Fruit

Steaming is an excellent way of cooking fruit. It helps to preserve the colours and nutrients and, because it is such a gentle method, it helps all fruits to keep their shape (unless you overcook them of course!)

Steaming fresh fruit

Prepare fruit in the same way as for poaching or baking. Put in an even layer in a dish that will fit in the steamer.

You can steam sweet fruit with no added sweetener or liquid. The juices will run naturally as the fruit cooks. You can always add sugar or some other sweetener at the end of cooking if necessary. If you want to steam in sugar syrup, as a guide, use about 100 g/4 oz/½ cup sugar and 300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups water for each 450 g/1 lb fruit. If the fruit is very sharp, you can always sweeten again after cooking. Alternatively, add other liquid, like wine or fruit juice, if required.

Cover the dish with foil and steam until tender. The time will depend on the quantity and the ripeness of the fruit. Ripe soft fruits – such as raspberries – will be ready after about 5 minutes as they are already soft, but for hard fruits – such as rhubarb and apples – you should allow 10–20 minutes per 450 g/1 lb.

You can use this method to steam soft fruits for a summer pudding: use 700 g/1½ lb fruit with 100 g/4 oz/½ cup of caster (superfine) sugar and 60 ml/4 tbsp of water. Remove the crusts from 5 slices of white bread, dip them in the juice, then use to line a 1 litre/1¾ pt/4¼ cup pudding basin, dipped-sides out. Fill with the fruit, then top with 2 more slices. Cover and weigh down with cans on top, then chill for 24 hours before turning out.

Spiced honey and red wine pears with lime cream

Serves 4

150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup red wine

45 ml/3 tbsp clear honey

A piece of cinnamon stick

2 cloves

4 ripe pears

1 lime

150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup crème fraîche

30 ml/2 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar

1 Mix the wine and honey either in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the rice bowl of an electric steamer. Add the cinnamon and cloves. Cover and heat while you peel the pears.

2 Put the pears in the hot wine, and turn over in the liquid. Cover with foil, then a lid and steam for 10 minutes. Carefully turn the fruit over, re-cover and steam for a further 5 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, finely grate the rind from the lime and stir into the crème fraîche with 5 ml/1 tsp of the juice and all the icing sugar.

4 Discard the cinnamon stick and cloves. Serve the pears hot, or cool, then chill, before serving with the lime cream.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES PLUS CHILLING, IF REQUIRED

Blackberry-stuffed apples

You can use other soft fruits for the stuffing, but blackberries are natural partners for apples. You can buy excellent ready-made custard in cartons, or, if you prefer, use my recipe in a later chapter.

Serves 4

4 even-sized cooking (tart) apples, cored but not peeled

75 g/3 oz fresh blackberries

60 ml/4 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup

4 digestive biscuits (graham crackers), crushed

30 ml/2 tbsp water

To serve:

Custard

1 With a sharp knife, score a line just through the skin round the middle of each apple to prevent the skins bursting during steaming.

2 Stand the fruit in a shallow dish that will fit in or over a steamer.

3 Mix half the blackberries with 30 ml/2 tbsp of the syrup and the biscuit crumbs. Pack tightly into the centres of the apples. Put the remaining blackberries around the apples, then spoon the remaining syrup over the top of the apples.

4 Add the water to the dish. Transfer to the steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 20 minutes until cooked through but the apples still hold their shape.

5 Transfer the apples to warm plates. Lift the remaining blackberries out of the dish with a draining spoon and put on the plates with the apples. Spoon the syrupy blackberry juices over the apples and serve with custard.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES

Strawberry, pear and kiwi kebabs with ginger and lemon sauce

These are also good with drained canned lychees or pineapple chunks instead of pears. You can use bought lemon curd or try my recipe on page 152.

Serves 4

16 large strawberries, hulled

1 pear, peeled, cored and cut into 8 chunks

1 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into 8 chunks

1 piece of stem ginger in syrup, finely chopped

30 ml/2 tbsp ginger syrup, from the jar

60 ml/4 tbsp lemon curd

To serve:

Crème fraîche

1 Cut four wooden skewers in half. Thread a strawberry, then a piece of kiwi fruit, then a piece of pear and finally another strawberry on each stick.

2 Mix the remaining ingredients in a shallow dish that will fit in or over a steamer or in the rice bowl of an electric steamer.

3 Lay the kebabs in the dish and spoon the sauce over.

4 Transfer to the steamer, cover tightly with a lid and steam for 10 minutes.

5 Lift the kebabs on to warm plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve straight away with a dollop of crème fraîche on the side.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES

Mango in rum with kiwi coulis

Serves 4

2 large mangoes

1 lime

25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar

30 ml/2 tbsp white rum

2 kiwi fruit

To serve:

Crème fraîche

1 Peel the mangoes. Slice off the fruit from the stones (pits). Thinly pare the rind from the lime and cut into thin shreds. Squeeze the juice.

2 Mix the juice with the sugar and rum in a shallow dish that will fit in or over a steamer. Add the mango slices. Put the lime rind in a separate little pile to one side of the fruit.

3 Cover with foil and steam for 8 minutes. Leave to cool, then chill.

4 Remove the lime rind and reserve. Pour off the mango liquid. Purée the kiwi fruit in a blender or food processor with the mango liquid.

5 Spoon the kiwi purée on to four dessert plates and spread out. Arrange the mango slices attractively on top and scatter the lime rind over. Serve with crème fraîche.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES PLUS CHILLING

Banana and passion fruit pudding

Serves 4

2 bananas, thickly sliced

1 passion fruit

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange

300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups thick vanilla yoghurt

1 egg

45 ml/3 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

1 Place the slices of banana in a shallow heatproof dish that will fit in or over a steamer. Halve the passion fruit, scoop out the seeds and add to the bananas. Add the orange rind and juice and stir gently to mix.

2 Whisk the yoghurt and egg together and spoon on top.

3 Transfer to the steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 30 minutes until the top has set.

4 Remove from the steamer, sprinkle liberally with the sugar. Leave until cool, then chill before serving.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 40 MINUTES PLUS CHILLING

Pineapple and coconut boats

Serves 4

1 small pineapple, cut into quarters

2 egg whites

100 g/4 oz/½ cup caster (superfine) sugar

Finely grated rind of ½ lemon

75 g/3 oz/¾ cup desiccated (shredded) coconut

4 small sprigs of fresh mint, for decorating

To serve:

Golden Brandy Sauce

1 Cut the skin in one piece off each pineapple quarter, then cut out any woody core. Chop the fruit and drain on kitchen paper (paper towels). Put the four pineapple skins on foil in a steamer tier. Spoon the fruit back on the skins.

2 Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until stiff. Whisk in the sugar until glossy and peaking. Fold in the lemon rind and coconut.

3 Pile on to the pineapple. Transfer to the steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 10 minutes until the topping is set.

4 Transfer to warm plates. Spoon the Golden Brandy Sauce around and decorate each with a sprig of mint.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES

Fresh peaches and cream fondue

Serves 4

4 ripe peaches, peeled, halved and stoned (pitted)

15 ml/1 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar

10 ml/2 tsp lemon juice

5 ml/1 tsp arrowroot

30 ml/2 tbsp peach liqueur or brandy

30 ml/2 tbsp double (heavy) cream

To serve:

Sponge (lady) fingers

1 Purée the peaches in a blender or food processor.

2 Blend the icing sugar with the lemon juice, arrowroot and liqueur or brandy in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in a double saucepan, or in the rice bowl of an electric steamer. Stir in the peach purée.

3 Cook, stirring, for 15 minutes until piping hot and slightly thickened. Pour into small pots.

4 Add a little cream to each and swirl with a teaspoon to give a marbled effect. Serve straight away with sponge fingers to dip in.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES

Sherried strawberry compôte

Use ripe, sweet strawberries for this recipe. If the fruit is not completely ripe, sweeten the juice to taste with a little sugar after steaming.

Serves 4

200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup apple juice

45 ml/3 tbsp strawberry jam (conserve)

10 ml/2 tsp lemon juice

45 ml/3 tbsp medium-dry sherry

450 g/1 lb even-sized strawberries, hulled

To serve:

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

1 Mix the juice, jam, lemon juice and sherry in a bowl that will fit in or over a steamer or in the rice bowl of an electric steamer. Add the strawberries.

2 Cover the dish with foil, then transfer to the steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 10–15 minutes. Stir gently after 10 minutes. You will be able to see whether the fruit is nearly cooked or will take the extra 5 minutes.

3 Turn into a serving dish, if necessary, and serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15–20 MINUTES

Nectarines stuffed with mincemeat

You can steam the sabayon in a bowl set in or over the steamer or in the rice bowl of an electric steamer at the same time as the fruit.

Serves 4

4 nectarines

120 ml/8 tbsp mincemeat

15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter (optional)

To serve:

Brandy Sabayon and shortbread fingers

1 Cut the nectarines into halves and remove the stones (pits).

2 Line a steamer container with foil to catch the juice. Put the fruit in the container, cut sides up, and put a spoonful of mincemeat in each cavity. Dot the tops with the butter, if using.

3 Transfer to the steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 10–15 minutes – the time will vary according to how ripe the fruit is.

4 Carefully lift out the fruit and place in shallow serving dishes. Spoon the juices over and serve with Brandy Sabayon and shortbread fingers.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15–20 MINUTES

Victoria pudding

If using custard, you can either buy it ready-made or use my recipe given later.

Serves 4

450 g/1 lb Victoria plums, halved and stoned (pitted)

50 g/2 oz/¼ cup caster (superfine) sugar

10 ml/2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

100 g/4 oz/½ cup soft tub margarine

100 g/4 oz/1 cup soft dark brown sugar

100 g/4 oz/1 cup self-raising (self-rising) flour

5 ml/1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

15 ml/1 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar, for decorating

To serve:

Cream or custard

1 Put the plums in the base of a greased 1.2 litre/2 pt/5 cup heatproof dish that will fit in a steamer. Sprinkle with the caster sugar and cornflour. Stir to mix thoroughly, then spread out again.

2 Put all the remaining ingredients in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until blended. Alternatively, place in a food processor and run the machine briefly to mix.

3 Spoon the mixture over the plums. Cover with greased foil with a pleat in the centre to allow for rising. Twist and fold under the rim to secure or tie with string.

4 Transfer to the steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 1½ hours until cooked through and spongy on top.

5 Dust the top with sifted icing sugar and serve with cream or custard.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 1¾ HOURS

Cherry and chocolate chip upside-down pudding

Serves 4

75 g/3 oz/¾ cup self-raising (self-rising) flour

25 g/1 oz/¼ cup cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder

5 ml/1 tsp baking powder

100 g/4 oz/½ cup caster (superfine) sugar

100 g/4 oz/½ cup softened butter or margarine, plus extra for greasing

2.5 ml/½ tsp vanilla essence (extract)

50 g/2 oz/½ cup plain (semi-sweet) chocolate chips

400 g/14 oz/1 large can of cherry pie filling

To serve:

Cream

1 Thoroughly grease a 20 cm/8 in soufflé dish with butter or margarine.

2 Put all the ingredients except the cherry pie filling in a bowl and beat well until blended.

3 Spoon the pie filling into the prepared dish and spread out evenly. Spoon the chocolate mixture over to cover the cherries completely.

4 Cover the dish with well-greased foil with a pleat in the middle to allow for rising. Twist and fold under the rim to secure.

5 Transfer to a steamer, cover with a lid and steam for 1½ hours.

6 Loosen the edge with a round-bladed knife, then turn the pudding out on to a warm serving plate. The cherries will ooze down the sides like a sauce. Serve hot with cream.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES