Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts
We had company on Saturday for supper and I wanted to make a special dessert. I also happened to have an abundance of blueberries as there had been a really good offer on at the grocery shop when I had gone there on Friday afternoon.
A HUGE punnet of blueberries for only £2. They were easily four times the size of a normal punnet!
What's a gal to do?? I stocked up of course!!! Coz . . . as you all know I love, LOVE my blueberries!
So anyways, back to dessert. I have a fabulous crumble recipe which always goes down a real treat.
I quickly decided that I was going to do it with blueberries as the filling this time, not plums, or apples, or anything else. Blueberries.
I like oats in my crumble toppings don't you??? They make them seem somehow moreishly tastier!
What could be better than a buttery oaty topping on a fruit crumble??
Well, I'll tell you what! A DOUBLE CRUSTED crumble! Yep, you read that right.
This tasty baby has two layers of that delicious buttery crumble topping. One on the top and another like a crust . . . on the bottom!
With all those lovely blueberries sandwiched and jammy in the middle!
OHHHH so scrummy. Have it plain, or have it with some ice cold vanilla ice cream melting down into all that crisp, buttery oaty goodness . . .
or how about a dollop of clotted cream on top??? Creme Fraiche????
POURING CREAM????
yep . . . that's it. Of course you could always just have custard with it . . . that works too!
yep . . . that's it. Of course you could always just have custard with it . . . that works too!
Oh yahhhh . . two of the super foods . . . blueberries and oats, in one scrummy dessert! Fabulous. Simply FABULOUS!
*Double Crusted Blueberry Oat Crumble*
Serves 8 to 10
Printable Recipe
This is a crumble lover's paradise as there's twice the pleasure in a top and bottom oaty crumble layer!
For the crumble mixture:
7 ounces plain flour (1 1/3 cups)
3.5 ounces rolled oats (1 cup)
5.75 ounces soft light brown sugar (3/4 cup packed)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
5 ounces unsalted butter, melted (10 TBS)
For the filling:
3.5 ounces granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 TBS cornflour
pinch of fine sea salt
6 cups of fresh blueberries
the juice of one lemon
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a 9 inch square baking dish. Butter it well.
Mix together the plain flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix together with a fork. Press a little more than a half into the prepared baking pan.
Place the berries in a bowl along with the sugar and cornflour. Toss together. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Pour this fruit mixture over top of the bottom crust. Sprinkle the remainder of the crumble topping over top.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is crisp and the topping is crisp.
Cool for 20 minutes before serving, with or without vanilla ice cream, pouring cream or custard.
Well, folks, what with having an early spring and such a lovely March, quite a bit of the rhubarb in our garden is ready to begin harvesting now. Not bundles and bundles of it, but enough for me to indulge in a few rhubarb treats.
I love rhubarb season. I love rhubarb!! When I was a child, during rhubarb season, my mother used to give us each a stick of rhubarb and a small bowl of sugar. We would sit there sticking the end of the rhubarb into the sugar and biting it off on the sugared end. Oh boy. Was that ever mouth puckering good! You got the super sour tang of the rhubarb and a blast of sweet from the sugar. It was like a natural, "chemical free" pixie stick!
The other week I made a rhubarb pie and it was sooooo good. This weekend I decided to make a Rhubarb Clafoutis. Traditionally made with cherries, this is a French Dessert. It's like a batter pudding made with eggs, ground almonds, a bit of flour, sugar, fruit and cream. Technically a clafoutis made with fruit other than cherries it called a Flaugnarde, but why split hairs . . . this is a clafoutis.
Rich and sweet . . . with tender pieces of honey roasted rhubarb and lovely flecks of vanilla seeds througout, this is a fantastically scrummy dessert.
Of course Todd had to have his with some cream drizzled over top, and why not . . .
A little bit of an indulgence once in a while is a good thing. (So is the smell of your fingers after playing with the vanilla seeds. There's no calories in smell right??? Ok . . . so I did have an eensy peensy taste.)
*Rhubarb Clafoutis*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe
Tender Spring Rhubarb is showcased in a very tasty dessert. The pinker rhubarb looks very nice done this way.
400g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths (3/4 ld)
1 vanilla pod
25g of butter (scant 2 TBS)
1 TBS runny honey (Acacia is nice)
50g of ground almonds (generous 1/2 cup)
2 TBS plain flour (all purpose)
100g caster sugar (1/2 cup fine white sugar)
2 medium free range eggs
2 medium free range egg yolks
250ml of double cream (a generous cup of heavy cream, a scant 9 fluid ounces)
icing sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Arrange the rhubarb in a single layer in a shallow 1 litre baking dish. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Dot the seeds over the rhubarb pieces. Dot with the butter as well and then drizzle the honey over top. Bake for 15 minutes in the heated oven, until tender.
Beat together the almonds, flour, sugar, eggs, egg yolks and cream, until you have a smooth mixture. Remove the roasted rhubarb from the oven. Pour the egg mixture over top. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes until puffed and golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. Delicious!
We all know what today is and if you don't, let me tell you . . . it's PANCAKE DAY, or Shrove Tuesday . . . the last day before Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent. It's a day of penitance to clean the soul, and a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent begins.
Lent is a time of abstinence . . . a time where most Christians give something up to show their dedication to the Lord . . . a time where they show repentance for their misdeeds by then abstaining from certain pleasures. Shrove Tuesday is the chance to use up some of the things that historically were considered verbotten during lent . . . things like eggs, milky foods, fish, meat etc. Some people give up chocolate. Other's give up beer. It's a form of penance I guess.
We don't really do that in my church, but it doesn't stop us from enjoying pancake day. I've enjoyed pancake day ever since I was a little child! That was the one day of the year that my mother would cook us pancakes. We never had them at any other time, and on pancake day we could have our fill. My poor mom . . . we had her cooking pancakes for what must have seemed like forever, because we just could not get enough of them!
Over here in the UK, the pancakes are a lot different than they are in North America. North American Pancakes are light and fluffy . . . pancakes here in the British Isles are more like crepes. Traditionally they are eaten by sprinkling them with sugar and fresh lemon juice, and I have to confess that they are very, very good that way.
In different places throughout the UK there will be celebrations and pancake races. The aim of a pancake race is to run as fast as you can while tossing a pancake in a frying pan! Some races have teams doing a relay, some have competitors in fancy dress, but all are great fun to watch.
There won't be any races in this house . . . well, perhaps one race to see how fast we can get to the table so that we can scarf down these tasty babies! Traditional British pancakes . . . or crepes . . . folded over a delicious fruity raspberry filling and served with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!
Anyone for seconds?? (Recipe adapted from the March 2012 issue of Good to Know Recipes.)
*Honey and Raspberry Pancakes*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Pancake day has NEVER tasted better.
75g plain flour (12 TBS)
pinch of salt
2 medium free range eggs
200ml milk (6.76 fluid ounces, or 13 1/2 TBS)
6 TBS runny honey
a light flavoured oil for cooking
2 TBS whiskey, Cointreau or Orange Juice (you decide)
350g raspberries (Thawed and drained if frozen) (about 2 1/2 cups)
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream to serve
Place the flour, salt and eggs into a large beaker. Add half of the milk and whisk vigorously until smooth and lump free. Whisk in the remaining milk and 2 TBS of the honey, until smooth and thoroughly amalgamated.
Heat a 12 inch nonstick frying pan until hot. Drizzle a little oil over the centre and then wipe around with a bit of kitchen paper toweling. Pour in 1/4 of the pancake batter, swirling it to spread it thinly to cover the base of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or so until the top of the pancake is set and the bottom golden brown. Flip over and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes until golden on the other side. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat until you have made 4 pancakes, placing greaseproof paper in between each one. Keep warm while you make the raspberry filling.
Melt the remaining 4 TBS of honey in the frying pan along with the whiskey, cointreau or orange juice. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Add the fruit and heat through for one minute, stirring gently to coat the berries with the sauce.
To serve, place a pancake on each of 4 dessert plates. Divide the berry mixture between each, saving back a bit of the juices. Fold each pancake into quarters. Top with a scoop of Vanilla Bean ice cream and drizzle each with some of the remaining juices. Enjoy!
So here we are on one of the most romantic days of the year . . . the day when Sweethearts the world over (or at least in the Westernized nations) go out of their way to let their beloved know that they are appreciated in a very special way.
Cards and special gifts will be exchanged . . . Intimate Dinners a Deux will be cooked . . . Champagne Corks will fly . . . the music of love will be everywhere . . . and all over will be heard the words . . . je t'adore . . . je t'adore . . .
Why is French such a romantic sounding language . . . the language of love . . . even English spoken with a French Accent sounds more romantic . . . and I have always wanted to visit the "City of Love" (Paris) with my beloved . . . that is sur ma "Bucket" list . . . or as Hyacinth would say . . . my ♥♥Bouquet list!♥♥ (I think she is so funny!)
Here at ma petite maison, we shall be dining on a starter of Thai Fish Cakes, done to a turn and served on a bed of salad greens . . . with a light Thai Dressing. Next there will be a tasty Steak with a Cognac and Pepper Sauce, Potatoes Boulanger and some vegetables . . . dessert will be this . . .
Delicious Baby Berry Custard Cakes . . . no chocolate here. (Todd hates chocolate as you know.)
Delicious bread puddings made from stale madiera cake and custard, baked over top of fresh berries which are surrounded with raspberry preserves. The cake and custard . . . all goldenly scrummy . . . the custard rich . . . the berries sticky sweet.
With a garnish of berry coulis and a light dusting of icing sugar, this is tres tres magnifique!!
Impressive . . . easy . . . delicious. Light and perfect for a special celebratory meal. What more could you want??? Happy Valentines Day everyone! May your day be filled with sweetness and light and more love than you can count!
*Baby Berry Custard Cakes*
Makes 6 servings
Printable Recipe
Delighful little baby cakes with a delicious madiera cake custard, topping a layer of sweet berries baked in raspberry preserves. Delicious when served with some berry coulis, or chocolate sauce, or warmed and sieved raspberry jam.
The perfect dessert to share with your sweetie pie!
2 TBS raspberry preserves
300g of assorted berries (2 cups) (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, currants etc.)
60g of madiera cake, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (1 cup, pound cake)
500ml of evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed) (2cups)
(Can also use single cream or half and half)
95g of white sugar (1/2 cup)
2 large free range eggs
2 large free range egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla
To serve:
Icing sugar for dusting
fruit coulis, or chocolate sauce, or warmed and sieved raspberry jam
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter 6 4 to 6 ounce ramekins. Place 1 tsp of preserves into the bottom of each ramekin. Divide the berries amongst the ramekins. Top each with an equal portion of cake cubes. Set aside.
Whisk together the evaporated milk (cream or half and half), eggs, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Divide equally amongst the ramekins, pouring it in over top of the cake cubes. Place each ramekin into a shallow roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on a rack in the oven and fill with boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until set and golden brown.
Run a sharp knife around the insides of each ramekin to loosen cakes and tip out, then tip back right side up onto 6 dessert plates. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with your desired sauce. Delicious!
I had some apples and blueberries that I needed to use up asap. My veggie/fruit box will be delivered tomorrow and there are always apples in it in the winter.
I had a punnet of blueberries in the fridge that were almost to their sell by date . . . I know I could freeze them . . . but with these frigid temps we are having right now, my deep freeze is frozen shut. (Most annoying! I have a ton of food in it and can't get in to use any of it!)
Did you know that apples and blueberries go very well together??? They are actually a perfect fit!
Blueberries and blackberries are very similar in flavour and colour of course. Pairing blueberries with apples just makes sense. At least it does to me at any rate!
Sweet, and tart . . . and just look at the beautiful colours . . .
Is this pie???? Or is this cake???? Perhaps it is a Pie Cake???? Works for me!!
This is a shortcake, but not as you know it . . . this is an apple and blueberry shortcake, and we just couldn't get enough of it.
In fact is sooooo delicious that I think I shall say to heck with the diet and have a piece for my breakfast this morning.
Incredibly scrummily moreish!!
*Apple and Blueberry Shortcake*
Serves 8 to 10
Not only is this beautiful to look at, but it's incredibly delicious!! The apples smell fantastic when they are cooking and will have everyone running in to the kitchen to see what you are up to!
4 large Granny Smith apples
the finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 TBS water
2 TBS sugar
4 1/2 ounces butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup blueberries
demerara sugar for sprinkling
Whipped Cream to serve
Peel the apples and core them. Cut each apple into 16 slices.
Put the apples, lemon zest, water and sugar into a saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. You want the apples to be softened, but not mushy. Set aside to cool.
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and smooth. Beat in the egg, mixing it in well.
Sift together the flour and baking powder, then beat it into the creamed mixture, mixing it in well.
Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth. Divide into two pieces. Shape each into a flat round disk. Wrap in cling film and then chill for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F.
Roll each disc of the dough into a round, approximately 8 1/2 inches in diameter. Press one round into an 8 inch round cake tin. (In order to make it easier to remove later, I butter the tin really well and then lay strips of parchment paper diagonally across the tin, with about a two inch overhand all around, some 6 strips, before I place the pastry inside.)
Spread the apples over the dough, leaving about a half inch border all the way around. Sprinkle with the blueberries. Place the other round on top, pressing the edges together to seal. Brush with some water and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until nicely risen and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cook for 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve, cut into wedges with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
I cannot imagine my kitchen without a bowl of lemons sitting on the counter. Bright and sunny and oh-so-very handy for lots of things.
Lemons are probably one of my most used fresh ingredients.
I usually buy the unwaxed ones, and even if a recipe calls only for the juice, I used my handy dandy microplane fine grater tool to remove the zest and I pop it into the freezer for later use.
And then there is candied lemon peel, so very easy to do, and so tasty. It's also quite handy to have on hand to use as garnishes for cakes and cookies, muffins, and desserts.
I also dry my own citrus peels to be used in cooking stews etc. Just remove the peel, without any of the white pith, and string it up on strings. Hang it in a dry place for a time, until completely dry and then store it in an airtight container.
It comes in plenty handy as well. I once had to cook some shrimp for a dinner party starter at work, that called for three types of dried citrus peels, made into a powder to dust the shrimp with before cooking.
You cannot imagine how happy I was to know I already had peel dried and at the ready to use!! It's very easy to dry lemon, lime and orange peels. You won't be sorry you did, and I'm sure you will find all sorts of uses for them.
Anyhoo, I digress again . . . lemons. My favourite ingredient and one that I use often. Always with pleasure . . .
Like in this easy, very tasty and impressive dessert. Note - the finished dish contains raw eggs, so please take this into consideration before serving it to your guests.
*Frozen Lemon Souffle*
Makes 1 large, or 12 individual souffles
This is a fabulous dessert that is not only delicious but impressive. Perfectly light and tasty for after a heavy meal. This contains raw eggs so be careful not to serve it to the very elderly and the very young.
250g shortbread biscuits (1/2 pound or 8 ounces)
50g butter, melted (3 1/2 TBS)
4 large free range eggs, separated
the juice from two large lemons
the finely grated zest from two large lemons
185g of caster sugar, divided (scant cup)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
375ml double cream (1 1/2 cups)
Lemon peel and black berries to garnish
Crush the shortbread biscuits in the food processor. Mix with the melted butter and blitz once more. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan, or in the bottom of 12 3-inch rings that you have laid out on a cookie sheet lined with foil.
Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and 50ml of the sugar. Blend together well.
In another, but very clean, bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar and the salt. Continue to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
Whip the cream in another bowl until soft peaks form.
Fold the egg whites and whipped cream into the egg yolk mixture.
Spoon into the prepared pan(s). Cover with foil and freeze for at least 8 hours.
Allow to soften in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving if you have made a large one. If you made small ones, you can warm the sides of the rings with your hands and push them out carefully. Place on individual plates and garnish with some lemon peel and blackberries.
I recently had the good fortune to have a whole bunch of brioche bread that didn't get eaten before it went stale . . . you might be asking yourself, why on earth would that be considered fortunate??
I mean, brioche is so rich and moist and delicious, surely one would want to eat it when it was at it's best !!!
And yes . . . we do . . . but . . .
I also happen to know that as scrummy as brioche is when it's fresh . . . . it makes an even scrummier bread pudding!
Especially in this version which has tasty cubes of brioche bread, mixed together with sweet bits of apricot that have been steeped in Lady Grey Tea, with hints of bergamot, orange and lemon . . .
Combine that with a rich custard containing whole milk, cream, eggs and the zest of orange and lemon and you have something really special indeed. We like ours warm with a cold quenelle of creme fraiche sitting atop . . . but it is equally as delicious and scrummy with some creme anglaise, or vanilla pod ice cream, which is really only frozen vanilla custard after all . . .
Enjoy!!
*Apricot Bread Pudding*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe
A delicious bread pudding with the added surprise of sweet apricots that have been steeped in Lady Grey Tea.
8 ounces of stale brioche bread, crusts removed and
cut into cubes (a scant 4 cups)
1 Lady Grey Tea bag
250ml cup boiling water (1 cup)
3 ounces of dried apricots, cut into small bits (1/2 cup packed)
2 large free range eggs
1 large free range egg yolk
250ml whole milk (1 cup)
375ml double cream (1 1/2 cups)
150g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
Put the tea bag and the apricots into a heat proof bowl. Add the boiling water and allow to steep for 10 minutes. At the end of that time, remove the tea bag and strain the apricots, discarding any liquid. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs, egg yolk and 2 ounces of the milk together in a bowl. Place the remaining milk into a saucepan along with the cream, sugar, lemon and orange zests and vanilla. Bring to the boil. Remove from the heat. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Gradually pour this over the egg mixture, whisking constantly until completely combined. Strain this thru a wire mesh sieve into a bowl. Gently stir in the brioche cubes and the drained apricots. Cover and place in the
Inglis Refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
The next day when you are ready to cook it, pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.. Butter six ramekins well. Divide the pudding mixture evenly amongst them. Place on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and almost set. Serve warm with some creme anglaise or creme fraiche spooned on top. Delicious!
Cooking in The Cottage today a delicious Cheeseburger Spaghetti Pie!
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