Desserts
Mulled Wine Cookies
Ingredients For the Wine 750ml red wine ½ cup water 70g caster sugar 5 whole cloves 2 cardamom pods cracked ½ lemon, sliced 3 star anise 2 cinnamon stick For the Cookies 250g butter 100g caster sugar 4 eggs 300g plain flour 10g baking powder 140g dark chocolate, grated 120ml mulled wine 1 tsp ground cinnamon MethodFor the WinePut everything into a saucepan and bring to simmer. Cook until it has reduced and has thickened.For the CookiesPreheat oven to 180°C lined a oven tray. Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time and mix well. Add sifted flour, baking powder, then fold in the chocolate, and mulled wine. Spread evenly on the oven tray and bake at 170°C for 10-15minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into shapes and dust with icing sugar.
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Mulled Wine
Ingredients 750ml red wine ½ cup water 70g caster sugar 5 whole cloves 2 cardamom pods cracked ½ lemon, sliced 3 star anise 2 cinnamon stick MethodPut everything into a saucepan and bring to simmer. Cook until it has reduced and has thickened. After about ½ hour, strain and drink or use for mulled wine cookies.
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Cactus Cupcakes
Makes 12Ingredients 170g unsalted butter softened 160g caster sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 280g sour cream 300g self-raising flour 10g baking powder 3g bicarb soda pinch salt fondant green food colour green buttercream icing crushed biscuits lemon zest 60ml lemon juice MethodWhip butter & sugar until light & fluffy, add the eggs one at a time incorporating each time then add the sour cream. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients, lemon zest & juice. Spoon into silicon muffin cups and bake about 15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool. To decorate: Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top of the cupcake then dip in crushed biscuits. Pipe onto the cupcake in cactus shapes & garnish with white sprinkles or sugar flowers & allow to set. Shape fondant into desired shape & allow to set.
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Coconut Raspberry Layer Cake
1x16cm layer cakeIngredients For the Cake 4 eggs, separated 150g caster sugar 75g self raising flour 60g cornflour 90g butter melted 20g desiccated coconut For the Frosting 125g unsalted butter, room temperature 125g cream cheese, room temperature 2 punnets raspberries 350g pure icing sugar, sifted 1 vanilla bean, scraped MethodFor the CakeSift the flours together. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and egg yolks. Fold in the flour, coconut and the melted butter. Divide evenly amongst 3 greased & lined 16cm baking tins & bake for about 10 minutes at 180C until when touched in the centre it springs to the touch. Allow to cool and turn out of the tins.For the FrostingWhip the butter, cream cheese & vanilla until light and fluffy. Add one punnet of raspberries & beat to combine. Add the icing sugar and fold. Layer the cake with a little frosting & remaining raspberries & repeat with the remaining layers. Cover the cake with a thin layer of frosting & decorate with fresh flowers, remaining raspberries, strawberries & meringues kisses.
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Rose Pannacotta
Makes 18 shot glassesIngredients 250ml cream 150ml milk 120g sugar 1 tsp rosewater 350g natural yoghurt 5g gelatine sheets (soaked in cold water) 50g raspberries pureed and strained Fairy floss or pashmak (from middle eastern stores), to finish MethodBoil cream, milk and sugar. Squeeze out excess water from the gelatine and dissolve into the cream. Add the raspberry and rosewater and stir in the yoghurt. Pour into shot glasses and allow to set. Top with a fine layer of pomegranate or raspberry jelly.
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Poached Pears and Roasted Quinces
Serves 6-8Ingredients 2 vanilla beans 500g sugar 5 oranges zest and juiced 60ml honey 750ml bottle white wine 3 cinnamon sticks pomegranate seeds, to garnish 500g natural yoghurt pinch of saffron 20g sugar 5 small pears peeled cored and cut in half 5 small quinces peeled cored and cut in quarters MethodCombine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Place the quinces in a baking tray and pour over half of the poaching syrup. Add the honey and cover and bake for 45mins-1hour until tender. Allow to cool. Poach the pears on a gentle simmer in the remaining syrup until tender. Allow to cool. Serve together in a bowl with saffron yoghurt and almond bread and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. For the saffron yoghurt: pound saffron with 20g sugar in a mortar & pestle, add yoghurt and fold together.
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Raspberry Coconut Friands
Makes 36Ingredients 120g almond meal 150g pure icing sugar 65g coconut flour ½tsp gluten free baking powder 5 eggwhites (150g) 125G unsalted butter melted 150g raspberries 1 lemon zest 50g slivered pistachio nuts MethodPreheat oven to 170°C. Sift the dry ingredients together. And whip the egg whites to soft peak. Fold in the dry mix with the melted butter, then fold in the nuts and berries. Spoon into well-greased mini muffin tin and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Allow to sit for a few minutes then turn out and allow to cool.
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Pomegranate Jelly Cakes
Makes 28 small squaresIngredients 2 eggs 75g caster sugar 35g Self Raising flour 30g cornflour 45g butter melted 500ml pomegranate juice 5g Gelatine sheets MethodSift the flours together. Whip the egg whites until soft peak and then add the sugar and then the egg yolks. Fold in the dry ingredients and the melted butter. Pour into a rectangle (27x17cm) greased and lined baking tin and bake for about 12-15 minutes at 170 until when touched in the centre it springs to the touch. Allow to cool and turn out of the tin. Cut into small cubes and then roll into jelly and dessicated coconut and allow to set. Cut in half and pipe whipped cream and decorate with fresh berries.Hydrate the gelatine sheets in water and once plump, squeeze out the excess water. Melt and add to the juice. Chill and allow to get thicker but not set. Dip the cake squares in the jelly then roll into dessicated coconut. Allow to set
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Salted Caramel Apple Self-Saucing Pudding
Serves 8-10Ingredients For the Filling 8 apples peeled and sliced 50g cranberries or sultanas 50g brown sugar 20g butter For the Cake 1 tsp grd cinnamon 1 tsp grd ginger 150g self-raising flour 1 egg 150ml milk 80g butter 50g brown sugar For the Sauce 120g brown sugar 10g cornflour 300ml boiling water 20g butter Good pinch of salt 1 tsp vanilla essence MethodFor the FillingHeat butter in a pan and add the apples, brown sugar and cranberries and cook until apples are tender. Place in a deep buttered baking dish.For the CakeSift dry ingredients together. Whip the butter, sugar and egg yolks fold in the dry ingredients with the milk. Whip the egg whites and fold into the batter. spoon onto the apples.For the SauceCombine all ingredients together and carefully pour over the baking dish. Bake at 170 for about 30 minutes. Serve hot with whipped cream
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Chai Spiced Cookies
Makes 36Ingredients 375g flour 7g baking powder 7g ground ginger ½ tsp ground clove ½ tsp ground cinnamon 100g butter 100g brown sugar 1 large egg 80ml date molasses or honey 5ml lemon juice caster sugar for rolling MethodSift dry ingredients together. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Stir in lemon juice and honey, fold in the sifted dry ingredients. Roll into 25g balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 160 for about 10-12 minutes.
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Chai Yoghurt Cheesecake
23cm cake tinIngredientsFor the base 100g almonds 40g raw cashew nuts 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp grd cinnamon. ¼ tsp grd cardamom ¼ tsp grd clove 20g coconut oil For the Top 750g yoghurt 250g cream cheese 2 sheets gelatine (soaked in cold water and drained) melted 60g honey (or to taste) pinch ground cardamom ½ tsp ground cinnamon pinch ground ginger 10ml lemon juice MethodFor the baseBlend together all ingredients and press into the base of a lined cake tin. (Alternatively use 1 packet ginger snap biscuits and crush, blend together with melted butter (60ml)For the topCombine all ingredients together except the gelatine and adjust seasoning to taste. Add a little yoghurt mix to the gelatine then fold into the mixture. Spoon into the cake tin and allow to set overnight. Serve with chai poached pears and candied ginger slices.
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Gingerbread Trifle
Serves 6-8 Ingredients Gingerbread cake 250g butter 400ml Golden syrup 4 eggs 20g ginger, ground 10g cinnamon, ground 5g mixed spice 5g salt 500g self-rising flour 20g Baking powder 5g Bicarb soda 480ml milk Gingerbread men 185g honey 40g caster sugar 40g butter 1 egg 8g mixed spice 335g flour 2g bicarb soda 8ml water Cream cheese layer 750g cream cheese 1 lemon juiced 80g caster sugar 350ml cream 1 vanilla bean 1 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp mixed spice Caramel Sauce 225g caster sugar 225g brown sugar 5g sea salt 90ml water 150g cream 75g unsalted butter MethodGingerbread cakeGrease and line a rectangle baking pan. And set aside. Melt butter with golden syrup, then add the milk and whisk in the eggs Sift together the dry ingredients and then fold into the wet mixture. Pour into the lined baking tin and bake for about 40 minutes until cooked in the centre. Set aside to cool. For the cake crumbs: Cut 1/3 of the cake and crumble roughly onto a lined baking tray and bake at 140°C until dried. Set aside or store in an airtight container until ready to use Gingerbread men. Heat the honey and sugar to 65°C and transfer to a mixer with a paddle attachment, add the butter, and mix, add the flour, egg & mixed spice, & then dissolve the bicarb in the water & add to the dough. Roll into a ball & cover for about ½ hour. Roll out to about 4-5mm thick & cut out shapes & place on a lined baking tray. Bake at 180°C for 10-12 minutes until cooked. Cream cheese layerIn a large bowl, beat cream cheese, scraped vanilla bean and sugar until smooth. Add ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice and mix until smooth. Add the cream and whip until thick and then add the lemon juice. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.Caramel SauceMake a dry caramel by heating a little sugar in a saucepan and heat until melted, slowly adding in all the sugar until a dark caramel. Add the water and salt and stir until dissolved. Add the brown sugar and stir until melted. Add the cream and bring to the boil. Add the butter and melt and set aside to cool and thicken. Keeps in air tight container for a month.To assemble the trifleCut the remaining cake into chunks and place a layer on the base of the trifle bowl. Drizzle a small amount of caramel sauce over the cake. Arrange the gingerbread men to sit on top of the cake around the inside of the bowl, facing out. Top cake layer with cream cheese mixture and allow to set. Place another layer of cake and drizzle with a little caramel sauce and top with gingerbread crumbs. Spoon a little extra whipped cream on top and decorate with gingerbread men. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 4 hours. Can be made the night before and refrigerated overnight.
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