Category: Dessert

Dessert · Do-ahead · Icecream · Nuts

Fig, port wine and pistachio ice cream

Belinda

One word. Spectacular!!

2lbs fresh figs (about 20)
1/2 cup port wine, plus 3 tbsp
1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Remove the hard stem ends from the figs, then cut each fig into 8 pieces. Put the figs in a medium non reactive saucepan with 1/2 cup port wine and zest the lemon directly into the saucepan.

Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 10 minutes until the figs are tender.
Remove the lid, add the sugar and continue to cook until it reaches a jam-like consistency.
Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Blend together with the cream, lemon juice and pistachios and 3 more tbsp of port wine.
Chill in the fridge and then put in your ice cream maker per the manufacturer’s instructions

 

Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Lemon and lime posset

Belinda

This is one of the world’s easiest and loveliest desserts.

Makes 4-5 servings

2 1/4 cups whipping cream
3/4 cup plus 1.5 tsp sugar
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp grated lime peel

Mix the 1.5 tsp sugar, lemon peel and lime peel in a small bowl the night before you serve the possets, so it allows plenty of time to go crunchy. Add more sugar if necessary.

Bring the cream and 3/4 cup sugar to boil over medium-heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent mixture from boiling over.
Remove from the heat.
Stir in the lemon juice and lime juice and cool for 10 minutes.
Stir the mixture again and divide among 6 1/2 cup ramekins or in lovely glass jars.
Cover and chill the possets until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle atop the possets and serve with a delicate ginger or lemon cookie

Dessert

Baked bananas with passion fruit

Belinda

This is so easy and unusual. You guests will be very impressed! Serve this with creme fraiche with finely chopped fresh mint in it. Thank you to the wonderful Nigel Slater

Serves 4

4 ripe bananas
2 tbsp runny honey (good quality)
a little lemon juice
6 passion fruits
juice of 1/2 an orange

Hot bananas have a seductive richness about them. Some might even say too rich so the tart, exotic flavor of the passionfruit is the perfect contrast to the richness and it’s one of the most fragrant hot desserts you will make.

Wrap each banana in aluminum foil, leaving the top open. The easy way to do this is to place the foil flat on a work surface, place a banana on each one, then bring up the sides of the foil to make little packets for the fruit.
Drizzle the honey over the bananas.
Squeeze a little lemon juice in each packet then drizzle over the orange juice.
Cut the passionfruit in half and squeeze four of the halves over the banana parcels.

Scrunch together the foil at the top to seal.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for about 20 mins max. (It might be worth looking at them at 15 minutes)
Test for doneness with a skewer.
Put the parcels on to plates and hand around.
Give everyone two halves of a passionfruit as each diner should squeeze their passionfruit on to their bananas as they open the packet.
The scent will be exquisite.

A passionfruit is ripe when it is severely wrinkled. But it should still weigh heavy in the hand. That is a sign that it is full of juice

Dessert · Do-ahead

Sticky toffee pudding

Belinda

We’re getting to that time of year when this is just the ticket! It is one of my top three favorite desserts of all time and so good served with vanilla ice cream. It has a great sauce and the sweetness is from Medjool dates!

Serves 8

8 oz Medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 oz unsalted softened butter
6 oz caster (superfine) sugar
2 large free range eggs
6 oz self-raising flour
1/4 tsp ground mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp whole milk plain yoghurt
2 tbsp a malted milk drink, like Ovaltine, see below. (You can get Ovaltine on Amazon.com.)

For the toffee sauce

4 oz unsalted butter
4 oz light muscovado sugar
5 fl oz heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Put the dates in a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and cover with 7 fl oz boiling water.
leave to stand for a couple of minutes to soften, then drain.
Whizz the dates in a food processor until you have a puree.
Meanwhile, cream your butter and sugar until pale using a wooden spoon  and add the eggs, flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and Ovaltine.
Mix together well then fold in the yoghurt and your pureed dates.
Pour into a buttered ovenproof dish and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.

While the pudding is cooking, make the toffee sauce by putting the butter, sugar and cream in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened and darkened in color.
To serve, spoon out the pudding at the table and pour ver the toffee sauce.

Asian flavors · Dessert · Do-ahead · Fruit · Nuts

Mango and ginger cheesecake with kiwi fruit sauce

Belinda

I must thank the wonderful New Zealand cookery book writer, Annabel Langbein, for this wonderful recipe.
It is utterly sumptuous and darn right sexy!  The kiwi fruit sauce is so easy and adds such a wonderfully exotic and refreshing addition too.
You can cut individual cheesecakes like the one pictured above with a round cutter which look great or you can serve it in slices.

Serves 8

1 1/2 cups plain sweet cookie crumbs
1 1/2 cups finely chopped macadamia nuts or toasted almonds
4 oz butter, melted
3 tsp powdered gelatine
1/4 cup water
9 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup cream
2 x 15 oz cans mangos in juice, drained
1/4 cup chopped crystallized or uncrystallized ginger

Method

Mix the cookie crumbs and nuts together.
Stir in the melted butter and combine evenly. Press into a 9-10inch spring form pan.  Chill

Heat the gelatine and water in a small pan and stir well to dissolve.
Place in a food processor bowl with the cream, cream cheese, sugar, cream and half the mangos.
Puree until smooth.
Finely chop the remaining mangos and stir into the cream cheese mixture with the ginger.
Pour into the prepared base.
Chill for 4 to 5 hours.

This will store covered for 2 to 3 days.

For the kiwi fruit sauce
 
3 peeled kiwi fruit
2-3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Place 2 of the peeled kiwi fruit and the other ingredients in a food processor. Puree in short bursts to prevent seeds pulverizing. (or the sauce will be bitter)
Chill.  it will keep 2-3 days.
Use the 3rd kiwi to slice and fan across the cheesecake.
Makes about 1 cup
Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Icecream

Cheddar cheese ice cream

Belinda

This is divine!
I had this recipe last night on apple pie at a fabulous restaurant in Forestville, Russian River. I think it would work really well with any form of apple crumble or pie especially with a cheese crust, as the one last night had.
Make sure to find a really good mature cheddar cheese, not the orange plastic sort that most supermarkets have here in the US.
You would be better with a “Kerrygold” Dublin mature.

Makes 1 quart

7 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1&1/2 cups half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp good vanilla extract
1&1/2 cups (6oz) Mature cheddar cheese, shredded

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the sugar and salt into the egg yolks with a hand mixer until thickened and pale yellow. Set aside.

Bring the half and half to a simmer in a heavy, medium pan over medium heat.
Slowly beat the hot half and half into the egg mixture. Pour the entire contents back into the pan and place over a very low heat. (or over a double boiler)

Stir constantly until the custard thickens slightly; do not let it boil. Remove from the heat, transfer back into the bowl and then stir the grated cheese into the custard until it melts.
When the cheese is melted, stir in the cream and vanilla axtract. Cover and chill until cold.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer ice cream into a glass or plastic container, covering tightly and place in the freezer overnight. (or at least 2 hours)

For a terrific variation, try replacing the cheddar cheese with 4 oz Stilton or even better, Roquefort!!
Serve with poached prunes or figs.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Icecream

Carrot cake ice cream

Belinda2 Comments

So you may think this is “gilding the lily” but what do you serve this with?  Carrot cake!!
You must start making this the day before you need to serve it, don’t forget
First of all, put the inner bowl of an ice cream maker in the freezer the day before you make this.

Makes 1 quart

6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup cold sour cream
1 cup cold heavy cream
A pinch of coarse kosher salt
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp good Madagascar vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1&1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp apple pie spice (optional)

Chill a medium mixing bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer.
In the bowl beat the cream cheese at medium speed until soft and smooth.
Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time beating well after each addition.
Beat in the sour cream followed by the heavy cream.
Add in the salt, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat just until thick and smooth.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the meantime melt the butter and brown sugar in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add in the carrots, cinnamon, ginger and apple pie spice.
Saute until the brown sugar-butter mixture has thickened and reduced and the carrots are cooked.
Place in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, chill the mixer beaters again. using the chilled beaters beat the cold ice cream base going from low speed to medium, until loose and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Pour into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
In the last 5 minutes of mixing, pour in the carrot-brown sugar-butter mixture.
Churn until combined.
Serve immediately or, if too soft, freeze for an hour or so in a covered container until it has reached the desired consistency

 

Asian flavors · Dessert · Gluten Free

Grilled pineapple with rum, lime-ginger syrup and ice cream

Belinda1 Comment
I made this yesterday from my new favorite recipe book, “In the hands of a Chef” by Jody Adams and Ken Rivard.
We were having the traditional BBQ on July 4th with the family and we’re all trying to eat less (Ha!) so I thought this would be light. It is  but not only is it light, it’s incredibly simple and the syrup will knock your socks off!
Serves 4
Syrup
 
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
grated zest of 1 orange
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 star anise
1 ripe pineapple (make sure it’s ripe as they don’t ripen on the counter top and won’t be sweet enough).
2 tbsp grape seed oil or other mild tasting vegetable oil
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla, mango or coconut ice cream
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, cut into very thin strips, for garnish
Combine all the syrup ingredients in a non reactive saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Remove the vanilla bean and allow it to cool. When cool enough to handle, scrape the seeds into the syrup. Discard the pod or save for another use.
Prepare a medium fire in a grill or use a ridged grill pan over the element on your stove.
Chop off the pineapple flower (the sprout with the spiky leaves) and the top inch or so of the fruit. Cut a slice off the bottom of the pineapple so it will stand upright. Slice off the skin in long vertical strips. If there are any “eyes” remaining, cut them out with a paring knife or potato peeler. If you have a pineapple corer, use it to remove the core, then lay the fruit on it’s side and cut into eight 1/2 inch thick slices.
If you don’t have a corer, just turn the pineapple on it’s side and cut the 8 slices, then use a paring knife or cookie cutter to remove the woody core at the center of each slice. (If you are lucky and can buy a ready made pineapple, go ahead and cut your work load down, I did!
Brush the pineapple rings with the oil and grill on both sides until lightly charred, about 5 minutes per side.
Arrange 2 pineapple rings on each plate. Pour a tbsp of rum over each set of rings then drizzle with the spiced syrup. Add a scoop of ice cream to each plate and sprinkle with the thin strips of fresh mint and serve
Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Icecream

Nigella’s lemon meringue pie ice cream

Belinda

This is outrageous!! It’s like a frozen form of lemon meringue pie but ultra creamy with the crunch of the meringues and no ice cream maker needed.
Thank you to Nigella Lawson
(Apologies, but it’s in grams)


600 ml heavy whipping cream
225g Greek yoghurt
320g lemon curd (Trader Joes sell this above the freezer section)
juice and zest of 2 lemons
6 meringue nests (Trader Joes sell these as “Vanilla Meringues” Use about 2/3 of a 210g container. These are also above the freezer section )

Whip the cream until fairly stiff and fold in the yoghurt.
Add the lemon curd, lemon juice and zest (you will find it easier to stir in the curd if you add the lemon juice to it first) and the meringues, broken up into smallish pieces, but not so small that they dissolve into dust
Put into a container, (it should be a shallow rather than tall container) and freeze.
And thats all there is to it!
Ripen in the fridge for 40 minutes before you want to eat it.
You could also dribble over it some clear honey or some more lemon curd diluted to “runniness” with lemon juice

Dessert · Do-ahead · Fruit · Nuts

Italian stuffed nectarines or peaches with Amaretti

Belinda

This picture doesn’t do these enough justice as they are irresistible! You can make them a few days in advance then keep them in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temp before serving with a dollop of creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt.

6 nectarines or peaches, stones removed and halved. (I love the white ones as long as they are ripe and sweet)
4 oz Amaretti cookies
4 oz butter, softened
3 oz ground almonds (Trader Joes does “almond meal”)
3 oz golden superfine sugar (caster sugar)
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 -2 tbsp toasted, flaked almonds

9 fl oz sweet Marsala
Greek yoghurt or creme fraiche

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F
Sit the fruit halves snugly in a baking dish, cut side up.
Put the amaretti cookies in a large bowl and with the end of a jar or rolling pin, bash them until they are crumbs. (I put them in a plastic bag and hit them with the rolling pin, then pour them out into the bowl)
Add the softened butter, ground almonds, sugar and beaten egg and stir together.
Push spoonfuls of the mixture into the cavities of the fruit, piling more on top until the mixture is evenly distributed amount them.
Scatter the almonds  over the stuffed fruit then carefully pout the marsala into the dish through a gap in the fruit taking care not to get the topping wet as it will go soggy. (I use a plastic funnel for this)
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until golden and crisp and the fruit is soft.
Eat warm with the juices spooned over and a dollop of Greek yoghurt or creme fraiche alongside.