Cranberry Cheese and Chocolate Cup Cakes

 These little devils will definitely ruin your Carb-Free Diet! Recipe makes 24 mini cakes.

 

Ingredients

150g Butter

1 cup caster sugar

4 eggs

150g ricotta cheese

2 1/2 Cups self raising Flour 

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 tbsp Tia Maria

pinch salt 

1.     Pre heat oven to 200c

2.    In a food mixer, using K beater,  cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy

3.    Add all remaining ingredients mix for just 30 seconds till mixture resembles stiff cake mix.

4.    Using 75ml ice cream scoop, fill cup cakes and bake for 25-30 minutes

 

Christmas Log

This is one of our Christmas/all year favourite slice!  Few years ago I discovered the addition of Turkish Halva (Helwa tat-Tork) which makes this dark luscious slice even more delicious!  Quantities make 1x40cm log and a smaller roll of approx 15cm which disappear before the day is out.

Ingredients

180g Crushed Malt Biscuits (Morning Coffee)

300g Crushed Roasted Hazel Nuts

80g Whole Roasted Hazel Nuts

150g Turkish Halva

397g can sweetened condensed milk

50g cocoa powder

75g Icing Sugar

40ml Kahlua or other Coffee Liquor

Topping 

300g Nutella

Extra Icing Sugar for Dusting

Add dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Using a fork crush the turkish halva leaving some bits the size of a hazelnut.  Stir the ingredients to have a combined mix.  Add condensed milk and Kahlua, then using a metal spoon stir the mixture slowly to obtain a stiff paste.  Spoon mixture over a grease proof paper, then fold over the paper to form a roll approximately 40cm long and 7cm diameter.

Transfer the log to serving plate.  Using the back of a spoon cover the roll with Nutella to create a rough bark effect.  Chill for about 2 hours then dust with icing sugar.  Chill overnight before serving.

Log keeps well in the fridge for up to three weeks but I wonder if it will last that long!

Berry Filled Chocolate Roulade

Chocolate Roulade by itself is divine, the berry filling is there to give the sharpness at the end of each spoonful that leads you to the next morsel! This recipe serves 10-12


Chocolate sponge
4 eggs
1 cup castor sugar
few drops Vanilla essence
1 espresso (2 tbsp)
125g dark Chocolate
1/4 cup cornflour
1/4 cup cocoa powder

125g frozen berries
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp gelatin powder

250ml fresh cream
1 tbsp sugar

2tbsp icing sugar for dusting

Pre heat oven to 180c. Line a baking tray (30cm x 45cm) with baking paper.

Melt chocolate over baine marie and keep warm.

Separate eggs and transfer yolk to mixing bowl. Add sugar and vanilla extract and using k beater mix for about 8 mins till light and fluffy. Add espresso and give few more turns. Remove bowl from mixer , sift over mixture flour and cocoa together then fold in gently using metal spoon. Fold in chocolate, mix well to have chocolate evenly distributed in the mixture.

Beat whites in a separate bowl till soft peaks form. Then add a tablespoon of whisked egg whites to chocolate mixture and fold it gently to loosen the mix.  Then add the remaining whisked whites and fold gently taking care not to loose too much air.

Transfer mix to prepared baking tray and using a spatula spread batter evenly to all edges.

Bake for about 15 mins.

Remove from oven and let sponge cool in tray.

In a medium saucepan add frozen fruit and boil over medium heat. Add sugar and stir to melt. Simmer for about 5 mins. Turn off heat, then add gelatin powder amd mix well.  Set aside to cool.

Whip cream and sugar to a stiff peak.

Lay a piece of baking paper, slightly bigger than the sponge, on a working top. Sift over some icing sugar then turn the sponge over it. Remove the attached paper. Spoon the berry mixture along the end close to you. Then spread cream evenly on the remaining sponge. Usin the baking paper lift the sponge and roll over. Transfer to a serving dish, dust over more icing sugar and chill for 2 hours before serving.

Tahini Cream filled Profiterols with Kahlua Chocolate Sauce

Choux pastry is so versatile, it can be used in savoury dishes and in desserts. This is a classic with a twist, as I have added tahini paste to fresh cream and flavoured my chocolate with Kahlua liquor.  This recipe makes around 60 choux puffs depending on size.  Try not to make them bigger than walnut, and to achieve this size you have to pipe them as small as a cherry tomato!

Ingredients

Choux Pastry
375ml water
Pinch salt
65g butter
125g flour
4 eggs

Put water and butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts. As soon as butter melts turn heat to high to boil rapidly. When mixture boils, turn off heat and tip in flour and salt at one go. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth thick paste forms. Return mixture to low heat and continue to beat for just one minute so that mixture dries a little. Transfer mixture to a mixer and leave it to cool slightly. Attach the k beater and mix in the eggs one at a time on medium speed. The finished dough must be glossy and should fall off the spoon. Pipe small choux buns the size of cherry tomato, on oiled baking sheet using piping bag fitted with plain 1 cm nozzle. Bake in 210c oven for 15 to 20minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack. For a crispier texture, when the choux puffs are completely cold, return them to 200c oven for further 5 minutes.

Cream Filling

250ml Fresh Cream

1 Tbsp Tahini Paste

1 Tbsp Runny Honey

1 1/2 tbsp Caster Sugar

Whisk cream sugar and honey in a large bowl until soft peaks form.  Take two tablespoons of whipped cream into a small bowl and add the tahini paste.  Mix well until the tahini is incorporated in the cream into a lighter mix.  Mix the tahini cream to the other bowl of cream and mix slowly using a whisk until the mixture becomes stiff enough to pipe.  Be careful not to over mix!

Chocolate Sauce

75g dark plain chocolate

2tbsp Kahlua or other coffee liquor

2 tbsp Milk

Melt chocolate over a baine marie, then remove from heat, add kahlua and milk and using a small whisk, whisk until smooth and glossy.

Fit a piping bag with a small star nozzle. Fill bag with tahini cream, pipe cream into profiterols and place on a serving tray. Pour over the chocolate sauce and garnish with some chopped pecan nuts.  Chill for about 2 hours before serving. 

 

Custard Black Berry Chocolate Slice

A deliciously cool after dinner treat.  This dessert has two components, the chocolate cake, and the custard topping, with an easy to follow recipe guide.  Prepare at least six hours in advance as the custard needs the time to set to give a good clean cut. (Cake mixture is enough for two bases, one can be frozen for up to three months)

For the Cake
150g melted butter
150g Caster Sugar
200g Self raising Flour
50g Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
4 eggs
1 shot espresso coffee

For the Custard
4 egg yolks
100g sugar
500ml milk
100ml Cream
1 vanilla pod
3 Gelatin leaves

Filling
3 tbsp black berry Jam
2 tbsp Kirsch or Tia Maria
3 tbsp lemonade or Ice Tea

Chocolate coffee sauce
200g dark chocolate
50ml cream
50ml milk
1 tsp ground coffee, or few crushed beans.

Butter two lamington dishes 20cmx30cm.  Pre heat oven to 180c. Beat sugar and eggs together till soft peaks form.  Sift flour cocoa and baking powder and using a metal spoon stir in egg mixture,making half turns to keep the merengue as light as possible.  Add melted butter, and espresso coffee,and carefully stir till mixture is smooth.  Divide mixture between the two tins and bake for about 25 minutes till skewer comes clean when tested.  Leave to cool, freeze one portion and use the other.

Meanwhile, prepare the custard.  Put Gelatin sheets in a bowl and cover with cold water, let it stand for about ten minutes. Split the vanilla in half , scrape seeds and add to milk and cream in a saucepan. Add also the pod to milk, then bring mixture to boil and turn heat off. Beat egg yolks and sugar till pale and fluffy, remove vanilla pod then add milk to yolk mixture stirring continuously.  Return mix to pan and stir over low heat till mixture thickens to cover the back of a wooden spoon. Be careful not to scramble the mixture.  Remove from heat, strain the gelatin leaves from water and add to custard mix and stir till they dissolve. Cover custard with cling film, and let it stand for about 15 minutes.

Prepare the chocolate sauce by heating milk and cream till boiling point.  Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate and ground coffee. Mix till sauce is smooth and even.  Stand to cool coverd with cling film.

Arrange one layer of cake in a serving ceramic dish of approximately the same size. Mix jam, liquor and Ice tea together and pour over the cake.  Using a ladle, pour the custard evenly over the cake.  Carefully put in a low shelf in a refrigerator to set completely.

Right before serving cut in slices and pour over the chocolate coffee cream.  Makes 8 portions.

Marshmallow Berry Popper

No baking involved for this delicious bite!  Some patience and 1 burner to heat sugars and melt the chocolate.  This dessert can be prepared two days in advance.  Recipe makes about 48 slices.

Chocolate mud cake or any brownie mix will do as base but brush with melted chocolate before pouring the Berry Jelly mixture so that it does not seep into the cake.

300g Coco Pops

400g Chocolate

600g Frozen berries

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tbsp gelatin powder

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tbsp gelatin

few drops vanilla essence

300g dark chocolate

75g butter

Line a lamington tin with baking paper,  leaving enough paper on the sides to lift the final slice.

Melt 400g chocolate over a pan of boiling water.  In a medium bowl add coco pops, pour over melted chocolate and using a wooden spoon stir till all pops are coated with chocolate.  Pour mixture in the lamington tin and press slightly using the back of a metal spoon.  Refrigerate to cool for about 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl add frozen berries, 1 cup water and sugar and stir.  Set aside, meanwhile, in a small bowl, add gelatin powder and 2 tbsp water and stir.  Boil 1/2 cup water and add to gelatin mixture and stir till gelatin dissolves completely.  Add gelatin water to fruit mixture and stir.  Blend the fruit mixture to a smooth puree then pass through a sieve to remove pips and thick pulp.  Carefully pour over the coco pop base.  Refrigerate again for at least 2 hours till it sets.

In a medium saucepan, add 1 1/2cup sugar, 1 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 tbsp gelatin and stir over medium heat till sugar dissolves.  When mixture starts boiling, stop stirring, lower down heat and slow boil for six minutes.  Remove from heat, add vanilla drops and pour in a mixing bowl. Let it cool down to lukewarm. (at this moment if you are in a hurry 10-15minutes in freezer will do)

Whisk on high speed for about 3 minutes or until mixture is thick and creamy.

 Using 1cm fluted nozzle pipe over the Jelly mixture and refrigerate again for three hours or overnight.

Lift the slice from the tin, and using a sharp knife cut into small squares approx 6x6cm and arrange each square in a muffin case. Melt chocolate and butter over baine marie till smooth then brush over each marshmallow slice with chocolate.  Leave refrigerated and consume within 5 days.

Rainbow in Forest Cake

This is my rainbow idea!  I'm sure rainbows do not appear in dense forests but I decided to make my indigo with forest berries!  I brushed each layer with amaretto icing and the taste will develop after few hours.  You can change the amaretto to limoncello and give it the sunshine taste!  This recipe makes about 12 slices.

Make two batches of sponge mixture and divide each mixture into three separate bowls.  The sponge ingredients are for 1 batch

4 eggs

2/3 cup castor sugar

1/3 cup corn flour

1 cup Self raising Flour

30g melted butter

3 different colours

Amaretto Ice (enough for all layers)

3 tablespoons Amaretto

300g Icing Sugar

1/2 cup water

300g frozen berries

100g sugar

Juice of 1 lime

Shavings of white chocolate to decorate

Line three baking sheets size 25cm x 40cm with baking paper.  Pre heat oven 175c.

Beat eggs and sugar together till stiff peaks form.  Meanwhile sift the flours together then fold in the mixture using a metal spoon.  Fold in melted butter and divide mixture into three separate bowls.  Add drops of food colouring, choose from orange, yellow, red, blue, green and violet. Mix the colours taking care not to remove too much air from the sponge mix. Pour into the baking trays and level with spatula.  Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks without removing the baking paper.

Meanwhile prepare the Amaretto icing by adding all ingredients in a food mixer and mix for 2 minutes to get a smooth runny icing.

Heat the frozen berries, add sugar and stir.  Bubble for five minutes till sugar dissolves but the berries remain whole.  Cool mixture and chill till it is needed.

Repeat the process for the remaining three layers of cake. Cake can be frozen at this stage.

Place the red layer on a clean tray.  Brush with amaretto ice then take the orange layer and place it on top.  Remove the baking paper and brush the orange layer with amaretto icing again.  Continue with the remaining layers.  

Trim the sides then divide the cake into twelve or sixteen portions and place each portion on a serving plate.  spoon over the berry mix then decorate with chocolate shavings.  Vanilla ice cream or custard is the ideal company! 

 

Summer Cups

This is a quick and easy fix dessert. Recipe is for 6 tea size cups

250ml Mascarpone Cheese

250ml Fresh Cream

2 tbsp Runny honey

1 tbsp sugar

seed from vanilla pod

12 sponge fingers or 

Small sponge cake

1 400ml can Strawberries in syrup

1 packet frozen berries

Icing sugar and basil leaves to decorate

In a bowl, cream the mascarpone cheese and honey.  Add seeds from vanilla pod, then slowly add the fresh crea.  Whisk the mixture by hand till soft peaks form.

Place preserved strawberry in the bottom of each cup, add piece of sponge, and spoon some strawberry syrup over sponge. Layer with two tablespoons of cream mixture then repeat the process by adding few preserved strawberries, then sponge then syrup and finally the cream.  Make sure that the cups are filled to the top.  

Arrange over each cup the frozen berries and immediately dust with icing sugar. Decorate with micro basil leaves.  Chill for at least two hours then serve and watch them disappear!

Chocolate Mousse and Strawberry Dessert

I used Oreo biscuit as a base to these individual desserts, they give an extra edge to your chocolate mousse layer.  This recipe makes 1 x 24cm flan or 12 x 7cm portions.

Biscuit Base
300g Oreo Biscuits
60g melted butter

Chocolate Mousse
200g dark Chocolate
1 espresso coffee
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cocoa
300ml milk
4 gelatin leaves
500ml Fresh Cream

2 punnet Strawberries
100g dark or milk chocolate
1 tbsp icing sugar

In a food processor, crush the biscuits to fine sand, add melted butter and pulse till combined.  Press evenly the  biscuit mixture in  a 24cm cheese cake spring form tin and refrigerate to cool.  

Put gelatin leaves in cold water for 10 minutes, then remove from water and squeeze lightly.  Put the leaves in a small bowl add three tablespoons of hot water and stir to melt them down. Set aside.

Heat milk add, cocoa, sugar and espresso coffee.  When the mixture boils, turn off heat and add the chocolate.  Stir till chocolate melts down.  Cool mixture over a bowl with iced water.

Meanwhile, beat cream till soft peaks form,  add two tablespoons of cream to cooled chocolate mixture and stir, then add the chocolate mixture to cream and fold.  Whisk in  the melted gelatin until just combined.  Pour mixture over the biscuit base and refrigerate for 2 hours till almost set.  

Melt the remaining chocolate over baine marie, dip strawberries and let them set over a grease proof paper.

Top the flan, with chocolate dipped strawberries, and chill for further 10 hours.  Remove from tin and just before serving dust with icing sugar.

Strawberry Custard Tarts

Deliscious for an afternoon Tea Party!

1 Quantity Rich Short Pastry
3 eggs
2 yolks
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod
100g sugar
300ml cream
200ml milk

Topping
Fresh Strawberries
Icing Sugar

Heat oven to 170c. Roll pastry to 5mm thickness, cut into 12cm rounds and line 12 hole non stick muffin tin.  Put in the fridge to cool slightly, meanwhile prepare the custard.  In a jug pour milk and cream, add eggs and yolks and vanilla seeds, whisk till eggs are well combined into mixture. Take pastry lined muffin tin out from fridge and pour custard over pastry leaving just 5mm from brim.  Carefully place in the oven and bake for about 30minutes or until tops are slightly coloured but still wobbly when shaked.  Leave to cool in tray then carefully remove from tin and arrange on a serving tray. Refrigerate when completely cooled. Right before serving, top with chopped fresh strawberries and dust with icing sugar. (Good non stick muffin tin do not need to be buttered)

Rum'n Raisin Cheese Cake

Biscuit Base

150g Digestive Biscuits
1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
50g melted Butter
1 cup roasted Hazelnuts
1 1/2 tbsp Icing Sugar

Cheese Mix
2 tsp Gelatin Powder
3/4 cup boiling water
360g Mascarpone Cheese
2 Passion Fruit
2 tbsp icing Sugar
250ml Fresh Cream

Rum & Raisin  Topping
150g Plain Chocolate
1 tbsp Malibu
2 tbsp Rum (Bacardi)
1/2 cup Golden Raisins
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Fresh Cream
1 tbsp Honey

Add raisins, Rum and Malibu in a small casserole. Bring to boil and simmer till all liquid is nearly evaporated and raisins plumps up. Add milk and Fresh Cream and bring to boil.  Turn off heat, add chopped chocolate, and stir to melt.  Add honey and continue to stir for about 1 minute to obtain a shiny mix.  Set aside to cool.

Prepare the biscuit base by adding roasted hazelnuts to food processor and process to obtain fine mix.  Add biscuits cocoa powder and icing sugar and continue processing to obtain fine crumbly mix.  Add melted butter and give a few pulses.  Transfer mixture to a 9 inch spring form cake base and press with fork to even out the biscuit base.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes to cool.

In a small bowl dissolve gelatin powder in the 3/4cup boiling water.  Pass Passion fruit pulp through a sieve and reserve the juice. Add 1 teaspoon of the remaining seeds back to juice to add a crunchy texture to the cheese mix. 

In a large bowl add mascarpone cheese and icing sugar and beat with a spoon to a smooth thick cream, add gelatin water and passion fruit juice and mix well.  Whip fresh cream  and fold half into mascarpone mix.  Then fold the remaining half and spoon the cheese mixture over cooled biscuit base and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

Finally spoon over the room temperature chocolate topping and chill for at least 5 hours before removing from tin to serve.

Lime and Coconut Merengue Pie

Normally butter is added to the tangy merengue filling, however in this recipe I took a twist and replaced it with coconut milk for a taste of paradise!

1/2 quantity Rich Short Pastry

Lime and Coconut Curd Filling
4 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp Malibu
3/4 cup coconut water (or water)
Juice and zest of 2 limes
150ml coconut milk
4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar

Merengue
4 egg Whites
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
1 tbsp water

Heat oven to 180c. Butter a 9 inch pie dish, roll out the pastry to 3mm thickness and line the pie dish with pastry.  Line the pastry with grease proof paper and fill with cooking beans.  Bake blind for 15 minutes then remove beans and baking paper and bake for an additional 5 minutes so that the pastry cooks and become golden.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Remove pastry from pie dish and place on a baking tray.

Prepare the filling by mixing cornflour, plain flour Malibu, coconut water, sugar, juice and grated zest of two limes in a casserole.  Put on a medium heat and whisk continuously till mixture boils and thickens.  Boil slowly for 3 minutes then add coconut milk and stir till well combined and mixture boils again.  Turn off heat and let the mixture cool for about 10minutes.  Separate the eggs then add yolks to mixture and stir well.

Whisk egg whites and water till soft peaks form, then add sugar beating continuously till sugar dissolves and merengue is silky smooth.

Add lime and coconut curd filling to pie shell, then pipe merengue over.  Bake in a 180c oven for 20 minutes till merengue turns golden.  Remove from oven then chill in refregerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Tip:  If you have extra merengue pipe on to a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a 180c oven for 10 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 150c and bake for an additonal 30 minutes.  Cover in chocolate and press over freshly shredded coconut.

Fresh Coconut Balls

These are truly divine!!  Serve them right at the end of your meal and bless your guests with this tropical kiss!

200g fresh grated Coconut

1 tbsp Malibu Liquor

150g Icing Sugar

200g dark chocolate

Place grated coconut, Malibu and icing sugar in a  bowl and mix till icing sugar dissolves.  Place mixture in refrigerator for 1 hour then form into small balls and place over baking sheet lined with grease proof paper. Chill for minimum two hours, overnight is best.

Melt chocolate over baine marie or 1 minute high in microwave, then dip balls and cover with chocolate.  Leave to set on the grease proof paper.  Will keep for more than a week in the refrigerator.

Zesty Cherry Merengue Pie

I think that the orange and cherry combination in this pie are perfect.  Like Lemon merengue, this pie can be served warm or cold, but I prefer it cold as it cuts very clean and is easier to serve.  This is an ideal dessert for BBQ, it can be prepared in lamington dish and as it has no cream, it will keep well for hours in room temperature. This recipe makes a 10inch flan.

1/2 quantity or 400g Rich Short Pastry  recipe

For the filling
700g pitted cherries (approx 900g with stone)
2 oranges
6 tbsp Corn Flour
5 egg yolks
100g sugar
80g cold Butter

For the Merengue
5 Egg Whites
250g Castor Sugar

Heat oven 180c. Roll out the pastry and line the flan dish. Prepare a disc of baking paper slightly bigger than your flan dish and line over the pastry.  Fill with beans or rice and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  Take out from the oven, lift the baking paper and beans, then return to oven to cook for further 10 minutes. Take pie shell out from oven and lower the temperature to 150c.

Prepare the filling by adding pitted cherries to a casserole with 500ml water.  Add the sugar and zest of two oranges and bring to boil.  Boil for 3 minutes.  Dissolve the cornflour in 50ml water and add to cherries.  Stir quickly to avoid lumps.  Cook for 1 minute  then turn off heat.  Add the juce of the two oranges and stir, then stir in the cold butter and finally add the egg yolks.  Transfer mixture to cooked pastry shell and allow it to cool slightly before piping over  the merengue.

For the merengue, use a balloon whisk attached to a food mixer and beat the whites till soft peaks form.  Add sugar in three batches and beat till it dissolves and the merengue is smooth and holds it's shape.  Pipe merengue over cherry filling, then bake in the oven for 45 minutes.  Allow pie to cool completely before refrigerating. 

Snickers Cheese cake

I did not use the actual chocolate but my closest imagination to a delicious peanutty topping.  It worked wonders and disappeared in just five minutes!  I used 10inch diameter cake tin and served a generous 12 portions.

Biscuit Base
150g Bourbon Biscuit
150g Roasted Hazel nuts
50g melted butter

Cheese Filling
250g Mascarpone cheese
200g Cream Cheese
3 Tablespoons Icing Sugar
2 tbsp Tia Maria
2 tsp Gelatin
100ml hot water
150ml Fresh Cream

Peanutty Topping
1 cup caster Sugar
1 tbsp water
150ml Cream
300g Blanched Roasted Peanuts
pinch of Sea Salt

In a food processor, crush biscuits and hazelnuts till fine crumbs, add melted butter and pulse till combined.  Press mixture in a spring base cake pan.  Refrigerate for 15minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat together cheese, mascarpone cheese and icing sugar till well combined. Dissolve gelatin powder in the hot water and add to cream cheese mixture.  Beat well with a whisk.  Whisk in Tia Maria.  In a different bowl, beat fresh cream till soft peaks form and fold in the cream cheese mixture.  Pour mixture over the biscuit base and refrigerate for another 1 hour.

Pour 1 tbsp water in a shallow pan, add sugar on top and heat till sugar dissolve.  Do not stir but shake the pan. Keep an eye over the mixture as it bubbles and when it turns into golden caramel add fresh cream. Turn off heat, add the lightly crushed peanuts and stir.  Pour the mixture into a jug and allow to cool slightly.  Pour over the cream cheese. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and chill for at least three hours before serving. (Salt lifts up the caramel flavour) Overnight is best. 

Slide a sharp knife around the caramel to release from cake tin and carefully but briskly heat the side with a blow torch. It should come out neatly.

Chocolate Mousse and Red Berry Tart

1 quantity sweet short crust pastry(see recipe)
1 cup milk
2 tbsp hot water
1 tsp gelatin powder
300g plain chocolate
1 cup fresh cream

150g raspberries (normal punnet size)
100g sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Physalis and red currants to decorate

Prepare the pastry shells by butter some flan dishes. Roll out the pastry, line the buttered flans leaving enough pastry to overlap the sides. Do not trim! Line with baking paper and fill with beans. Bake blind in a 180c oven for ten minutes. Lift beans and baking paper and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and using a serrated knife, trim the edges. Arrange pastry cases on a baking tray and return to oven to cook for another 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack. 

Make the raspberry jam by adding raspberries and lemon juice to a saucepan and press gently with fork to extract some juices out. Heat on medium for few minutes then add sugar and stir. Turn heat to high and boil mixture for about 10 minutes till jam thickens. Remove any scum that come to surface.  Set aside to cool.

Prepare the chocolate mousse by heating the milk in a saucepan till it boils. Turn off heat and whisk in the plain chocolate to obtain a smooth mixture. Dissolve gelatin powder into the two tablespoons hot water and add to the chocolate mixture and stir well. Transfer mixture to a clean bowl and cool down to room temperature. Whisk the fresh cream until soft peaks form, stir two tablespoons cream to the chocolate mixture, then pour the chocolate mixture to cream and fold. 

Assemble tarts by spooning raspberry jam in the bottom then top with chocolate mousse. Tap slightly to level and chill for minimum two hours. Decorate with physalis and red currants.

Gateaux Saint Honore

Once you master the choux pastry, this is the first cake you should go for. It taste as good as it looks!

1 quantity choux pastry
Choux recipe
1 quantity Creme Patissiere
Creme Patissiere Recipe
250ml fresh cream
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp white sugar crunch sprinkles

Beat the cream with a hand whisk until light and fluffy. Take two tablespoons of whipped cream and stir them into the cold Creme Patissiere. Fold in the remaining cream into the Creme Patissiere, cover and refrigerate. 

Heat the oven to 210c. Lightly oil two baking sheets. Transfer choux paste to a piping bag fitted with 1 cm nozzle. Pipe from centre out circcles of choux paste to form a round base for the cake. Pipe small balls of dough on the other tray the size of a cherry. You will need 12 nicely formed choux puffs for this recipe. Bake base and buns until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. 

Put one tablespoon water in a pan, then pour sugar on top and turn on heat to medium. Cook the sugar until golden and turn off heat just before you think it's ready.(it will keep on cooking and dark caramel taste horrible) carefully dip in the choux buns. Have sprinkles ready on a plate so that you can press six buns in them while caramel is still hot and sticky. Just before caramel cools make caramel springs by lifting some caramel with a spoon and make spiral forms around an oiled cylinder. ( I use the knife sharpener!) 

Make a small hole underneath each choux bun and pipe to fill with cream. Place the baked and cooled choux base on a serving tray, pipe cream on top. Place the twelve buns on the outer side and decorate the middle with caramel spirals.

Kannoli

When I was little, every other Saturday, I used to wake up with the noise of a fairly young man and his horse shouting  'Rikotta Helwa' which means 'Sweet Ricotta'. In our village, it was very popular to see sellers with their horse, or even donkey pulling wooden carts selling home made produce, like pickles, flowers, and in this case naturally sweet ricotta.  Later on in life, I saw Tevye selling milk in Fiddler on the Roof and each time I watch him singing and pouring milk, cannot help but return to my sweet childhood memories of this 'man' selling his deliscious ricotta. The following recipe is a tribute to my Aunt Karm, who eagerly bought this creamy delicacy and made Kannoli taste so special.

For the Pastry
300g plain flour
Juice of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt

For the Filling
500g Ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons candied peel
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons Anisette Ouzo or Sambuca
100g chopped chocolate
2 tablespoons chopped glaced cherries
2 tablespoons crushed roasted hazelnuts

Extra
75g plain chocolate
Icing sugar for Dusting
Oil for deep frying

Make the pastry by putting flour, juice of an orange, eggs sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse till a ball of dough forms. Remove and wrap in cling film and let the dough chill for 15 minutes. Lightly oil 12 cannoli tubes. Using enough flour pass dough through pasta machine till very thin, approx 2.5 setting. Cut into long strips the width of your cannoli tubes. Cut into squares and ensure to overlap by 5mm when wrapped around the cannoli tubes. Place seam side down on a flour dusted baking tray. Deep fry in olive oil, remove cannoli tubes from pastry when completely cold. Cannoli shapes keep well for up to a week in an air tight container.
Make the ricotta filling by putting ricotta in a bowl and mash till smooth. Add sugar and stir well. Add candied peel, anisette, chopped chocolate, and chopped glaced cherries and mix well. Transfer mixture to a piping bag with 1 cm round plain nozzle.
Melt chocolate over baine marie, brush chocolate on the inside of each cannolo, this will help to keep the crisp for longer. Pipe ricotta mixture into each cannolo, press sides into crushed roasted hazelnuts. Arrange on a serving plate and dust with icing sugar.

Tip
Extra pastry can be cut into small rectangles and shaped into bows, or long strips and pinch sides every inch and roll into rosette as in the image. Deep fry in olive oil and drench with honey. Dust with cinnamon powder and crushed nuts and serve with coffee.

Cherry Gelato,

800ml Milk
500ml Fresh Cream
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp amaretto liquor
1 vanilla pod
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp gelatin powder
1 tsp cornflour
1 cup pitted cocktail cherries, stalks removed. 

Put Milk, cream and cinnamon stick in a saucepan, scoop seeds from Vanilla pod and put both seeds and pod in Milk and heat until it nearly boils.  Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy, add cornflour and mix well.  Dissolve gelatin in two tablespoons hot water and put in yolk mixture, Strain milk  through fine sieve into yolk mixture stirring continuously.  Transfer custard back to pan and stir on low heat until it thickens to cover the back of wooden spoon.  Turn of heat and let the mixture cool.  Add liquor, stir well.  When completely cold transfer mixture in two batche to ice cream machine and churn to a smooth ice cream consistency.  Pack ice cream in freezing plastic containers layering with cocktail cherries. Bring out from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

Doughnuts

Once in a while you should allow yourself to extreme indulgence. This is one of the quickest recipe I ever tried.  Cooked doughnuts can be frozen.

600g plain flour
4 eggs
440ml milk
18g dried yeast
80g butter
75g sugar
1 tsp salt

Heat milk till Luke-warm,turn off heat and add chopped butter. In a food mixer with k beater attached sift in the flour. Add yeast, salt, sugar, eggs and milk and butter mixture. Beat for 5 minutes on low speed. Turn off machine and cover mixture to proove till double in bulk for approx 1 hour. Heat oil in a large wok using two tablespoons to shape small balls of dough, deep fry until golden. Dust with caster sugar. Serve with jam and cream or drizzle with runny honey!