Blueberry Clafoutis

 If doubling the recipe, use 3 eggs not 4.

1 cup fresh blueberries 

2/3 cups milk 

1/3 cup sugar 

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

2 eggs 

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract 

1 pinch salt 

Preheat oven to 220 degree

Generously butter a small baking tray.

Pour blueberries into prepared baking tray. 

Blend milk, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt until batter is smooth. 

Pour batter over blueberries and gently shake to remove any air bubbles. 

Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and center is set, approx 25 minutes. 

Cool until clafoutis deflates and is just warm.

Easy Tiramisu [small]

 

250g full-fat mascarpone cheese 

200ml double cream 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

4 tbsp icing sugar

125ml strong coffee, cooled 

6 tbsp whiskey

12 sponge fingers 

Chocolate Flake

Measure the mascarpone and about 50ml of the cream into a large bowl, whisking until smooth. Slowly add the remaining cream and whisk again into soft peaks, being careful not to over-mix or it will be too thick. Fold in the vanilla extract and icing sugar. 

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the coffee and whiskey.  Dip six of the sponge fingers into the coffee and whiskey mixture. Arrange the soaked sponge fingers in the base of the dish. 

Spoon half of the cream mixture on top. Dip the remaining sponge fingers in the coffee and whiskey. Place on the cream layer, then spoon the remaining cream mixture on top, levelling neatly. Sprinkle with the remaining crumbled chocolate flake.  Cover with gladwrap and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight.

Parve Strawberry Ice Cream

 

2 punnets strawberries mashed 

1 cup castor sugar 

3 egg whites 

 Beat egg whites till stiff and slowly add 1 cup castor sugar , When stuff add mashed or blended strawberries -  this will double mixture.  Freeze in containers.

Strawberry IceCream - Pesach

4 egg whites

750g frozen berries
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice

Separate your eggs. Reserve yolks for another recipe.

Beat your egg whites until you have stiff peaks.

Blend up your frozen fruit until you have a smooth puree.

Add your lemon juice and sweetener to your blended fruit. If using different fruit, add less lemon juice and sweetener at first, then adjust to taste.

Gently fold in the pureed frozen fruit mixture into your egg whites, and try to incorporate it as evenly as possible.

Freeze in plastic container.

Dairy Free Passionfruit Ice Cream

6 eggs, separated

250g caster sugar

125ml [half a cup] vegetable oil

250ml [one cup] passionfruit pulp [about 10 passionfruit]

Beat eggs whites in electric mixer until stiff, then add half the sugar and continue beating until stiff, set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar until very pale and thick, then gradually add the oil until fully mixed in.

Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.  Add the passionfruit pulp and gentle fold in with a spatula.

Pour into freezer proof container and freeze overnight.  Serves 10.

Pineapple Fridge Tart

Crust Ingredients: 
1 packet of tennis biscuits (crushed)
100g butter (melted)

Method: Crush the biscuits or whiz them in a food processor until broken. Add the melted butter and blend very briefly until just mixed through. Scrape the mixture into the prepared dish and spread out. Work the crumbs up the sides of the dish and flatten with the back of a tablespoon. Put in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm while you prepare the filling. 

Filling Ingredients: 
1 tin of condensed milk
125ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice
1 400 gr tin ” crushed ” pineapple (well drained)

300ml cream (whipped until thick) 

Method: Mix the condensed milk and pineapple. Add the lemon juice Fold in the cream Pour over crust and decorated with pieces of fine tennis biscuits or pineapple pieces. Put in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight.

Mango and Lemon Curd Pavlova

6 eggwhites
330g caster sugar [1.5 cups]
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cornflour, sifted

1 tsp vanilla-bean extract
1 jar of Lemon Curd
1 cup (250ml) thickened cream, whipped to stiff peaks
1 mango, thinly sliced
Mulberries, to serve

Preheat oven to 110°C. To make pavlova, whisk eggwhites in an electric mixer with a pinch of salt until just before stiff peaks. Add sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking constantly until thick, glossy and sugar dissolves. Fold in vinegar, cornflour and vanilla.

Draw a 20cm circle on reverse side of a sheet of baking paper and place on a baking tray. Spoon meringue over circle to create a dome. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 90°C. Cook for a further 40 minutes or until crisp and dry. Turn off oven and leave the meringue in oven, with the door ajar, for 3-4 hours until cooled completely.

Gently swirl together lemon curd and cream. Spread over meringue and top with mango and mulberries to serve.

Easy Tiramisu [large]

500 g savoiardi sponge finger biscuit
400 mls double cream

500 g mascarpone
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
500 mls espresso coffee (liquid)
2 Cadbury Flake


In a large bowl whip the cream until soft peaks.  In separate bowl add the sugar and vanilla to the mascarpone and stir through, then combine the cream with the mascarpone mixture.

Combine coffee and coffee liquer.
Layer bottom of rectangular dish with biscuits, pour over half the coffee and liquer mixture so biscuits are soggy. Then spread with a 3-4 cm layer of cream mixture evenly.

Keep layering biscuits and cream until cream mixture is finished. Top with crumbled flake bars. Cover with gladwrap and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight.

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

200g dark chocolate, chopped 

100g milk chocolate, chopped 

250g butter 

400g caster sugar

4 large eggs 

140g flour 

50g cocoa powder 

200g raspberries 

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking paper. Place chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat. Stir in the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Sieve the flour and cocoa, and stir in. Stir in half the raspberries, and scoop mixture into a tray, then scatter over the remaining raspberries. Bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins or, if you prefer a firmer texture, for 5 mins more. Cool before slicing into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

No Crust Cheese Cake

250g cream cheese, softened [leave sitting out at room temperature for no longer than 2 hours]
 ⅔ cup caster sugar, plus an extra 3 tablespoons
4 eggs

1 cup low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cream cheese, ⅔ cup sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Pour filling into a 9-inch glass pie plate and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and set in the middle. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together sour cream, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla and spread on top of cheesecake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Cheese blintzes

Crepes

3 eggs
625 ml (2½ cups) water
225 g (1½ cups) plain flour
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

Cream cheese filling
2 eggs
500 g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons caster sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream, or as needed
300 ml pure cream (35% fat)

Method

To make the crepes, beat the eggs and water together. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together, then add to the egg mixture and beat until smooth. The batter needs to be of a thin pouring consistency; if necessary add more water. Allow the batter to rest while you make the filling.

To make the filling, beat together the eggs, cream cheese and sugar. Beat in the sour cream (enough to make a smooth paste). Taste for sugar and add more if needed. It should be just sweet.

To cook the crepes, heat a non-stick crepe pan or 20 cm frying pan and grease lightly. Pour enough batter into the pan to thinly coat the base, swirling the pan so the batter spreads to the edge, and tip off any excess. Cook the crepe on one side only until it is dry, comes away from the side of the pan and is very lightly coloured. Tip out onto a paper towel, with the uncooked side facing downwards - this will be the inside of the blintz. Continue with the rest of the batter, piling the crepes on top of each other. Repeat to make 18-20 crepes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a large baking dish.

To assemble the blintzes, place a crepe on the work surface, uncooked side upwards. Put 1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese filling in the centre. Fold one side over and then the other to form a roll. Fold one end over onto the top and the other end underneath, to form a square parcel. Place the blintzes in the dish, snugly, side by side. Pour the cream over so there is about 7-8 mm of cream in the bottom of the dish. You may need some extra cream depending on the size of your dish. Bake for about 30 minutes, uncovered, or until the blintzes are golden brown and puffed up. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve with sour cream on the side if desired. Or with fruit.

Meringue-topped lemon and passionfruit delicious

150g unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons lemon rind, finely grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh passionfruit pulp
1 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup self-raising flour
1 1/4 cups milk
4 eggs, separated
Double cream, to serve

Meringue
3 egg whites
3/4 cup caster sugar

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 1.5-litre (6-cup-capacity) baking dish.

Place butter, lemon rind, lemon juice, passionfruit pulp, sugar, fl our, milk and egg yolks in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon, fold 1/4 of the egg white into lemon mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white.

Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Place dish in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into pan to come halfway up side of dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and just set.

Meanwhile, make meringue using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is thick and glossy.

Preheat grill on high. Remove pudding from water bath. Dollop meringue over pudding. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately with cream.

Apricot and Almond Pudding

175 g softened unsalted butter
175 g caster sugar
175 g ground almonds
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 apricot halves [canned or fresh]

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Grease a shallow 20-centimetre baking dish. Cream the butter with the sugar, then add the ground almonds and mix well. Add the beaten egg yolks and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, and then fold into the almond mixture. Spoon into the prepared dish and place apricot halves [flat-side down] on top. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn oven temperature up to 180 degrees Celsius. Cook for a further 20-30 minutes or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Serve warm with ice cream.

Choc Mocha Parfait

2 teaspoons instant coffee
1/2 cup [80 ml] hot water
1/2 cup [50g] cocoa
400g can condensed milk
2 cups [500 ml] milk
200g dark chocolate, chopped finely
1/2 cup [125 ml] thickened cream

Dissolve the coffee and hot water in a small bowl.
Combine cocoa and condensed milk in a medium, heavybased saucepan.
Stir in milk and coffee mixture, bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and cook, stirring, over low heat for about 15 mins or until mixture thickens.
Remove pan from heat.
Add the chocolate, stir until melted.
Stir in the cream, then cool mixture to room temperature.
Pour mixture into a baking paper-lined loaf pan.
Freeze until firm.
Cut into slices.
[Serves 8]

Lime Curd Tart

Ingredients:

4 limes at room temperature

1-1/2 cups sugar

120 grams unsalted butter

4 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon salt

25cm baked tart shell

Thickened cream

Method:

Remove the zest of 4 limes with a zester or citrus plane, being careful to avoid the pith. Roll the limes on the counter with the palm of your hand, then microwave each one for 20 seconds. 

Halve and squeeze the limes to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside.

Finely mince the zest. Cream the butter with the sugar and lime zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then add the lime juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.

Fill the tart shell with lime curd and allow to set at room temperature. Before serving, softly whip more cream than you think you will need. Each slice of tart should have a generous drift of whipped cream.

Pavlova

6 egg whites   
1.5 cups caster sugar
1 level tablespoon cornflour
Teaspoon of white vinegar

Heat oven to 170 degrees C.

Beat egg whites until stiff, gradually add caster sugar and continue beating until combined and mixture is thick and glossy.  Fold in vinegar and cornflour (cornflour stablizes it, the vinegar assists the process)

Spoon onto baking tray (covered with baking paper). 

Place in oven, and immediately reduce the heat to 130 degrees.  Bake for 45 mins - 1 hour until dry and crisp. Turn off oven and leave door open with the pavlova inside, to cool.

Top with whipped cream and fruit.

Raspberry Meringue Cream Torte

2 kg vanilla ice cream
300 g raspberries (fresh or frozen)
10 meringue nests, crushed
300 g raspberries, extra

Directions
1Line a 22cm round spring-form cake tin with plastic wrap.
2Allow ice-cream to soften but not melt, place one third of the ice-cream into cake tin's base, cover with half the raspberries, then half the meringues.
3Continue to layer ending with a layer of ice-cream.
4Cover with plastic wrap and freeze.
5To serve: remove from freezer, remove wrap & turn onto a large plate, top with extra raspberries

Rhubarb Crumble

Serves 4
- 400g rhubarb, trimmed, halved lengthways and cut into 4cm lengths
- 200g demerara sugar (plus extra if needed)
- 100g porridge oats
- 125g self-raising flour
- 150g butter
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 75ml double cream

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Put the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish (about 22cm x 22cm, or the equivalent), sprinkle with 3 tbsp of the sugar (you might want to use a bit more if you’re cooking rhubarb that was grown outdoors) and 1 tbsp water.

In a bowl, mix together the oats, the remaining sugar and the flour. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Now add the golden syrup and cream and mix well. Tip onto the oat mixture and stir together. Spoon on top of the fruit, level out, then bake in the oven for 45 minutes until it’s set and golden brown.

Leave to stand for 10 minutes before eating, or you might burn your tongue. Cream, ice cream or custard are the obvious partners in crime.

Chocolate Mousse (dairy)

200g dark chocolate

2 eggs, separated

1 cup thick cream

4 teaspoons caster sugar

Place chocolate in medium bowl over saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt. (Water should not touch base of bowl) - or melt chocolate in microwave. Remove chocolate from heat, and quickly whisk in cream and then the egg yolks. Beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, add sugar and beat until dissolved. Gently fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture with spatula. Pour mousse into glasses, refrigerate for several hours or until set, overnight is best.

Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce

For pudding

1 and 3/4 cups packed pitted dates (about 10 ounces)

1 cup water

1 cup orange juice

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (bicarb soda)

2 cups SR flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

200g butter, softened

1 cup raw sugar

3 large eggs

For sauce

250g unsalted butter

1 and 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make pudding: Preheat oven to 180°C. and grease an 8-inch square baking pan (2 inches deep).

Coarsely chop dates and in a large saucepan simmer dates in water and orange juice, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.) Let mixture stand 20 minutes.

While mixture is standing, into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Add date mixture and with a wooden spoon stir batter until just combined well.

Pour batter into baking pan, bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes.

Make sauce while pudding is cooling:

In a heavy saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and add brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and stir in cream and vanilla. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Cool sauce to warm.

Cut warm pudding into squares. Serve pudding with ice cream and warm sauce.

Serves 6 to 8.