bring the dough together – add more water if necessary – one teaspoon at a time.
  3. Wrap in clingfilm, chill for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 170ºC, 325ºF, gas mark 3 and butter a 20 cm diameter deep tart tin.
  5. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to 5 mm thickness, use to line the prepared tart tin; prick the base all over with the tines of a fork, cover with clingfilm and chill for 15 minutes.
  6. Blind bake for 10 minutes, remove and brush with the egg white, bake for 5 minutes.

Caramel Sauce

  1. Put the butter and sugar into a saucepan set over a low heat, warm while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  2. Add the condensed milk and sea salt, stir until incorporated, raise the heat to medium and bring to the boil, immediately take off the heat and place onto a wire rack to cool.
  3. Spread the caramel sauce evenly over the pastry base, place onto a wire rack to cool.

Sponge

  1. Cream the butter, sugar and zest until pale and fluffy, add the beaten eggs and egg yolk one tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition.
  2. Fold in the ground almonds.
  3. Spoon over the cooled caramel, gently level the surface with a palette knife ensuring an even covering.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, scatter the almond slivers over the top, bake for another 20 minutes – or until the sponge is set and a light golden colour.

Rough Puff Pastry

120 grams plain white flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
90 grams unsalted butter
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, strained

Chilled water – to mix

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
  2. While dipping the fats in flour, grate into the dry ingredients, briefly rub in using fingertips.
  3. Mix to a stiff dough with the lemon juice and cold water.
  4. On a lightly floured board, roll the dough into rectangle about 30 cm x 10 cm.
    1. Roll out the pastry dough to a rectangle 3 times longer than wide – 30 cm by 10 cm
    2. Fold one third into the centre, place the opposite side on top
    3. Seal the edges with a lightly floured rolling pin, turn the pastry 90 degrees (quarter turn)
    4. Wrap in clingfilm, chill for 15 minutes in the fridge
    5. Repeat the steps in italics 1 to 4 four more times
  5. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm, rest and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.
  6. After the pastry has been rested roll out to fit a 20 cm (8 inch) fluted flan or tart tin.
  7. Lower the pastry into the tin, while gently pushing it into the base and corners and up the sides, prick the base with a fork and return to the fridge for 20 minutes.
  8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC
Share|
Filed Under: Baking, Pies and Tarts Tagged With:

Scottish Orange Flummery

May 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is a really common recipe for Scottish Flummery with just a couple of little changes. Was the recipe traditional – not sure, but is isn´t now. It is lovely when served with just a little orange flower honey and the addition of Glayva whisky liqueur rather than the traditional whisky plus decoration of sugared orange curls – fancy name for candied orange zest.

Sugared Orange Curls
2 large organic blood oranges
75 ml cold water
75 grams unrefined sugar
Flummery
900 ml cold water
4 tbsp old fashioned oatmeal
200 ml fresh blood orange juice
2 tbsp unrefined caster sugar
150 ml fresh double cream
2 tbsp Glayva whisky liqueur (or amount to taste)
To serve
4 tbsp organic orange flower honey, warmed just a little until “runny”
150 ml double cream plus 1 tsp finely grated orange zest and a dash or Glayva (amount to taste)

Candied citrus curls – wash the oranges using a soft brush under cold running water, pat dry with paper kitchen towel. Using a zester, remove the zest from the fruits in long strips – or remove zest using a sharp knife, cut into very thin strips. Place into a saucepan and cover with cold water, cook over a medium heat, bring up to the simmer then cook for five minutes. Remove from heat, drain and return them to the pan. Add 75 ml of cold water and 75 grams of sugar, bring up to the simmer, reduce temperature to low and continue cooking until translucent and the water becomes syrupy and thickens. Continue cooking for ten minutes then remove from the heat, (carefully) take the zest from the pan and strain through a sieve (discard the syrup). Separate the strips then carefully wrap around the handle of a wooden spoon – or knife sharpener. Allow to cool and dry. Optional – roll in a little sifted icing sugar. These can be made the day before, just allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Flummery – soak oatmeal in 900 ml cold water for 24 hours then strain the liquid off into a saucepan – some people advocate soaking for 48 hours, this is simply a matter of choice. Add the orange juice and sugar, bring to the boil while stirring continuously to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling for 10 minutes or until the mixture is very thick, again stirring continuously. Allow the Flummery to cool to room temperature, stir in the double cream and Glayva whisky Spoon into pretty stemmed glasses, cover with clingfilm, chill until set – about 1 hour.

Flavoured cream – put the chilled cream, zest and a dash of Glayva into a cold bowl, whisk until soft peaks form, cover with clingfilm and chill until ready to serve.

To serve – drizzle with just a little honey that has been slightly warmed, lightly whipped cream and orange curls.

Share|
Filed Under: Celebrations, Flummery Tagged With: , ,

Oh So Simple Eton Mess

May 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Sometimes you want something simple, no fuss or baking required – this is one of those desserts.

You can top with grated chocolate, substitute other berries for the strawberries i.e. fresh – blackberries, bilberries or blueberries, raspberries, loganberries even cranberries. Substitute crème fraîche or whipping cream for the double cream. Or trying mixing the stiffly whipped cream into some fresh (chilled), egg custard, available from the deli counter.

1 punnet fresh strawberries
Icing sugar, sifted – amount to taste
284 ml carton double cream
Meringue shells
Port, Spanish sherry or orange liqueur (amount to taste)

  1. Wash and hull the berries, mash with a little sugar (to taste), add a little sherry, port or orange liqueur. Pop in the freezer for a few minutes to chill while you prepare the other ingredients – without freezing.
  2. Crush the meringues into bite sizes pieces.
  3. Whip the cream until soft peaks form – this is easier if the bowl, whisk and cream and really cold.
  4. Mix the meringues into the cream, put a layer into a stemmed cocktail glass (or whatever you have at hand).
  5. Top with berries, be generous, add more meringue and cream, finish off the berries – serve.
Share|
Filed Under: Desserts Tagged With: , , ,

Strawberry Marmalade B&B Pudding

May 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Bread and butter puddings are so delicious, and little effort is required to make them. I recently made one using the lovely Seville orange marmalade available in Spain, not a pretty dessert but moreish! This dessert is slightly different in that the marmalade used is strawberry and citrus available from Boddington´s though you can replace with Seville orange marmalade if preferred.

Unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
300 to 350 grams Strawberry citrus marmalade – Boddington´s
1 large fresh unsliced white loaf, 700 grams
4 large fresh eggs
400 ml crème fraîche or double cream
400 ml milk
85 grams golden caster sugar
1 vanilla pod – split lengthways, seeds scraped out
To serve
280 ml double cream
1 to 2 tbsp orange liqueur – Grand Marnier

  1. Generously butter a deep two litre ovenproof dish, spread half of the marmalade over the base.
  2. Trim the crusts from the loaf, cut four slices – lengthways – approx. one centimetre thick.
  3. Butter one side of the bread slices, spread marmalade over two of the slices (on the side without butter).
  4. With the marmalade side facing up, roll up the slices of bread short side nearest you, cut each roll in half.
  5. Lightly press into the dish.
  6. Put the eggs, cream and milk into a bowl, whisk until blended then sieve into a jug, add the sugar and vanilla seeds, whisk until combined, pour half over the bread rolls.
  7. Lightly press the rolls into the liquid, allow the bread to soak up the liquid – at room temperature – then slowly pour over the remainder.
  8. Cover and place in the fridge while the oven comes to temperature.
  9. Preheat oven to 160ºC, 320ºF, gas mark 3.
  10. Uncover the pudding and place into the centre of the oven, bake for 60 minutes – check, the custard should be softly set – if not, cook for a little longer.
  11. Serve with softly whipped cream flavoured with orange liqueur.
Share|
Filed Under: Baking, Puddings Tagged With: , , ,

Crème Fraîche and Cream Pannacotta with Nectarine Compote

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

180 ml Crème Fraîche – well chilled
120 ml double or whipping cream – well chilled
Vanilla Cream
1 vanilla bean – split in half lengthways, scrape out the seeds
240 ml double cream
100 grams unrefined caster sugar
2 1/2 tsp powdered gelatine (1 pack)
30 ml milk
Serve with – nectarine compote, recipe below; tips for sprigs of mint

  1. Cream is easier to whip when chilled – about an hour before you begin, put a bowl and whisk or beaters into the freezer, leave until ready to use.
  2. Sprinkle the gelatine over the milk, mix well then put to one side.

Vanilla Cream

  1. Put the vanilla bean, seeds, double cream and sugar into a small saucepan.
  2. Place over a low heat, slowly bring to simmering point while stirring.
  3. When the cream reaches temperature and the sugar has dissolved, immediately remove from the hob, take out the vanilla bean.
  4. Add the gelatine mixture, while whisking until smooth, transfer to a medium heatproof bowl, allow to cool to room temperature, while stirring frequently – ensure the cream has completely cooled before continuing.
  5. Stir the crème fraîche until smooth.
  6. Remove the bowl and whisk from the freezer, add the double or whipping cream to the bowl then whisk until stiff peaks form.
  7. Gently fold in the crème fraîche, put to one side.
  8. When the vanilla double cream has completely cooled, whisk until smooth then fold in the whipped cream and crème fraîche mixture – about one quarter at a time.
  9. Ladle into ramekins, cover with clingfilm, chill in the refrigerator until set.
  10. This will take about two hours.

Nectarine Compote 

6 nectarines – pick ripe fruit, not bruised or marked
1/4 cup cold water
1/8 cup unrefined caster sugar

  1. Halve the nectarine, remove the stone then cut into half inch thick slices.
  2. Put the water and sugar into a medium sized heavy based saucepan set over a medium heat.
  3. Warm – white stirring – until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  4. Add the fruit, bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
  5. Cook for about ten minutes, while stirring occasionally, remove from the hob.
  6. The juices will thicken and become more syrup like once the compote cools to room temperature.
  7. Taste and add more sugar, if necessary

To assemble – unmould the Pannacotta – cut around the edge of the mould – using a small knife, staying as close to the edge as possible. Carefully invert onto a dessert plate. Using the knife, gently persuade the Pannacotta out by allowing air to naturally release it from the mould. Serve with the compote decorated with the tip from a sprig of mint.

Share|
Filed Under: Desserts, Pannacotta Tagged With: , , ,

Quick Mandarin Orange Pudding

May 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

3.5 oz unrefined caster sugar
3.5 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
3.5 oz self raising flour
2 large fresh eggs
1 mandarin orange – finely grated zest
1 tsp Silver Cloud Estates pure mandarin extract
4 tbsp orange curd

  1. Put the first six ingredients for the sponge into a bowl, beat with a hand held mixer until smooth and creamy
  2. Lightly butter a microwave safe bowl, spoon the mixture into the bowl
  3. Cover with clingfilm, prick with a skewer several times
  4. Microwave on high for three minutes, then leave to stand for one minute
  5. Put the orange cheese into a microwave safe bowl, microwave for 30 seconds, then stir
  6. Pour over the pudding, serve with lightly whipped double cream or custard
Share|
Filed Under: Puddings Tagged With: ,

Sicilian Cheesecake

May 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I love the combination or orange and cinnamon in this baked cheesecake, the addition of vanilla extract or vanilla seeds if preferred adds a depth of flavour that for me is hard to resist. I usually cook this cheesecake until it has just a slight wobble in the centre, whether this is traditional or not is debatable.

910 grams ricotta cheese
140 grams unrefined caster sugar
55 grams plain flour, sifted
6 large fresh eggs
1 dessert spoon vanilla extract
1 dessert spoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch salt

  1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC, 300ºF, gas mark 2.
  2. Place oven shelf into centre of oven.
  3. Butter, and flour, a loose bottom 23 cm tin, tip out excess flour.
  4. Put the ricotta cheese into a sieve lined with muslin set over a bowl, leave to drain.
  5. Place the cheese into a large mixer bowl, stir until smooth.
  6. Add the sugar and flour, mix thoroughly.
  7. Stir in the eggs, one by one, blend in the vanilla, zest, cinnamon and salt.
  8. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 75 to 90 minutes, or until a light golden colour.
  9. The centre should be firm – try inserting a fine skewer, this should come away clean.
  10. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool, when cool invert onto a serving dish, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Share|
Filed Under: Cheescake, Desserts Tagged With: , , ,

Deep Dish Apple Pie

May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is similar to the pie my mother made, more years ago than I care to remember. Whilst I was always at her side when baking was in progress, Mum did not use recipes so it was guess work when trying to recreate the pies I loved as a child. Use any type of pastry you choose, I feel that cinnamon and apple are a good match.

250 grams cinnamon shortcrust pastry (chill for 30 minutes before use)
Filling
85 grams natural brown sugar
680 grams prepared Bramley baking apples, core peel and slice
30 grams unsalted butter, diced
To finish
1 tbsp milk
2 tsp unrefined caster sugar

Pre-heat oven to 200°C, 390ºF, gas mark 6.

  1. Butter a one and a half pint ovenproof pie dish
  2. Arrange a single layer of the apples over the base of the dish, lightly sprinkle with sugar.
  3. Repeat these two layers until the dish is full then dot with butter.
  4. Roll out the pastry, cover the dish and trim the edge, cut two vents in the centre using a sharp thin bladed knife.
  5. Brush with a little milk and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and a light golden brown.
  7. Serve while hot with freshly made custard, chilled pouring cream or French vanilla ice cream.
Share|
Filed Under: Desserts, Pies and Tarts Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts