Category Sweet Treats

Pannacotta with salted caramel

January 1, 2013 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

This was everything you’d could want in a dinner party dessert for a special occasion such as New Years eve where this little treat made a welcome appearance. It’s creamy, sweet, satisfying and elegant and will fill that sweet spot when you think there is just no room left after, perhaps an evening full of decadent dinning and some good fizz. Naturally as the choice for the hidden surprise I had to add salted caramel due to my love of salt and its increasing popularity as the foodie trend of 2012! Served alongside some mini tartlets filled with hazelnut or ginger mascarpone topped with diced pear and shards of honeycomb, I think its safe to say these were crowd pleasers…..

Pannacotta (serves 6)

250ml double cream
250ml milk
1 vanilla pod, seeds removed
2 ½ gelatine leaves
50g caster sugar

Salted Caramel

200ml single cream
125g caster sugar
2 tsp runny honey
2 tsp water
Large pinch of maldon salt

Begin with the salted caramel. Place the cream in a saucepan and warm gently on a low heat.
Meanwhile, heat the runny honey in another saucepan for a few minutes. Add the water and the caster sugar and allow to dissolve.
Once dissolved, let it bubble for about 5 minutes and it will begin to turn golden. Watch it closely, giving it a swirl every so often.
Continue to bubble until golden and caramel coloured. Do not let it get too dark or it will begin to burn and taste bitter.
Once it reaches the right golden colour (being VERY careful as it will splutter at you) stir in 1/3 of the warm cream and stir. Add the rest of the cream and stir, keeping it on the heat and bubbling for about 2 minutes until syrup-like and smooth.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool (this can also be used for smothering over ice cream to heart attack inducing levels or to line a pastry case for a twist on banoffee pie. It also goes really well with salted peanuts, peanut butter or chocolate)
Now begin on the pannacotta. Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla seeds (pop the pod in as well) on a gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring up to the near boil and then remove from the heat. Remove the vanilla pod.
Squeeze the excess water from the softened gelatine leaves and whisk into the the hot cream until dissolved.
Get your serving glasses or ramekins (glass works well as you can see the layers) and spoon about 2 tbsp of cooled salted caramel into each base. Top with the panncotta mixture, carefully to avoid it disturbing the lower layer but this is not a problem if you do.
Place in the fridge and leave to set for a minimum of 3 hours

Mini sweet pastry tart cases filled with a hazelnut mascarpone and a ginger mascarpone cream, topped with diced pear and honeycomb…..

Chocolate Mousse with bling……..

December 29, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

This was the perfect little dessert this Christmas time. A really light, simple chocolate mousse that even a academically and domestically challenged young child could manage, spiked with some extra flavours and accessorized with some crunchy gold shards of honeycomb and melting pecan shortbreads to add the Christmas sparkle. It was perfect to shove onto a big wooden board and plonk into the middle of the table at the end of a tiresome boxing day marathon meal for your guests to greedily help themselves to as they wish.

Chocolate Mousse (Serves 6)

150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
50g nutella
125ml double cream
50 ml milk
4 eggs whites
25g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat the cream, milk and vanilla in a pan until just beginning to boil. Then quickly remove from the heat and add the chocolate.
Mix until melted, smooth and shiny
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the caster sugar spoonful by spoonful until the meringue is shiny and glossy.
Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate, a third at a time, keeping as much air in as possible.
Once all has been combined, spoon into individual glasses or ramekins and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours.
I served mine with some shortbread biscuits and some crispy honeycomb!

Honeycomb

100g caster sugar
4 tbsp golden syrup
1.5 tsp bicarbonate soda

Begin by spreading out a large sheet of parchment on a cold flat surface and oil lightly.
Mix the sugar and syrup in a pan until dissolved. Do not stir once dissolved but swirl the pan to combine
Bubble for a few minutes until it begins to turn golden brown. It will be very hot so be careful. Watch closely, if it does not boil long enough it won’t set, too long and it will taste bitter
Once it turns golden, remove from the heat and working quickly add the bicarbonate of soda and whisk briefly. It will bubble fiercely. Once it has aerated, quickly tip onto the parchment and leave to cool and set solid.
Break into shards and book a dentist appointment before enjoying, dipped into your chocolate mousse!

Almond, Pear and Amaretto Tart with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

December 5, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

A rich, buttery and almond flavoured frangipane is my most favourite way to fill a crisp, delicate pastry case. This tart is really versatile and the mixture can be topped with any seasonal fruit. Alternatively, you can grind other nuts such as walnuts or hazelnuts (see here) to give your frangipane an original twist. In the summer, I have a huge weak spot for this dessert, topped it with a scattering of the juicy, tart, and punchy blackcurrants from our allotment. However, with pears, apples of blackberries it is delicious too. Just watch that the fruit you add doesn’t have too much moisture which will ooze out and make the filling wetter. This recipe is Christmassy, wintery and extremely satisfying….A variation on this always makes an appearance at my dinner parties topped with some salted caramel ice cream in this case and a good shot of warming Amaretto……

Pastry

125g cold butter, cubed
250g plain flour
Splash cold water

Frangipane filling

200g unsalted butter, cubed
200g caster sugar
200g ground almonds
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
Splash of amaretto
1-2 pears
15g butter
15g caster sugar
Handful of flaked almonds for decoration

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Begin by making the pastry. For the method, see here. Follow up to step 7.
Next, peel, core and slice the pears into long chunky slices. Melt the 15g of butter in a frying pan until beginning to sizzle, then add the sugar and stir until melted. Add the pears and gently fry for a few minutes.
Turn up the heat and add a splash of amaretto. Let this simmer away and reduce a little before removing from the heat and setting aside.
Now begin with the filling. In a processor or by hand, cream the butter and sugar together until creamy and thoroughly mixed.
Add the vanilla to the beaten egg. Add this, a bit at a time, to the creamed butter, and mix in until well combined (don’t worry if it curdles, it won’t matter)
Now add the ground almonds, a splash of amaretto (optional) and mix
Once your pastry case is cooked and cool, fill with the frangipane and smooth out into an even layer.
Top with the pears in an attractive pattern and press them lightly into the mixture. Drizzle with some of the buttery, sugary, amaretto flavoured caramel from the frying pan. Scatter with the flaked almonds.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes until the mixture is set and doesn’t wobble. Check it after about 30 minutes however, to make sure it isn’t browning too much (like mine unfortunately….) If so, cover with foil and continue to bake.
Once cooked, remove from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I served mine with some salted caramel ice cream and a shot of Amaretto!

Caramel Ice Cream with Salted Almond Praline

December 3, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

With December now well and truly here, it must be accepted that the gastronomic season has arrived. This pleasingly warrants the excuse for overindulgent food with an extra special touch or time and care wrapped in a blanket of calories and tied up with vast amount of edible guilt. With a welcome invite to a house Christmas meal approaching, and the responsibility of bringing dessert, my creative mind went into a sugary coma. A need to supply my hosts with something to sooth their taste buds and thank them for their hospitality. So to go with my pear, almond and amaretto tart, my love of ice cream was sure to make a chilly appearance. However, with no ice cream maker in the limited freezer in my home away from home in Clifton, I opted for this cheats recipe which is always a great one to have on tap. It doesn’t require churning as it won’t crystalise when freezing and it gives a very rich and creamy texture. A can of condensed milk and some single cream never looked nicer….

Praline

100g caster sugar
20g flaked almonds
½ tsp Maldon Sea Salt

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

1 can condensed milk
300ml single cream

Begin with the cheats ice cream base. Submerge a can of condensed milk in a pan of water on it side and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 ½ hours making sure the water does not dry out and that it is covered (otherwise it could explode…worse things have happened)
Meanwhile, make the praline. Begin by lightly oiling a piece of greaseproof paper.
Now heat a dry frying pan and lightly toast the flaked almonds until tinged and fragrant. Scatter densely over the parchment.
Now, scatter the caster sugar in a dry frying pan in an even, thin layer and turn up the heat.
The sugar should begin to melt within a couple of minutes. Use a plastic spatula to mix in any non-melted areas and any lumps. All the sugar will melt and it will start to turn golden and liquid. Watching all the time as it can burn easily, continue to melt until light golden brown but not burnt!
Quickly, using the spatula, tip the caramel over the almonds on the parchment and scatter quickly with the sea salt while still hot. Leave to cool until solid before breaking into shards.
Once the condensed milk has been boiled it will have turned to caramel. Leave the can to cool before handling.
Mix the cooled caramel with the single cream and beat with a whisk until well combined.
Now, using either a food processor, a pestle and mortar or just a bag and a wooden spoon, coarsely crush your praline into chunks. I left some a bit more whole and some into a powder.
Mix this evenly into the ice cream base and place in the freezer overnight. The praline pieces have a tendency to fall to the bottom so if you can be bothered, freeze half your cream mixture, then scatter over your praline and the remaining mixture and freeze again.
Enjoy your ice cream with an added sprinkle of sea salt if required! I served mine with a pear, almond and amaretto tart.

PS. This cheats ice cream base is open to interpretation….adding coconut milk instead of cream sprinkling of lime zest is one of my favourites. However, add any other flavours you like. It is quite a soft texture anyway, so adding salt in this case, or alcohol which doesn’t freeze, will make it even softer so bear this in mind before going too heavy handed on the booze!

Sunflower Seed, Vanilla and Cinnamon Butter

November 19, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

I love my seeds and nuts so once again, here is another go at a nut butter. This time sunflower seeds. Whilst reminding me of my friends late hamsters dinner, these little seeds remind me of when I was little as I’d munch them all day long…Feel free to add more oil than I have for a creamiest texture but I like mine with as little as possible to retain their wholesome goodness. They don’t have as much natural oil in them as pumpkin seeds or peanuts so you will need to add some.

Ingredients

200g sunflower seeds, toasted
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 vanilla pods, seeds scraped (although even more wouldn’t be a crime)
2-4 tbsp mild, light olive or sunflower oil (up to 50ml)

Begin by toasting the sunflower seeds in the oven for a few minute or in a dry frying pan until fragrant.
Add them to the bowl of the food processor and begin to blend for a few minutes.
After they are fairly powdery and broken down, add a pinch of salt and continue blending, scraping the the mixture down the sides when necessary.
Add a splash of oil to loosen and add moisture as you go.
Continue to blend, adding as much oil as you like to achieve your desired texture. I like mine with as little as possible but for a spoonable soft butter add up to 50ml.
Add the cinnamon and the vanilla seeds and continue to process. Adjust by adding more to your tastes as you go.
Once you have a mixture that is buttery and tastes to your liking, store in a sterilized jar and keep in the fridge ready to top toast, porridge or with some jam in a bagel…If you come up with any winning combination, let me know!

Gingerbread and Apple Pancakes

November 12, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

The perfect start to a sunny Autumnal Sunday morning. I saw a version of these recently on a cookery show, however I always like to get some fruit into my breakfast in some way so I added some grated apple for texture and nourishment!

Pillowy, light and spongy pancakes are always satisfying. I haven’t got a huge sweet tooth so I appreciate homemade pancakes that haven’t been drowned in maple syrup or criminally, bacon…..! I had mine simply with Greek yoghurt and a spoonful of my pumpkin butter jam for sweetness. Drizzled with some sticky honey (the pancakes not me), I was ready to start the day……

225g self raising flour
3 tbsp light muscovado sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
pinch salt
½ lemon, grated zest
½ vanilla pod, seeds. Or a few drops of vanilla extract
300ml milk
1 large egg
1 apple, grated and drained in a colander

Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Add the lemon, vanilla and then whisk in the milk.
Whisk in the egg and then add the apple. My apple was quite moist so it made the mixture a little thinner so I suggest draining the apple in a colander first or patting dry. I just added a little more flour and it still worked out fine!
Pour a little oil in a hot frying pan and fry large spoonfuls of the mixture for a few minutes until it begins to turn golden brown underneath and bubbles appear on top before flipping and frying for a few more minutes.
Serve warm with yoghurt and honey or any other favourite accompianment!

These are also open to experimentation! Add any flouring, spice or fruit but be aware that wet fruit will add a lot of moisture. Try it with my pumpkin butter jam

Rose and Raspberry Polenta Loaf

October 24, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

This moist little loaf is so pretty, I stood hovering with a knife for longer than is healthy before plunging in. Made with deliciously tasty almonds, a splash of rose (optional) and the last of this years frozen raspberry harvest, it succeeded in filling the cake tin…….temporarily. I never used to like rosewater’s soapy flavouring but I’ve grown to appreciate it if used subtly. Feel free to leave it out, or add only a few drops but it is lovely with the crunchy contrast of the lemon and pistachio sugar icing slavered obligingly on top like spilt paint.

200g butter
200g caster sugar
3 eggs
100g ground almonds
100g flaked almonds
100g polenta
1 tsp baking powder
10ml or less rosewater
150g frozen raspberries

Icing and Pistachio Sugar

Icing sugar
Lemon juice
Handful of pistachios
Granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a loaf, cake or baking tin of choice, with baking parchment.
Begin by blitzing the flaked almonds in a food processor until ground. Alternatively you can just use 200g ground almonds to start with but this gives a bit more texture as you can leave them a bit chunkier than the ground packets.
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
Add the beaten egg bit by bit, mixing in thoroughly after each addition. If it begins to curdle, add a handful of almonds but don’t worry too much.
Add the rest of the almonds, polenta and baking powder and mix well.
Add the rose water if using and the frozen raspberries (coated in a little flour to prevent them sinking)
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on the thickness of your mixture in the tin. Check it after 30 minutes. It should be golden and spring back to the touch.
Meanwhile sieve a handful of icing sugar into a clean bowl and add a teaspoon of lemon juice at a time until you get the desired consistency. I wanted a thick icing sugar but still with a good dripping texture.
To make the pistachio sugar, grind a handful of pistachio nuts in a pestle and mortar or crush in a bag with the back of a spoon until coarse.
Then add about 1 tbsp of granulated sugar and grind with the pistachios.
When the cake is ready, leave to cool before icing and scattering with the pistachio sugar. This can also be decorated with rose petals or pomegranate seeds too if you’re feeling very girly.

This cake is delicious served with clotted cream, creme fraiche, a glass of bubbly or alone with only a fresh peppermint tea for company.

Liquorice Creams with Sea Salt

October 22, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

Last night I experimented on my family and poor guest. After my insightful internship at ‘delicious’ food magazine this summer, I was carted away with pantry filling samples of new, free and excitingly original products, sent ambitiously to the editorial team. In this treasure trove of goodies was a small pot of liquorice powder….yes you heard correctly! I like liquorice but what was I supposed to do with this? My first thoughts turned to ice cream (naturally, if you know me well).

However, this week I was watching Nigella strut her gastronomic stuff on TV and there it was…….liquorice pudding! Now,a heads up, these are not like Marmite in their ‘love it or hate it’ sense, but they certainly hold a similar gauntlet. After knocking up this creamy mixture in a matter of minutes, I chilled them in the fridge ready to devour after diner. However………however…

As I announced that ‘tonight you are my guinea pigs’ to my guests, I sampled a thimbleful of this deceiving mixture and declared that I was sorry but they were too horrendous to serve. But to the cries of my guests that they at least try them anyway, I served them up. And, after each smooth mouthful, they became better and better and better until our glasses were empty and we sat amazed at how delightful they were! I’m still surprised! So don’t blame me if you hate them but after a few mouthfuls, I hope you’ll see…. If not, stick to chocolate mousse.

This is the powder. Yes it looks like dirt, and just tipping it into this bowl set me off on a marathon worthy sneezing fit but if you love liquorice, this is like gold dust. I used 2 tsp of powder per 300ml of double cream, whereas Nigella used equivalent quantities of liquorice pellets. I think it could do with slightly less powder as they were fairly strong, however, it still works so do as you like.

120ml water
1 ½ – 2 tsp liquorice powder OR 2 tsp liquorice pellets
4 tbsp light muscovado sugar (it is not a sweet dessert so add more if you like)
350ml double cream (I used 300ml and it was fine)
4 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp milk

Combine the liquorice and water in a saucepan and heat until dissolved. Bring to the simmer.
Whisk in the sugar and cream and bring back to the simmer and then remove from the heat.
Mix the cornflour and milk in a little bowl to a smooth paste.
Place the pan on a low heat and whisking all the time, pour in the cornflour paste and whisk until thickened for a minute or so.
Divide it between 4 glasses or serving ramekins. They can be eaten warm which I didn’t try but maybe this is nicer!?
If not, cover with cling film or baking paper that has been soaked in water and rung out, to prevent a skin forming on the top and place in the fridge for about 2 hours.
Eat at room temperature, sprinkled with some sea salt if you like!

Nigella says, I quote- ‘For those of us who love liquorice, this pudding is sheer, spine-tingling joy’! Hmmmm…..persevere!

Banana Muffins with a Boozy Rum Icing

October 17, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

In honour of ‘The Great British Bake Off’, my friends and I decided to bake a wholesome feast to devour during the entertainment that was John, James and…..Brendan? Suffocating in the smells of freshly baked goods in my Clifton garden flat, I knocked out a batch of these forever pleasing muffins and added a cheeky little extra topping. I used to make these every weekend when I ran my own breakfast menu at ’The Food Gallery’ (Marlborough) over the summer. They proudly topped my menu (minus the rum icing) served with creamy Greek yoghurt and some sweet, sticky local honey so I confirm, they certainly make a delicious start to the day too! However, tonight called for a little added sparkle so I decorated with some rum cream cheese frosting and walnut praline……

TIP: If you ever have too many bananas turning brown and sugary in your fruit bowl- don’t throw them away! I always peal mine and freeze them in a sandwich bag. Then they are ready to hand and at the perfect ripeness for when baking calls. Bring them out to defrost a little before you use them- they may go all slimy and unappetising looking but I assure you they will taste and bake perfectly!

Makes 10-12 rugby player sized muffins (adapted from Waitrose recipes)

125g unsalted butter, softened
225g light brown muscavado sugar
4 very ripe bananas (300g)
2 free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Large pinch cinnamon/mixed spice
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
75ml buttermilk
50g crumbled toasted walnuts or pecans

Rum Icing

300g cream cheese
150g icing sugar, sieved
A pinch of cinnamon/mixed spice
A splash of rum

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tin with cases.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.
Add the mashed bananas, vanilla and eggs and mix
Fold in the flour, spices, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder.
Now add the buttermilk and stir thoroughly. Add the walnuts and mix until they are evenly distributed.
Generously fill the muffin cases and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, checking after about 20 to make sure they are not browning too much.
Meanwhile, make the icing. Cream the cream cheese, spices and sieved icing sugar together. Add a splash of rum and mix. Chill in the fridge to harden until needed.
When the muffins are ready, they will be soft and springy to the touch and a sharp knife inserted into the centre will come out clean. Leave to cool completely.
Once cool, top with icing and decorate with a halved walnut and some walnut praline if you like. The praline I made by melting caster sugar in a dry frying pan until melted and beginning to turn golden. Once it is a pale light colour, remove from the heat and pour quickly and thinly over crumbled walnuts on some baking paper and leave to cool and crisp. Break into shards and top the muffins!

Sweetly Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream

October 13, 2012 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

Its cold outside. Autumns here. Most people would NOT be thinking about ice cream, but my obsessed mind always is. I thought I’d attempt a sweetened pumpkin ice cream which would be perfect with a slice of warm, wintery pie on a chilly evening.

Its not a common one, but I like it as I haven’t got a huge sweet tooth. Its wholesome, homemade, pleasing and not too sweet. My mum, who never seems open to the concept of anything alternative in the kitchen, gave me a fearful and timorous glare when I presented it, adding- ‘Is this an invention?’. But don’t fear, its delicious!

250g pumpkin butter (see previous recipe)
375ml whole milk
250ml double cream
5 egg yolks
1 cinnamon stick
grating of nutmeg
pinch cinnamon
pinch ground ginger
80g granulated sugar
40g dark brown sugar
pumpkin seeds

First, put some ice in a large bowl with some water. Place an empty bowl inside with a sieve in it for later.
Mix the milk, cream, granulated sugar, cinnamon stick, spices and nutmeg in a saucepan and heat gently, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges
Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl and when the milk is hot, slowly pour the hot mixture over the yolks, while continuously whisking in order to prevent it going lumpy.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat very gently on a low temperature. Cook gently, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon until thickened and the mixture coats the back of a spoon and leaves a marked trail when you run your finger through it:
Now, tip the mixture through the sieve into the chilled bowl to remove any lumps and stir in the dark brown sugar.
Allow the mixture to cool completely in the fridge.
Once cold, add the pumpkin butter and a splash of vanilla if you like (or booze) and churn in an ice cream maker for about 30 minutes.

I topped mine with pumpkin seed praline! To make this, I heated some caster sugar in a dry pan until it began to melt and turn a pale golden and then immediately removed from the heat, tipped onto some parchment and scattered with pumpkin seeds!