What would you say if I told you that you could have a deliciously scrummy baked dessert, on the table and ready to serve to your family in about 15 minutes time?



Tis no lie. It's true. Completely and utterly true.



A delicious baked pudding, chock full of lovely berries and yummy white chocolate.



Rich and indulgent and quick, quick, quick!



Seriously! I know!!!! It does look like the type of dessert that might have you slaving over a hot stove for ages . . . but . . . only you need to know that you didn't do just that.



Let your family think you suffered to bring them this. Let them sprinkle you with accolades and praise! Sit back and take all the honour while they devour this tasty pudding, mmm-ing and ahhh-ing the whole time.



They don't need to know how easy it was. That can be our . . . little . . . secret!



Adapted from a BBC Good Food recipe. Delicious, easy and quick! The proof of this pudding, truly is in the eating . . .



*Berry and White Chocolate Pudding*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

With a few ingredients, a microwave oven and 12 minutes in cook time, you can have a deliciously scrummy pudding on the table and wowing your guests!

4 ounces of butter, softened (1/2 cup)
100g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
100g self raising flour (2/3 cup)
2 large free range eggs
3 TBS milk
3 ounces white chocolate cut into small chunks (about 1 cup)
300g pack of frozen mixed berries (about 3 cups)

To serve:
Icing sugar
double cream

Butter a one litre round gratin dish. Place the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and milk into a bowl and beat together for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Fold in the chocolate bits and most of the frozen fruit, reserving some of the fruit for the end. Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish, leveling it out. Cook on high in the microwave for 10 to 12 minutes, or until completely set and dry on the top. Allow to stand for five minutes before serving.

To serve, dust the top with some icing sugar and garnish with the reserved berries. Spoon out into dessert bowls and pass the cream!

Well we finally got some sunshine today and it's beginning to feel a bit like summer should feel! Yayy!!! I took advantage of the sunshine and whipped up a really quick little dessert for the Toddster and I to enjoy . . .



I'm almost embarassed to call it a recipe . . . they are such a doddle to put together . . .



But it's also nice to know that if you keep some pre-baked tartlet dessert pastry cases in the cupboard . . . along with some double cream in the fridge and some lemon curd . . .



not to mention sweet summer berries . . .



then you can make an impressive dessert lickety split!!
Almost instantaneously actually.
But don't tell anyone . . . let them think you slaved all day to create these tasty little delights!!



It's only a little lie . . . I think you could also fold the lemon curd into thick Greek yogurt if you were wanting to watch the calories a bit more and it would be every bit as scrummy.



*Simple Summer Berry and Lemon Tartlets*
Makes 4
Printable Recipe

These are so simple and so tasty. People will think you slaved away for hours to make them. Little do they know . . . you cheated!

1 small punnet of blueberries (about 1 cup)
1 small punnet of raspberries (about 1 cup)
4 individual medium sweet pastry cases (about 3 inches in diameter)
225ml of double cream
3 dessert spoons of lemon curd

Whip the cream until it just begins to mound. Gently swirl the lemon curd throughout. I like to leave streaks of lemon curd. Divide it equally between the four pastry cases. Top with the berries and serve immediately.

It's Saturday and I have a horrible cold.  I'm afraid I'm sadly lacking in inspiration and the energy to do much of anything.  I don't like to let any of you down, but for today . . . all you are getting is a repost of a cake I posted about a few years back . . .

It is a fabulous cake though, so I am quite sure you'll all forgive me.  ☺

I wrote it at the end of a week when I had not much in the house too cook with and I hadn't gone grocery shopping yet.  I came up with a real cracker though despite my lack of ingredients.  And now . . . I'll leave you to it . . .



In the fruit bowl are some lemons and one lime that need using up along with a half a bag of pistachios, leftover from a night of indulgence in front of the telly  . . .



What to do, what to do . . . sigh . . . wheels turning, turning, turning . . . I'm having a rather lazy day today and am feeling a bit indolent . . .



I think  I'll bake a cake.  It won't matter what we have for our tea tonight, if I have a great cake to serve for after's.  A scrummy teatime cake . . . all moreishly buttery and rich.  Even spaghetti on toast will taste good if there's a lovely cake waiting in the wings . . .



If there's cake, even peanut butter sandwiches are ok for tea . . . coz . . . well . . .  there's cake for afters, people . . . home baked CAKE!!



Not just any cake though . . . a lovely moist and buttery cake, filled with crunchy pistachios and lemon, and topped with lucious candied lemon and lime slices and of course,  some more crunchily addictive pistachio nuts.  (I love, LOVE pistachio nuts!)



Baked until scrummy and then glazed while still warm with some of the syrup leftover from candying the fruit slices . . .  oh, it is soooo good . . . all sticky and sweet, and yet tart and tasting somewhat of honey . . . a bit amber in colour as well.



It looks beautiful.  All glistening and smelling so buttery . . .  and citrusy . . .  and good.  Bliss, pure and utter bliss . . . food for the eyes, for the nose and for the mouth . . .



I think a nice big slice with a dollop of creme fraiche on top will go down a real treat, don't you?  (I may even have two!)



*Lemon and Pistachio Cake*
Makes one 9 inch round cake
Serving  around 8 people

A deliciously tangy cake covered with sweet  candied slices of fruit and crunchy pistachios!  A wonderful teatime  treat!  Make sure you use good quality shelled pistachios (not the  roasted salted ones please).

For the candied fruit:
1 lemon  sliced
1 lime sliced
100g caster sugar (generous 1/2 cup)
100ml  of water (6 TBS plus 2 tsp water)

For the cake:
125g unsalted  butter, softened (2/3 cup)
75g caster sugar (a generous 3/4 cup of  superfine sugar)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
125g  plain flour (a  generous 1 cup)
pinch of table salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
125g  shelled pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped (about 4 1/2 ounces)
the  juice and grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
the zest of one lime

To  serve: icing sugar to dust

First do the fruit.  Combine the  sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar  dissolves.  Bring to the boil and boil for several minutes.  Add the  sliced fruit, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Remove  from the heat and allow to cool in the syrup before draining, reserving  the syrup.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/Gas mark 2  1/2.  Butter a 9 inch round cake tin and line with parchment paper.   Set aside.

Cream together the sugar and the butter until light  and fluffy.  Slowly beat in the eggs.  sift together the slour, salt and  baking powder.  Stir in to mix completely.  Stir in two thirds of hte  chopped nuts and the lemon and lime zests.  Stir in about 1 TBS of the  syrup from the drained fruit.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared  baking pan.  Top with the slices of candied fruit and sprinkle the  pistachio nuts evenly over top of all.  Drizzle with a bit of the  reserved syrup.  Bake in the heated oven on the middle shelf for about  40 minutes.  Test with a toothpick to see if it is done.  A toothpick  inserted in the centre should come out clean, and the top should spring  back when gently pressed.  Remove from the oven and allow to sit in the  pan for about 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish  cooling.  Brush the top of the cake with some more of the reserved  syrup.

If desired dust with icing sugar before cutting into  wedges to serve.

Know what people.  Having a bad cold is the pits . . . but having a rotten bad cold on the Queens Jubilee Bank Holiday Weekend . . . is the worst thing of all.  All I want to do is go to bed with my hot water bottle and some aspirin . . .

I was really craving something different this morning for breakfast. I wanted something like pancakes, but not like pancakes, if you know what I mean.  I decided to make these little Breakfast Batter Puddings.  (I cut the recipe in half, which was plenty for Todd and myself.)

 

These things are amazing!  I think they are known by all sorts of other names, such as Dutch Babies, German Pancakes, etc. . . . but they're batter puddings to me.

 

They always puff up so huge!!  You will think that they are going to almost explode they puff up so much!  But don't worry they won't.  They always deflate when you take them out of the oven after a few minutes too, but that's ok, because when they deflate . . . it leaves a nice little dip in the centre for some fruit filling.

 

Today I just used some pie filling that I needed to use up before it's sell by date.  (I don't know why I buy the stuff!  I never use it!)  But you can use jam if you want, (Blueberry is a favourite of mine.) or even lemon curd.

 

Lemon curd is really nice with fresh berries sprinkled on top.  Strawberries, raspberries or blueberries.  They all work well.

 

You can dump them out of the ramekins if you like . . . but I like to keep them in.  It makes for a nicer presentation I think.  Just pop them onto a plate and dust them with a bit of icing sugar, and then . . . pass the fruit, or jam or whatever!

 

Your family will want to kiss your ring.  Seriously.  You'll be like royalty to them, all day long.



 *Breakfast Batter Puddings*
Serves 6-8
Printable Recipe

Puffy little batter puddings, filled with your favourite fruit filling! (I like cherry!)

250ml of milk (1 cup)
6 large free range eggs
100g of plain flour (1 cup)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 ounces of butter, melted (1/4 cup)

To serve:
Icing sugar
your favourite fruit filling

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.    Butter 6 to 8 glass ramekins very well and place them on a baking tray.

Put the milk, eggs, flour, salt, vanilla, lemon and melted butter into a tall container (or your blender container) and blitz until smooth.  (I use my stick blender.  It's quick and it's easy and I can pour the batter right into the prepared pans from the blender container.)  Divide the batter equally amongst the prepared ramekins.  They should be at least three quarters full.

Bake for 15 minutes, until puffy and golden brown on top.

Serve with a dusting of icing sugar and your favourite fruit filling.

 

I just love Rhubarb Season and our rhubarb plants are going crazy at the moment!  I am love, love, LOVING it!

 

I picked up some Spanish strawberries today.  (I know naughty me.)  They looked really, really good though and mine are only blossoming . . . sooo tooo early for English ones.  I was really wanting a Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumble though, and just what's a gal to do!

 

This is easily my most favourite of all crumbles.  Todd . . . he likes Apple Crumble best of all . . . for me though, it's this one.

 

You get the slight tartness from the rhubarb and then that sweetness of the strawberries . . . and all topped off with a buttery/oaty/nutty crumble topping!



Soft and succulent fruit . . . oooozing with flavour!!!
Toasty nutty topping . . . oooozing with crunch!!!
Rich cream dribbling into all those lovely crevices . . .

 

It's pretty hard to resist something that is so so so sooooooooo GOOD!

 

Seriously.  I was very naughty with this, and I think I'm going in to polish off the leftovers for breakfast.

 

If I'm not up for air by noon . . . you better send in a search party . . .

 

 *Strawberry, Rhubarb, Oat and Walnut Crumble*
Serves 8 to 12
Printable Recipe

This is worth waiting all year for.  Delicious, delicious, DELICIOUS!

For the Crumble Topping:
3.75 ounces plain flour (3/4 cup)
2 ounces rolled oats (1/2 cup)
3.75 ounces soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
3 ounces of chopped toasted walnuts ( generous 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 ounces butter, melted (1/4 cup)

For the filling:
7 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
2 TBS cornflour
16 ounces rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces (a generous 6 cups)
16 ounces strawberries, cut in half (a generous 6 cups)
1 TBS pure vanilla extract

Pouring cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter a large glass baking dish and set aside.

Make the crumble first.  Mix the flour, oats, sugar, salt and walnuts together in a bowl.  Pour the melted butter over top.  Stir and press together to make a few clumps.  Put in the freezer while you make the filling.

Stir together the cornflour and sugar, mixing it together well.  Add the fruit and vanilla.  Toss together gently to coat.  Pour into the prepared baking dish.  Remove the crumble from the freezer and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.  Cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Spoon out into bowls to serve and pass the cream!

Note:  This is best eaten on the day.  You can halve the recipe quite successfully if you don't want to make that much.  Chill any leftovers, wrapped in the refrigerator.  They're quite nice eaten for breakfast the morning after.  *blush*

 

It never hurts to have something in the house that you can pick up for a quick breakfast on those mornings that you are in a rush and don't have a lot of time for faffing about. Something that you can put together at the weekend, store and then rely on  for a tasty and filling breakfast on-the-go during those busy weekdays that we all have far too often!

 

This is one of my old reliables from my Big Blue Binder. Not only is it delicious, but it's also very, very healthy and  virtually fat free, believe it or not!   That can't be bad!  Free from fat and abundant in flavour. It's win/win!!

 

Chock full of goodness, with hearty oats and wholemeal flour (if you so choose), the sweetness of honey and a bit of brown sugar, toasted nuts, and sweet/tart dried cherries and apricots.  There is only a slight hint of cinnamon flavour, which of course you could increase if you really wanted to.



I like to add an optional glaze of lemon juice and granulated sugar as a personal  preference.  It also helps to keep the nuts on the cake.  I just use about a quarter cup of golden caster sugar and the  juice of half a lemon, which I pour over the cake as soon as I take it out of the oven.



This is a sturdy bread, which makes it a lovely breakfast bread, and quite suitable for toasting under the grill.
It is also a great picnic bread, sliced and put together with some cream cheese in the middle.  Oh so scrummy!

 

I bake it up, slice it into slices, then put it back together with pieces of parchment paper between the slices and then I freeze it in an airtight plastic container.  That way all I have to do is to grab out as many slices as I am wanting to serve and the rest stays safe in the freezer ready to  indulge in at another time.

 

I do hope you'll give this delicious breakfast bread a try.  I think you'll agree with me.  It's a real winner!  Oh, I do so love dried cherries and apricots.  They are my only weakness . . .



*Dried Cherry, Apricot and Almond Breakfast Loaf*
Makes one 2 1/4 pound loaf
Printable Recipe

Perfect to bake at the weekend and then serve for breakfasts during the week, toasted and spread with a bit of butter and honey.

50g old fashioned rolled oats (1/2 cup)
300ml of semi skim milk, warmed (a generous 1 1/4 cups)
240g of self raising flour (2 cups)  (You can use white or wholemeal, depending
on how healthy you want this to be.)
1 tsp baking powder
125g of dried cherries (3/4 cup)
50g of diced dried apricots (1/3 cup)
75g of soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup packed)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 TBS Acacia honey (runny)
1 large free range egg, beaten
5 TBS flaked toasted almonds, divided

Preheat the oven to 180*C./350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter and line a 2 1/4 pound loaf tin with baking paper.  Set aside.

Measure the oats and fruit into a large bowl.  Add the warm milk.  Allow to stand for about 10 minutes before proceeding.  Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking powder together onto a piece of parchment paper.  Stir the brown sugar, honey and beaten egg into the oat mixture.  Stir in the flour mixture, mixing together well.  Fold in 3 TBS of the almonds.  Spread the batter into the lined tin, smoothing the top over.  Sprinkle the remaining 2 TBS of flaked almonds on top.

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the loaf is risen, golden brown adn a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.  Store in an airtight container. 

To serve, cut into slices and lightly toast under the grill.  Butter and serve with a drizzle of honey.  (Of course you can always just cut it into slices to eat plain.  It's good either way.)