Tag: Baking

Tuesday Treat

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Raspberry & Pomegranate Roulade

Any roulade is a favourite dessert of mine, however, this one is particularly good! The cream filling is cut with Greek yoghurt, in addition there’s the fresh zing from lemon zest and the tartness of raspberries and pomegranate seeds. With added ground almonds, the meringue roulade is slightly more cake-like but still very light. Like all roulades this is best eaten fresh!

4 large egg whites

225g caster sugar

50g ground almonds

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cornflour

For the filling:

350ml double cream

160g strained full-fat Greek-style yogurt

Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons icing sugar, plus more to dust

100g raspberries

130g pomegranate seeds

For the topping:

1-2 tablespoons shelled, unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

*You will need a 30x20cm Swiss roll tin, lined with baking parchment (alternatively you could draw a rectangle, 30x20cm, on piece of baking parchment placed on a baking tray).

  1. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Slowly add the sugar, whisking in a few tablespoons at a time until it has all been used up and you have stiff, glossy meringue. Gently fold in the almonds lemon juice and cornflour.
  2. Spoon the meringue into the prepared tin and use a spatula to smooth out.
  3. Bake in a preheated oven, 150’c fan, for 30 minutes, until firm on top and slightly golden.
  4. Meanwhile tear off another piece of baking parchment of the same size and lay it on a clean work surface – you’ll need this to roll the meringue when it’s cooked.
  5. Whisk the cream, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract and icing sugar in a bowl to a thick cream. Place half the berries in a bowl and use a fork to mash, to create pools of juice.
  6. When the meringue is cooked, turn it out onto the fresh piece of baking parchment you prepared earlier. Gently peel off the parchment from the base of the meringue and leave to completely cool (this will take about 10 minutes).
  7. When the meringue is cold, spoon the cream over it, reserving a couple of tablespoons for decoration. Sprinkle over most of the pomegranate seeds, reserving 2 spoonfuls for decoration, and scatter over the whole raspberries and crushed berries, swirling the juices with the end of the spoon so that you have bright pink streaks running through it.

Tuesday Treat

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Banana Soufflés with Caramel Sauce (Serves 6)

Oh my, these are good!.. They are soft, fluffy and fruity; a super light dessert which will impress everyone. Soufflés have a reputation for being difficult to make, but believe me when I say that these are super easy. The soufflé mix can be made up to two hours in advance, just keep chilled in the ramekins and bake straight from the fridge. Meanwhile, the caramel sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance; keep chilled and reheat gently to serve.

*It’s important to get the size of the ramekins right to make sure that they rise up – I used ramekins with a 200ml capacity (9cm diameter) and they rose up perfectly.

20g butter, softened for coating the ramekins

100g caster sugar, plus extra for coating

75ml whole milk

2 large eggs, separated

2 tablespoons cornflour

1 large ripe banana, about 100g

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Icing sugar, for dusting

For the caramel sauce:

20g dark muscovado sugar

1 tablespoon golden syrup

25g butter

150ml double cream

  1. Preheat the oven to 180’c fan and put a baking tray in the oven.
  2. Grease 6 ramekins (see note above) with butter and evenly coat the base and sides with a little sugar.
  3. Heat the milk until it’s just at a simmer then remove from the heat. Using an electric whisk, beat the egg yolks and 50g of the caster sugar together until pale, then whisk in the cornflour. Now, gradually whisk in the warm milk.
  4. Place the banana and vanilla bean paste in a food processor or blender and whizz until very smooth. Stir into the milk mixture.
  5. Using clean beaters, whisk the 2 egg whites until stiff, then gradually add the remaining sugar, whisking until shiny.
  6. Use a metal spoon to fold the banana mixture into the egg whites, a quarter at a time, until blended and mousse-like.
  7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Place on the hot baking tray and bake in the preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden brown.
  8. Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce. Place the sugar, butter and syrup in a pan and heat gently, stirring, until smooth. Bring to a simmer then stir in the cream and cook gently for a further 2 minutes.
  9. Remove the soufflés from the oven dust with icing sugar and serve immediately with the warm sauce – it’s a good idea to make sure your guests are seated at the table so you can serve them the moment they come out of the oven so that everyone can appreciate them in their full ‘risen’ glory!

Tuesday Treat

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Flourless Sour Cherry and Chocolate Cake

This is the perfect Valentine’s Day treat!.. Growing up in the seventies the ‘Black Forest Gateaux’ was my dream dessert. So when I came across this recipe I couldn’t resist! It’s a modern take on my childhood dream and all the better for it; it’s rich with a gooey middle and there’s a hint of sourness from the cherries. However, because it doesn’t contain flour it has a lightness. You can choose to serve it with crème fraiche or in true ‘Black Forest’ style with a good dollop of whipped cream. Thanks to cookbook writer, Ravneet Gill, for this wonderful recipe.

300g 70% dark chocolate (I use Lindt), broken up

225g unsalted butter

5 eggs, plus 1 yolk

4g sea salt

200g golden caster sugar

200g pitted sour cherries, frozen or jarred

Crème Fraiche or whipped cream to serve

*You will need a 25cm round cake tine, greased and base lined with greaseproof paper.

  1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water – make sure that the water doesn’t touch the bowl. Once melted take off the heat.
  2. In a bowl, beat the eggs (and extra yolk), salt and sugar until the mixture has tripled in volume, then carefully fold in the chocolate mixture, followed by the cherries.
  3. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, for 45 minutes or until it has started to set on top.
  4. Leave to cool, then turn out, slice and serve with crème fraiche or a dollop of whipped cream.

Tuesday Treat

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Banana Maple Friands

Oh, joy of joys, your very own, individual banana cake!.. These little friands are wonderfully moist, with a slightly sticky, chewy crust. They’re great served alone or for an indulgent edge, add a dollop of whipped cream!..

140g ground almonds

2 ripe bananas

6 egg whites, lightly whisked

180g unsalted butter, melted, cooled

240g caster sugar

75g plain flour (gluten-free if required, I use Doves)

2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus extra to drizzle

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*You will need a 12-hole friand tin, greased.

  1. Mash one banana in a bowl and add to the ground almonds along with the whisked egg white, melted butter, sugar, flour, maple syrup and cinnamon. Mix well
  2. Spoon the banana mixture evenly between the friand tin. Thinly slice the remaining banana and arrange 2 slices on top of each friand.
  3. Bake in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before using a knife to gently lever each friand out and allow to cool on a wire rack to cool. To serve drizzle with a drop of maple syrup.
    (They are best eaten on the same day when their crust is most chewy – but they will keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days)

Tuesday Treat

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Zabaglione (Serves 4)

If you’ve never made Zabaglione or even tried it I urge you to do so with this recipe! It’s a light and creamy dessert with the most wonderful, subtle flavour of sweet Marsala wine. I have been making this particular recipe for more years than I can remember, I found it in Delia Smith’s ‘Complete Illustrated Cookery Course’ cookbook (yes, her really old one!). It’s super simple to make but it does need time whisking at the stove over simmering water (bain-marie), however, using an electric handheld whisk hurries things along. I recently discovered that Delia Smith had updated her recipe with the addition of cornflour so that it was possible to whisk it over direct heat without splitting and it thickened quicker. However, when I tried this recipe I found the result disappointing, it was nothing like the original recipe – you could taste the cornflour and the dessert was heavier. It’s definitely worth staying at the stove for an extra 5 minutes for this fantastic recipe!..

*Apart from this wonderful recipe, one of the best Zabaglione’s that I’ve tried was at Caffè Al Bicerin when I visited Turin a few years ago. Caffè Al Bicerin is a beautiful little cafe with just 6 or so tables, the interior is wonderfully antiquated and dimly lit by candles on white marble tabletops. It’s a ‘must-see’ place if you visit Turin (I would recommend a long weekend in this historic Italian city!). The cafe is renowned for having invented the Bicerin, but it’s also famous for its Zabaglione. What a dream a café where you can pop in just for a Zabaglione!.. (you can find my recipe for Bicerin here!)

8 Egg yolks

100g caster sugar

80ml Marsala wine

  1. Firstly choose a medium sized mixing bowl which will sit comfortably over a saucepan of barely simmering water (without touching it).
  2. Start with the bowl on the worktop. Place the egg yolks and sugar into it and whisk them with an electric handheld whisk until the mixture is pale and creamy (about 4 minutes). Then gradually whisk in the Marsala bit by bit.
  3. Now transfer the bowl to saucepan, keep the heat very low, and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens (about 8-10 minutes).
  4. To serve, pour into glasses and serve straightaway!..

Menu Mistress will be away for a couple of weeks…

I will we back with new recipes on Wednesday 27th March!..