Desserts
White Chocolate and Amarula Cheesecake
Serves 8–10
1 packet Marie biscuits, crushed
90 g butter, melted
500 g thick cream cheese
1 x 397 g can condensed milk
200 g white chocolate, melted and cooled
15 ml gelatine, softened in 50 ml cold water
250 ml cream, whipped
80 ml Amarula Cream liqueur
TOPPING
250 g dark chocolate
100 ml Amarula Cream liqueur
1Combine the biscuits and butter and press into a 23 cm springform tin. Place in the fridge to harden.
2Combine the cream cheese and condensed milk, then beat in the melted chocolate.
3Melt the gelatine in the microwave for 10 seconds and beat into the cheese mixture. Fold in the whipped cream and liqueur.
4Pour the mixture into the prepared biscuit base and place in the fridge to set for 3–4 hours. Melt the chocolate and liqueur for the topping and mix until smooth.
5Spoon the topping over the cheesecake before serving.
Apple Roly-poly
Serves 6
500 ml cake flour
15 ml baking powder
125 g butter
180 ml milk
4 apples, peeled and grated
50 ml sugar
5 ml cinnamon
SAUCE
375 ml sugar
250 ml water
100 g butter
3 ml ground cinnamon
1Sift the flour and baking powder. Rub in the butter. Add enough milk to make a stiff dough, mixing lightly. Place the dough onto a floured surface and roll out into a large rectangle measuring approximately 30 x 22 cm.
2Mix together the apples, sugar and cinnamon and spread onto the dough. Roll up as for a swiss roll, then cut into slices and place cut side up into a greased ovenproof dish.
3To prepare the sauce, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour over the slices.
4Bake at 180 °C for 30–40 minutes until cooked. Serve warm with custard or cream.
Caramel Apple Tart
Serves 4–6
2 eggs
180 ml sugar
60 ml milk
30 g butter
250 ml self-raising flour
1 x 410 g can pie apples
15 ml lemon juice
25 ml castor sugar
SAUCE
250 ml cream
150 ml sugar
60 g butter
5 ml caramel essence
1Beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thick.
2Heat the milk and butter, then cool slightly. Add to the egg mixture, then beat in the flour. Mix the apples with the lemon juice and castor sugar, and place in the bottom of a deep, greased 20 cm ovenproof dish. Pour the batter over the apple mixture.
3Bake at 180 °C for 30–40 minutes until cooked. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Remove from the oven and pour over the sauce.
4To make the sauce, boil together all the ingredients.
Strawberry Ice Cream
Serves 8–10
600 g strawberries, cleaned and hulled
200 ml castor sugar
30 ml Kirsch or berry liqueur
150 ml orange juice
100 ml lemon juice
250 ml cream, whipped
1Place the strawberries, castor sugar, liqueur and juices into a blender and blend until smooth. Mix in the whipped cream.
2Pour into a container and freeze until required. Remove 20 minutes before serving to soften slightly.
Camembert Fondue
This is great for either a starter or as a dessert served with fresh fruit
Serves 8–10
1 large ripe Camembert cheese
grated rind of 1 orange
1 large sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
45 ml olive oil
45 ml white wine
1Remove the paper from the cheese and place on a large piece of heavy-duty foil.
2Make a few holes in the top of the cheese and sprinkle over the orange rind, rosemary and garlic. Grind over some pepper, pour over the oil and wine, and seal the foil tightly.
3Place on a baking tray in the oven at 180 °C for 15–20 minutes until the cheese is nice and soft. Serve with chunks of French loaf for dipping, and seasonal fresh fruit.
Honey and Nougat Semi-fredo
Serves 4
2 eggs, separated
60 ml honey
150 ml icing sugar
500 ml cream, whipped
150 g soft nougat, chopped
50 g blanched almonds, roasted and chopped
1Combine the egg yolks, honey and 60 ml of the icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat until pale and thick. Set aside.
2Place the egg whites into another bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining icing sugar and beat until glossy. Add this to the egg yolk mixture, mix well, then fold in the whipped cream, nougat and almonds.
3Spoon the mixture into a lined 20 cm springform tin and freeze for 3–4 hours. Soften in the fridge before cutting into slices.
Rolled Pavlova
Serves 8–10
6 extra-large egg whites
5 ml vinegar
375 ml castor sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
15 ml cornflour
60 g flaked almonds
250 ml cream
250 g strawberries or fruit of choice, finely chopped
1Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
2Line a large swiss roll tin with a cooking bag or baking paper and spray with a non-stick spray.
3Whisk the egg whites and vinegar until soft peaks form, then gradually beat in the castor sugar. The mixture should be thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and cornflour, and mix. Spread the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the almonds.
4Bake for 20–25 minutes until firm. Turn out onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. Peel off the cooking bag or baking paper from the base and trim off the hard edges with scissors.
5Leave to cool. Whip the cream until stiff. Spread onto the cooled meringue and top with the fruit.
6Roll up like a swiss roll and place on a serving plate. Serve immediately or refrigerate for no more than 2–3 hours before serving.
Lemon Meringue Ice Cream
Serves 6–8
200 g ginger biscuits, crushed
100 g butter, melted
500 ml cream
250 ml Greek yoghurt
1 x 325 g jar lemon curd
grated rind and juice of 1–2 lemons
10 small meringues, broken into pieces
1Line a 28 x 12 cm loaf tin with clingfilm. Mix the biscuits and butter. Sprinkle one third of the biscuit mixture over the base.
2Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric beater until stiff. Beat in the yoghurt. Gently fold in the lemon curd, rind and lemon juice, and lastly the meringues. Spoon half the cream mixture on top of the biscuit mixture in the loaf tin, sprinkle with a layer of crumbs and top with the remaining cream mixture.
3Add a final layer of crumbs. Place into the freezer until firm.
4Remove from the loaf tin, remove the clingfilm and serve sliced.
Butterscotch Roulade
Serves 6
150 g dates, seeded and finely chopped
180 ml boiling water
5 ml bicarbonate of soda
60 g butter
160 ml brown sugar
2 extra-large eggs
180 ml self-raising flour
50 g pecan nuts, finely chopped
250 ml cream, whipped
SAUCE
125 ml brown sugar
180 ml cream
100 g butter
5 ml vanilla essence
1Grease and line a 25 x 30 cm swiss roll tin with baking paper.
2Combine the dates, boiling water and bicarbonate of soda in the bowl of a food processor. Leave to stand for 5 minutes to soften.
3Add the butter and brown sugar, then process until smooth. Add the eggs and flour, and process further for a few minutes until the mixture is well combined, then mix in the nuts. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.
4Bake at 180 °C for 15–20 minutes until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a piece of greaseproof paper sprinkled with sugar. Peel away the baking paper, then leave to cool.
5To prepare the sauce, combine all the ingredients and bring to the boil. Remove and cool.
6Mix 80 ml of the cooled sauce into the whipped cream. Spread this over the cooled cake and gently roll it up using the sugared paper. Place on a serving dish, cut into slices and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.
Pannacotta with Balsamic Strawberries
Serves 4
7.5 ml gelatine
60 ml water
250 ml cream
125 ml castor sugar
1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
250 ml thick Greek yoghurt
BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES
250 g strawberries, sliced
30 ml balsamic vinegar
15–20 ml sugar
1Sprinkle the gelatine over the water and set aside.
2Combine the cream and castor sugar in a small saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Add the vanilla seeds and set aside for 30 minutes to infuse.
3Dissolve the gelatine over hot water or in the microwave for 10 seconds on high. Add to the cream mixture.
4Cool the mixture, then fold in the yoghurt. Spoon into four individual moulds that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and refrigerate until set. Unmould and serve with the strawberries.
5To prepare the strawberries: Place all the ingredients into a small saucepan and heat gently until the strawberries are slightly softened. Adjust the sugar to taste.
Baked Lime Cheesecake
Serves 8–10
200 g chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed
80 g butter, softened
750 g thick cream cheese
250 ml castor sugar
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
juice of 4 limes or 2 lemons (±90 ml)
TOPPING
50 g chocolate
45 ml cream
1Mix together the biscuits and butter to make a crumb crust. Press into the base of a 22 cm loose-bottomed cake tin that has been lined on the outside with a double layer of foil to prevent water from seeping in. Place in the fridge to set.
2Beat the cream cheese gently until smooth, then add the castor sugar. Gently beat in the eggs and egg yolks. Finally add the lime or lemon juice.
3Pour the mixture onto the chilled biscuit base. Place the cake tin in a roasting tray and pour hot water around the foil-wrapped cheesecake to come about halfway up the sides of the tin.
4Bake in the oven at 180 °C for 50–60 minutes. The cheesecake should be set but will still have a slight wobble to it.
5Leave it to cool slightly before removing the outer foil covering. When completely cool, place in the fridge to chill for about 1 hour before serving.
6To make the topping, melt the chocolate and cream together, mix until smooth and drizzle over the cooled cheesecake.
Black Forest Trifle
Serves 8
1 chocolate swiss roll
1 can pitted black cherries
15 ml custard powder mixed with 25 ml water
50 ml cherry liqueur
250 g thick cream cheese
1 x 397 g can condensed milk
125 ml lemon juice
250 ml cream
100 g chocolate, grated, for decoration
fresh cherries for decoration (optional)
1Slice the swiss roll and line a serving dish with the slices (it can be either a glass bowl or a rectangular dish).
2Drain the cherries and heat the juice in a small saucepan. Add the custard powder mixture and bring to the boil. Remove, then add the liqueur.
3Sprinkle the cherries over the swiss roll base and pour over the juice mixture. Leave to cool.
4Combine the cream cheese, condensed milk and lemon juice, and mix well. Pour this over the cherries and leave to set.
5Whip the cream and spoon it over the cream cheese mixture. Cover with grated chocolate and decorate with fresh cherries, if available.
Chocolate Crème Brûlée
Serves 6
500 ml cream
200 g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
4 egg yolks
100 ml castor sugar plus extra for topping
1Heat the cream in a saucepan until just boiling. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and mix until smooth.
2Beat the egg yolks and castor sugar until pale, pour onto the hot chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Spoon the mixture into 6 ramekins.
3Place a tea towel in the base of a roasting tin and place the ramekins onto this. Pour water into the pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in the oven at 180 °C for 10–15 minutes until a skin forms and they are slightly set. Do not overcook.
4Remove from the oven and chill for a few hours. Sprinkle the tops with castor sugar and melt with a blowtorch or under the grill until a sugar crust forms on top.
5Serve immediately. Once the sugar has been placed on top, the dessert won’t keep very long, as the hard caramel topping will soften on standing.
Brown Bread Ice Cream Pudding
Serves 8
25 g mixed dried fruit
50 g glacé cherries (a mixture of red, green and yellow, if possible, quartered)
100 ml brandy
500 ml cream
100 ml castor sugar
250 ml grated fresh brown breadcrumbs
5 ml ground cinnamon
100 ml brown sugar
1Combine the dried fruit and cherries in a bowl. Sprinkle with brandy, cover, and leave overnight.
2Beat the cream and castor sugar until thickened. Chill in the freezer until almost set, stirring every half hour.
3Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs, cinnamon and brown sugar and place on a baking tray. Toast at 200 °C for 5–10 minutes, until golden and caramelised. Leave to cool, then break up into small pieces.
4Stir the soaked fruit and the caramelised breadcrumbs into the cream mix. Pour the mixture into a 1 litre pudding basin lined with clingfilm.
5Freeze until solid. Remove 15 minutes before serving and unmould carefully.
Gateau Diane
Serves 6
4 extra-large egg whites
250 ml castor sugar
FILLING
300 g plain dark chocolate
750 ml fresh cream
Flake® for decoration
1Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add the castor sugar a little bit at a time, beating well after each addition.
2Spread the mixture into 3 x 23 cm rounds on greaseproof paper. Bake at 140 °C for 50–60 minutes or longer until dry and crisp.
3Break the chocolate into pieces, place in a glass bowl and microwave on medium for 2 minutes, stirring until melted. Whip the cream until it begins to thicken, then add the chocolate and continue beating until thick. Spread each meringue layer with the chocolate mixture, then stack the three layers on top of one another. Cover the sides and top completely. This must be done at least 3 hours before serving, but is better if done the day before, then refrigerated.
4Decorate with the Flake®.
Roasted Fruit Salad with Brown Sugar Syrup
Serves 4–6
BROWN SUGAR SYRUP
100 ml water
30 ml lemon juice
125 g brown sugar
1 vanilla pod, split
ROASTED FRUIT
6 fresh figs, halved
2 nectarines, stoned and cut into wedges
6 plums, halved and stoned
300 g red grapes
50 g butter
50 ml castor sugar
1To prepare the syrup, combine the water, lemon juice and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the syrup mixture and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Remove and cool.
2Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
3Place the fruit in a single layer in a roasting dish. Dot with small pieces of butter and sprinkle with the castor sugar. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. The fruits should still retain their shape but be soft.
4Serve warm with the cooled syrup and a dollop of mascarpone cheese or ice cream. If specified fruit is unavailable, use any other soft seasonal fruit.
That Impossibly Easy Coconut Pudding
Why impossible? Because it is impossibly easy to make!
Serves 4–6
4 eggs
125 g softened butter, cut into small cubes
125 ml cake flour
125 ml milk
250 ml sugar
250 ml desiccated coconut
1 x 400 g can coconut milk
1Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2Grease a 23 cm square ovenproof dish.
3Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend well. Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 1 hour.
4Cool to room temperature before cutting into serving portions. Serve with cream or ice cream.
Bar One® Cheesecake
Serves 8–10
200 g packet chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed
80 g butter, softened
60 ml water
15 ml gelatine
500 g thick cream cheese, softened
5 ml vanilla essence
125 ml castor sugar
3 x Bar One®, finely chopped
250 ml cream, whipped
1Combine the biscuits and butter and press evenly into the base of a 20 cm springform tin. Refrigerate until firm.
2Pour the water into a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine. Microwave on high for 10 seconds or stand in a pan of simmering water until dissolved. Cool slightly.
3Beat the cream cheese, vanilla essence and castor sugar with an electric beater until smooth. Beat in the gelatine, then stir in the Bar One® pieces. Fold in the cream.
4Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and refrigerate until set.
Orange and Almond Cake
A delicious almost cheesecake-type cake made without any flour
Serves 8–10
2 large oranges
250 ml castor sugar
200 g ground almonds
2.5 ml baking powder
6 eggs
45 ml lemon juice
icing sugar
1Place the whole oranges into a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until the oranges are tender, topping up with water as needed. Remove from the water and leave to cool.
2Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease a 23 cm tin. Cut the oranges into chunks and remove the pips. Do not peel the oranges.
3Place the orange chunks in a food processor and process together with the remaining ingredients until well mixed.
4Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for 45–60 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch. Cool, then dust with icing sugar.
Mango Ice Cream
Serves 4
3 medium-sized mangoes, peeled
juice of 1 lemon
250 ml sugar
2 extra-large eggs
250 ml cream
1Cut the mango flesh from the mangoes and discard the stones. Purée the fruit in a food processor or blender, then add the lemon juice. Add 185 ml of the sugar and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate.
2Separate the eggs and beat the yolks until thick and creamy. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
3Whip the cream until it just starts to thicken, then gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
4Fold in the egg yolks and whipped whites. Gently fold into the mango purée. Pour into a mould and freeze. For a smoother ice cream, beat again when it is just starting to form ice crystals, then re-freeze.
Creamy Strawberry Dessert
Serves 10
1 x 397 g can condensed milk
100 ml fresh lemon juice
250 g strawberries, cleaned and hulled
250 g smooth cream cheese
5 ml vanilla
15 ml gelatine
45 ml water
250 ml cream, whipped
extra cream and strawberries for decoration
1Combine the condensed milk and lemon juice in a food processor, and process until well blended. Add the strawberries and process until smooth. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and mix.
2Sprinkle the gelatine over the water and leave to form a soft sponge, then soften the gelatine over hot water or in the microwave on high for 10 seconds.
3With the machine running, add the gelatine to the strawberry mixture and mix well.
4Gently fold in the whipped cream and pour into a serving dish. Place in the fridge to set.
5Decorate with the extra cream and strawberries before serving.