Desserts
Sticking to a vegetarian diet doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself. This section is full of delicious ways to round off your meal, and, because they are packed with nutritious ingredients like fruit, nuts and honey, you can tell yourself they are good for you, too.
Coffee and Tia Maria Bombe
Serves 4
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups double (heavy) or whipping cream
5 ml/1 tsp instant coffee granules
15 ml/1 tbsp hot water
45 ml/3 tbsp Tia Maria
8 sponge (lady) fingers, broken into 4 pieces
75 g/3 oz meringue shells, broken into small pieces
A little oil, for greasing
2 bananas
1 Whip the cream until thick.
2 Combine the coffee, hot water and 30 ml/2 tbsp of the Tia Maria.
3 Quickly dip the broken sponge fingers into the coffee mixture, then gently stir into the cream. Stir in the meringue pieces.
4 Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 600 ml/1 pt/2½ cup pudding basin and smooth the surface with the back of a tablespoon.
5 Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and freeze for about 2 hours until firm.
6 Turn the bombe out on to a large serving plate and thaw for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
7 Slice the bananas, toss in the remaining Tia Maria and arrange around the bombe. Serve immediately.
NOTE: This dish can be made in a ring mould, then served with the centre filled with the sliced bananas.
Preparation time: 10 minutes plus freezing and thawing
Gooseberry Oatmeal Medley
Serves 4
50 g/2 oz/½ cup medium oatmeal
50 g/2 oz/½ cup hazelnuts (filberts), coarsely chopped
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup Greek yoghurt
45 ml/3 tbsp clear honey
300 g/11 oz/1 large can of gooseberries, drained
4 whole hazelnuts
1 Preheat the grill (broiler).
2 Place the oatmeal and chopped hazelnuts in the grill pan (without the rack) and toast until lightly browned. Allow to cool.
3 Meanwhile, whisk the cream, yoghurt and honey together until thick.
4 Fold the oatmeal and nuts into the cream mixture with a metal spoon. Divide half the cream mixture between four sundae glasses. Top with the gooseberries. Cover the gooseberries with the remaining cream mixture. Chill.
5 Serve topped with the whole hazelnuts.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
COOKING time: 5 minutes
Quick Plum and Apple Fool
Serves 4
2 large cooking (tart) apples, peeled, cored and chopped
6 large plums
15 ml/1 tbsp soft brown sugar
15 ml/1 tbsp clear honey
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups double (heavy) or whipping cream
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup plain yoghurt
Crisp dessert biscuits (cookies), to serve
1 Place the fruit in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer until it is very soft.
2 Rub the fruit through a sieve (strainer). Return to the pan and boil for a few minutes to give a thick purée.
3 Stir in the sugar and honey. Cool.
4 Whip the cream until quite stiff, then fold in the yoghurt and fruit purée. Spoon into sundae dishes and serve cold with crisp dessert biscuits.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Butterscotch Apple Pancakes
Serves 4
130 g/4 oz/1 packet of pancake batter mixture
Milk, according to packet directions
A little oil
100 g/4 oz/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup butter or margarine
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
750 g/1½ lb cooking (tart) apples, peeled, cored and sliced
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup caster (superfine) sugar
5 ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the sauce:
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter or margarine
30 ml/2 tbsp dark brown sugar
30 ml/2 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup
Crème fraîche, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
2 Make up the pancake batter according to the packet instructions.
3 Heat a little oil in a frying pan (skillet) until very hot, running it round to ensure that the whole surface of the pan is coated. Pour off any surplus. Ladle in a little batter, rotating the pan at the same time, until enough batter is added to give a thin coating.
4 Cook until the pancake begins to curl around the edges, flip over with a palette knife and briefly cook the other side. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
5 Continue the process until all the batter is used up, adding a little oil to the pan when necessary.
6 Fry the breadcrumbs in 50 g/2 oz/¼ cup of the butter or margarine until golden, stirring frequently.
7 Place the remainder of the butter or margarine, the lemon rind and juice, apples, caster sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cover and cook to a purée, then add the breadcrumbs.
8 Divide the mixture between the pancakes and roll up. Place in an ovenproof dish.
9 To make the sauce, melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan, then stir in the brown sugar and syrup. Heat, stirring, until melted.
10 Pour the sauce over the pancakes, cover the dish with foil and place in the oven for about 25 minutes.
11 Serve hot with crème fraîche.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Pineapple in Caramelised Coconut Sauce
Serves 4
1 medium pineapple OR 2 x 432 g/14½ oz/large cans of pineapple rings, drained
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups double (heavy) cream
100 g/4 oz creamed coconut, cut into small pieces
Soft brown sugar 75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup
1 If using fresh pineapple, remove the top and bottom, cut off the skin, remove the core and cut into rings 1 cm/½ in thick.
2 Place the pineapple in a fairly shallow ovenproof dish.
3 Warm the cream gently in a saucepan and stir in the coconut until dissolved. Pour over the pineapple.
4 Sprinkle the sugar over the top and quickly place under a preheated grill (broiler). Cook until the sugar has caramelised. Serve piping hot.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Swiss Raspberry Layers
Serves 4
8 slices of chocolate Swiss (jelly) roll
15 ml/1 tbsp melted butter or margarine
15 ml/1 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup, slightly warmed
10 ml/2 tsp cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder
225 g/8 oz raspberries, fresh or thawed frozen
400 g/14 oz/1 large can of ready-made custard
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup whipping cream
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, finely grated
1 Place the Swiss roll, the butter or margarine, golden syrup and cocoa in a liquidiser or food processor and blend until smooth.
2 Divide the mixture between four sundae glasses and cool slightly.
3 Reserve four raspberries, then pile the rest on to the chocolate layer in the glasses.
4 Divide the custard between the glasses and cover the raspberry layer. Whip the cream and spread over the custard. Chill.
5 Decorate with the grated chocolate and the reserved raspberries.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Layered Rhubarb Crisp with Gingered Cream
Serves 4
For the base:
100 g/4 oz chocolate digestive biscuits (Graham crackers)
100 g/4 oz ginger nuts
100 g/4 oz butter or margarine
For the filling:
450 g/1 lb rhubarb, sliced
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp soft brown sugar
For the topping:
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup Greek yoghurt
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground ginger
15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter or margarine
15 ml/1 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup
15 ml/1 tbsp soft brown sugar
75 g/3 oz/1½ cups cornflakes
1 To make the base, grind all the biscuits (cookies) into fine crumbs in a food processor.
2 Melt the butter or margarine and stir into the biscuit crumbs. Press the mixture into a 20 cm/8 in loose-bottomed flan tin (pie pan). Chill to set.
3 To make the filling, place the rhubarb in a saucepan with the sugar and 15 ml/1 tbsp of water. Simmer gently until the rhubarb is soft and pulpy.
4 Allow to cool, then spread over the biscuit base.
5 For the topping, whisk the cream, yoghurt and ginger together until the mixture is thick and forms peaks. Pile over the rhubarb layer and chill.
6 Melt the butter or margarine, syrup and sugar in a pan, then stir in the cornflakes, until well coated.
7 Allow the mixture to cool completely and become crispy, then spoon all over the cream layer. Serve chilled.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Honey Peach Yoghurt Ice
Serves 4–6
2 x 410 g/14½ oz/large cans of peach slices, drained
30 ml/2 tbsp lemon juice
45 ml/3 tbsp clear honey
5 ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
225 g/8 oz/2 cups plain yoghurt
175 g/6 oz/¾ cup caster (superfine) sugar
225 g/8 oz/1 cup quark
Langue de chat biscuits (cookies), to serve
1 Place the peach slices, lemon juice, honey and cinnamon in a liquidiser and blend until smooth.
2 Whisk the yoghurt and the sugar together, then mix with the fruit purée.
3 Beat the quark until smooth, then fold into the peach mixture with a metal spoon.
4 Place in a suitable container, then place in the freezer until the mixture is just starting to freeze around the edges.
5 Turn out into a mixing bowl and beat well to reduce the size of the ice crystals forming and prevent too hard a texture. Return to the freezer and freeze until solid.
6 Remove from the freezer about 1 hour before serving and leave in a cool place to soften slightly, then serve scoops in sundae glasses with langue de chat biscuits.
Preparation time: 15 minutes PLUS freezing
Mulled Cherries with Cinnamon
Serves 4
2 x 410 g/14½ oz/large cans of stoned (pitted) black cherries
6 cloves
½ orange
½ lemon
1 cinnamon stick
1.5 ml/¼ tsp grated nutmeg
30 ml/2 tbsp soft brown sugar
450 ml/¾ pt/2 cups red wine
5 ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup crème fraîche
1 Empty the cherries with their syrup into a fairly large saucepan.
2 Stick the cloves into the skin of the orange and place in the saucepan. Add the lemon, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, brown sugar and red wine.
3 Bring slowly to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until the liquid is slightly reduced. Remove the orange, lemon and cinnamon stick.
4 Combine the ground cinnamon with the crème fraîche.
5 Ladle the cherries into warm bowls and serve topped with spoonfuls of the cold cinnamon crème fraîche.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Middle Eastern Dream Dessert
Serves 4
50 g/2 oz/½ cup ground rice
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup cornflour (cornstarch)
30 ml/2 tbsp fresh orange juice
900 ml/1½ pts/3¾ cups milk
6 cardamom pods, slightly crushed
6 cloves
5 cm/2 in piece of cinnamon stick
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup single (light) cream
75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup soft brown sugar
15 ml/1 tbsp finely grated orange rind
50 g/2 oz/½ cup ground almonds
50 g/2 oz/½ cup flaked (slivered) almonds, lightly toasted
Cream or Greek yoghurt, to serve
1 Blend together the rice and cornflour with the orange juice to give a smooth paste.
2 Place the milk in a saucepan with the spices and gradually bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer gently for several minutes. Strain the spices off from the milk.
3 Stir the blended rice mixture into the hot milk and return to the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened.
4 Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, sugar, orange rind and ground almonds.
5 Pour into glass sundae dishes and chill.
6 Serve decorated with the toasted almonds with either extra cream or Greek yoghurt.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Chocolate Chestnut Castles
Serves 4
Oil, for greasing
150 g/5 oz/1¼ cups plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, broken into pieces
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter or margarine
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup soft brown sugar
439 g/15½ oz/1 large can of unsweetened chestnut purée
15 ml/1 tbsp Cointreau
50 g/2 oz ratafia biscuits (cookies), crushed roughly
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream, whipped
5 ml/1 tsp cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder
1 Oil four dariole moulds, then line with clingfilm (plastic wrap), ensuring that the surface is smooth. Brush the clingfilm lightly with a little more oil.
2 Place the chocolate in a saucepan with 30 ml/2 tbsp of water and heat gently until the chocolate has melted. Cool.
3 Beat together the butter or margarine, sugar and chestnut purée or blend together in a processor, if you prefer. Add the chocolate and Cointreau and mix thoroughly. Stir through the crushed ratafia biscuits.
4 Divide the mixture between the dariole moulds. Smooth the surface and chill for several hours.
5 Invert the dariole moulds and turn the castles out on to individual serving plates, peeling off the clingfilm. Pipe a large swirl of cream on to the top of each castle and sift a little cocoa powder over the top.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
COOKING time: 5 minutes
Mixed Berry Brûlée
Serves 4
225 g/8 oz strawberries, hulled
225 g/8 oz fresh or thawed frozen raspberries, hulled
225 g/8 oz blackberries
225 g/8 oz blueberries
30 ml/2 tbsp port
45 ml/3 tbsp soft brown sugar
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup Greek yoghurt
A few drops of vanilla essence (extract)
60 ml/4 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
Langue de chat biscuits (cookies), to serve
1 Place the fruit in a saucepan with the port and brown sugar. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat.
2 Divide the fruit between four ramekins (custard cups) and chill.
3 Whisk the cream with the yoghurt and vanilla essence until thick.
4 When the fruit is cold, spread the cream mixture over the top of the fruit and chill for about an hour.
5 Thickly sprinkle the caster sugar over the top of the cream in each ramekin.
6 Place the ramekins under a preheated grill (broiler) so that the sugar caramelises, then chill them for about another hour so that the caramel layer is cold and crisp.
7 Serve cold with langue de chat biscuits.
Preparation time: 15 minutes PLUS chilling
Cooking TIME: 5 minutes
Peach Muesli Torte
Serves 8
150 g/5 oz/2/3 cup butter or margarine
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
410 g/14½ oz/1 large can of peach slices
100 g/4 oz/2 tbsp light brown soft sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
15 ml/1 tbsp milk
75 g/3 oz/¾ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
100 g/4 oz/1 cup muesli
7.5 ml/1½ tsp baking powder
5 ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground ginger
Greek yoghurt, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 28 x 18 cm/11 x 7 in shallow cake tin (pan).
2 Melt 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp of the butter or margarine and stir in the caster sugar, then pour over the base of the cake tin. Arrange the sliced fruit on top.
3 Put the light brown soft sugar into a bowl with the remainder of the butter or margarine and beat together until creamy in consistency.
4 Gradually beat in the eggs and milk, then fold in the rest of the dry ingredients.
5 Carefully spoon the mixture over the fruit, level the surface, then place in the oven to bake for about 35 minutes or until the cake is firm to the touch.
6 Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack. Serve warm with Greek yoghurt.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Apple Moulds with Fresh Raspberry Sauce
Serves 6
450 g/1 lb cooking (tart) apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup caster (superfine) sugar
5 ml/1 tsp clear honey
1 cinnamon stick
5 ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups double (heavy) or whipping cream
225 g/8 oz/1 cup mascarpone cheese
15 g/½ oz vegetarian gelatine
For the sauce:
225 g/8 oz fresh raspberries
30 ml/2 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar
6 sprigs of fresh mint
12 fresh raspberries, for decoration
1 Lightly oil the inside of six cups or ramekins (custard cups), then line each with a piece of clingfilm (plastic wrap) large enough to overlap the rims, ensuring that the inside is as smooth as possible.
2 Place the apples in a saucepan with the sugar, honey and cinnamon stick. Cover with the saucepan lid and cook over a low heat until the apples are pulpy.
3 Remove the cinnamon stick and mash the apples with a fork. Mix in the ground cinnamon. Allow to cool.
4 Whisk the cream in a large bowl until it has thickened slightly.
5 Add the Mascarpone cheese to the cream and whisk together until quite thick.
6 Sprinkle the gelatine over about 30 ml/2 tbsp of very hot water in a cup. Leave for a few minutes, then stir briskly to ensure all the gelatine has dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.
7 Quickly whisk the cooled apple purée into the cream mixture, then whisk in the gelatine. Divide the mixture between the prepared cups chill to set. This will take at least 2 hours.
8 Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Place the raspberries and icing sugar in a saucepan, cover and simmer gently for a few minutes until the fruit is just soft.
9 Liquidise the fruit, then pass through a sieve (strainer) to remove the pips. Cool.
10 Tip the apple moulds out on to individual serving plates and peel off the clingfilm and surround with a pool of sauce. Decorate each with a sprig of mint and a couple of raspberries.
Preparation time: 30 minutes PLUS setting
Cooking TIME: 10 minutes
Honeyed Chocolate Dip with Fresh Fruits
Serves 4
A selection of fresh fruit such as strawberries, nectarines, kiwi fruit, bananas, pineapple
225 g/8 oz plain (semi-sweet) chocolate
90 ml/6 tbsp double (heavy) or whipping cream
30 ml/2 tbsp clear honey
1 Wash and peel the fruit if necessary, and cut into bite-sized chunks or slices.
2 Break the chocolate into pieces and put into a saucepan with the cream. Stir over a gentle heat until the chocolate melts.
3 Stir in the honey.
4 Serve the dip hot in a bowl, placed in the centre of a platter with the fresh fruit arranged around.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Stuffed Nectarine Brûlée
Serves 4
4 large nectarines, peeled, stoned (pitted) and halved
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups sweet white wine
100 g/4 oz/½ cup mascarpone cheese
50 g/2 oz/1/3 cup ground almonds
20 ml/4 tsp icing (confectioners’) sugar
90 ml/6 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
1 Place the nectarine halves in a saucepan with the wine, cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes until the nectarines are just tender. Allow to cool slightly, then drain off the cooking liquid and reserve.
2 Combine the cheese with the ground almonds and icing sugar.
3 Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the cavity of each nectarine and press down slightly to flatten.
4 Place the nectarines in a shallow flameproof dish. Sprinkle the surface of each nectarine thickly with the caster sugar. Place under a preheated grill (broiler) for several minutes to caramelise the sugar.
5 Serve straight away with a little of the wine cooking liquid spooned around.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Luxury Meringue Nests
Serves 4
2 large bananas, sliced
30 ml/2 tbsp rum
4 large meringue nests
4 scoops of vanilla ice cream
For the sauce:
30 ml/2 tbsp soft brown sugar
30 ml/2 tbsp butter or margarine
15 ml/1 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup
75 ml/5 tbsp double (heavy) cream
1 Toss the bananas in the rum, then divide between the meringue nests.
2 Top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
3 Heat the sugar, butter or margarine and syrup in a pan until melted.
4 Stir in the cream and quickly heat through.
5 Pour the hot sauce over the ice cream and serve.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes