Pistachio nougat parfait

Fills a (2lb) 8½ × 4½ inch loaf tin

Enough for up to 10 slices

I’m not sure why this is called pistachio nougat parfait, as it doesn’t have any nougat in it, but this is what we called it at the Orrery, the restaurant where I picked up this dessert. This was one of the first recipes that made it into my famous purple folder, and more than a decade later it still tastes great, so no alteration is required to the method or the name. The only liberties I have taken are to replace the glacé maraschino cherries in the original with sour cherries, and to make fresh pistachio paste instead of using the commercial stuff we had back in the day. This parfait is lovely served with fresh cherries, and keeps in the freezer for up to a month, so any that is left over can be enjoyed another day.

100g pistachios

25g/ml cherry brandy or brandy

100g dried sour cherries

400g/ml heavy cream

4 eggs

100g granulated sugar

100g honey

50g light corn syrup (or honey, if you can’t get any light corn syrup)

2–3 tbsp water

For the pistachio paste

200g pistachios

30g granulated sugar

Roast 100g of pistachios for 10 minutes at 375°F/350°F convection. Pour the brandy over the sour cherries in a bowl and leave to soak. Line an 8½ × 4½ inch loaf tin with cling film or greaseproof paper (I use two strips set at right angles, one lengthways and one widthways), allowing enough excess that the lining overhangs on all sides. Or make life easier and use a silicone mold if you have one, as it requires no lining at all.

Lightly whip the cream until it forms ribbons—it needs to be very soft-whipped, so be careful not to overwork it. Chill in the fridge until needed.

Put the eggs in a mixer with a whisk attachment and start whisking at a slow-medium speed. Combine the sugar, honey and light corn syrup in a small saucepan, then mix in enough of the water to create a wet paste. Moisten your finger or a brush with some water and run it around the sides of the pan to clean away any sugar crystals, then set on a high heat to bring to a rapid boil. Don’t be tempted to stir it. If you have a sugar thermometer, use it now; you need to bring the mixture up to “hard-ball” stage (250°F). If you don’t have one, you can judge this by eye; boil for about 2–3 minutes until the bubbles become bigger and the mixture starts to thicken but doesn’t color.

Whisk the hot sugar syrup into the eggs in a slow, steady stream, then increase the speed to high and whisk for about 10 minutes until very fluffy and partially cooled. You can check whether it is cool enough by placing your hands on the mixing bowl; it should feel slightly warmer than your palms. This mixture will form a nice strong base for your parfait.

While the base is whisking, grind 200g of pistachios in a food processor with 30g of sugar for 1–2 minutes until the nuts start to produce oil and become a little wet. Stir in some of the parfait base to loosen, then fold into the rest of the fluffy egg mixture to combine. Next fold in the soft-whipped cream, then add the roasted pistachios and soaked cherries (plus soaking liquid) and stir to distribute evenly throughout. Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin and fold the overhang over the top to cover; if using a silicone mold, cover with a piece of cling film or greaseproof paper. Set in the freezer for at least 12 hours. This keeps well for up to a month.

To serve, peel the cling film or greaseproof paper off the top and flip the parfait onto a chopping board. Lift the loaf tin off and carefully peel away the lining (you don’t have to worry about this if you are using a silicone mold). Dip a large, sharp knife in boiling water (to give you a clean, smooth finish) and use to cut one slice per person (I allow about one tenth each). Accompany with some fresh cherries in season or, if you want to take this to the next level, pour over some dark chocolate sauce (from the hazelnut milk pudding recipe here) … mmmm.

Rice pudding with wine-poached grapes

Enough for 4 people depending on greediness

Any leftovers make a great breakfast

There is no guidebook to running a restaurant. The only certainty is that whatever can go wrong (however improbable) in time will go wrong. If the telephone rings when we aren’t in the shop, we now know to expect the unexpected. One winter evening one of our chefs called to say, “We have a situation here.” Two girls had come to the restaurant as walk-ins, really keen to eat with us. As all our tables were full, they were about to leave but asked to use the toilet first. When they saw the spare table we keep on the little patio next to the bathroom, they decided to stay and have their dinner there. Asia, who was managing the shift, tried to dissuade them, but in the end could not refuse their pleas (she has the kindest heart). And so they sat and had a three-course meal in what is essentially the bathroom. I can only imagine what all the diners who went to use the bathroom that night must have thought. We were mortified, of course, but there was nothing we could do. Now we explain to every server starting work with us that we do not serve food in the bathroom, just in case it’s not obvious.

For the grapes

250g red seedless grapes, well washed

2 star anise

100g/ml light white wine (we use Chardonnay)

2 tbsp light brown sugar

For the rice pudding

25g unsalted butter

125g risotto rice

85g/ml light white wine (the same type as for the grapes)

4 cardamom pods, split

½ vanilla pod, split

500g/ml whole milk

1 small can of condensed milk (about 200g)

Put the grapes in a small saucepan, add the star anise, cover with the wine and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, stir in the sugar, then boil for a further 5 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan.

Melt the butter in a thick-based pan over a medium heat. Add the rice, stir to coat and cook for 1 minute before adding the wine. Stir well, then add the cardamom pods and half vanilla pod. Allow the wine to cook and evaporate, then pour in half the milk. Bring to the boil and mix well. Pour in the remaining milk, bring back to the boil and simmer for about 15–20 minutes, stirring every now and then, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, add the condensed milk and stir till combined.

You can serve this straight away with a spoonful of cold poached grapes on top of the hot rice pudding, but I prefer to eat them both cold.

Poached peaches with rose jelly & crystallized rose petals

Makes 4 portions of the lightest, prettiest dessert

We make this dessert in summer when peaches and roses are in high season. Since finding a constant supply of good unsprayed roses can be tricky, all our staff are under clear instructions to loot whatever gardens they have access to, so everyone comes to their shift bearing gifts of roses for Giorgia.

For the poached peaches

200g granulated sugar

200g/ml water

some strips of peel and the juice of 1 lemon

some strips of peel and the juice of 1 orange

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp rose water

4 flat white peaches

50g/ml vodka

For the jelly

160g/ml peach cooking liquid

3 gelatin leaves (or the appropriate quantity for about 330g/ml liquid, according to the manufacturer’s instructions)

160g/ml cold water

1–2 tsp rose water

For the crystallized rose petals (if you like)

1 egg white

granulated sugar

fresh garden roses

To elevate this dessert to something heavenly

a good splash of sparkling wine for each plate

To poach the peaches, place all the ingredients apart from the peaches and vodka in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Score the skin at the base of each peach with a little cross to just pierce the skin but not cut through the flesh. Once the liquid is boiling, place the peaches in it and cook for 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the peaches to a bowl. Once they are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin; it should come away easily.

Return the peeled peaches to the cooking liquid in the pan and bring to the boil again. Once it has come to the boil, turn the heat off (if the peaches you are using are very hard, you may want to cook them for 2–3 minutes before turning off the heat). Add the vodka, then leave the peaches and their poaching liquid in the pan to cool.

While the peaches are cooling, strain 160g/ml of the poaching liquid into a small bowl (leave the peaches in the remainder). Soak the gelatin in cold water (follow the manufacturer’s instructions), then remove, squeeze out the excess water and add the gelatin to the hot poaching liquid to melt. Once it has melted, stir in the cold water and rose water. Pour into four individual molds and place in the fridge to chill until the jelly sets. This will take at least 2 hours and anything up to 5 hours, depending on the gelatin used.

If you are crystallizing the rose petals, start by mixing the egg white with a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Tip some granulated sugar into a shallow saucer or dish. Dip a petal in the egg white mixture, then in the sugar, coating both sides. Lay the petals on a wire rack or a tray lined with baking parchment and leave to crisp and dry—this will take at least 6 hours, and up to 8 if the room is very cold. You can then keep them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, but make sure not to refrigerate as they will soften.

When you come to serve, the best way to get the jelly out of the molds is to find a bowl that the jelly mold can fit into easily and to fill it with boiling water. Dip the mold in the hot water for 2 seconds and remove, then use your finger to pull the jelly a little to the side. This will allow air to come between the jelly and the mold; if you then flip the mold onto a serving plate, the jelly will slide out. Repeat with the other jellies. Place a peach at the side of each jelly and pour over a little of the cooking liquor. Then just splash with some sparkling wine and garnish with the rose petals, if using.

Baked apricots with marzipan filling & almond crumble

For 6 guests (2 apricots per person)

It feels silly giving a recipe for baked apricots. They are so delicious eaten ripe in season that they really need no addition, and their season is so short they seem to vanish in a blink. However, their unique, floral flavor works beautifully with our marzipan (here), and for us this dish is one of the highlights of their brief appearance.

For the roasted apricots

120g marzipan (here or ready-made)

12 fresh ripe apricots

60g very soft unsalted butter

100g demerara sugar

For the almond crumble

100g almonds, roughly chopped

20g sesame seeds

a pinch of fennel seeds

a pinch of ground mahleb or cardamom

a pinch of flaky sea salt

50g honey

1 tsp oil

For the brandy cream

100g/ml heavy cream

100g/ml sour cream

2 tbsp brandy

Preheat the oven to 400°F/375°F convection. Divide the marzipan into 12 pieces (10g each), roll into balls and flatten slightly. Open the apricots by pulling the cheeks apart. Remove the pits, replace each with a ball of marzipan and press the apricot halves together again to enclose. Brush the fruit all over with the soft butter, then roll in the sugar to cover. Place in an ovenproof pan and roast for 8–10 minutes until the apricots are soft.

Mix the crumble ingredients together and spread on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. When the apricots come out of the oven, put the crumble in and bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Mix the brandy cream ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. I don’t add sugar as I feel the dish is sweet enough, but if you have a very sweet tooth, stir in a little confectioners’ sugar.

Serve two apricots per person with a splash of brandy cream and some crumble sprinkled on top.