Dessert Recipes.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

Serves 6 - 8 people

Ingredients6 cups fresh strawberries
1/2 teaspoon Cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
300g soft flour
200g butter
100g icing sugar
1 egg yolk
vanilla essence
1 cup (1/4pt.) cold whipping cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar for creamDirectionsReserve 6 strawberries.
Slice remaining berries; in bowl, gently stir together sliced berries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
Heat oven to 450F. Grease 8-inch round baking pan.
Sieve flour, cocoa powder and icing sugar, rub in butter, bind with egg yolk then chill 20 mins.
Spread dough in prepared pan, building up edges slightly.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out lean; cool 10 minutes.
Remove from pan; place on serving plate.
Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff.
Arrange some sliced berries over cake; top with whipped cream.
Garnish with reserved whole strawberries; serve with remaining sliced berries.

ingredients




1 1/2 cups (8 oz) 225 g wholemeal flour (whole grain)
4 oz (110 g) soft margarine
4 oz (110 g) chopped glace cherries
1/2 cup (4 oz) 125 g soft light brown sugar
few drops almond essence
1 egg, beaten
5 tbsp milk
2 tbsp flaked almonds










method



1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) gas mark 4.

2. Put the flour and sugar in a bowl and rub in the margarine.

3. Sift the chopped cherries in a little extra flour and stir into the mixture with the almond essence.

4. Mix well with the egg and milk.

5. Grease and base line a 1 lb (450 g) loaf tin and spoon in the
mixture, levelling the top and sprinkling with the flaked almonds.

6. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

7. Turn out onto a wire tray and cool before cutting.



serving amount




serves 6-8

Apple and Rice Pudding recipe


information


445 calories per serving



ingredients









750 ml (1 1/4 pints) milk
pinch of salt
150 g (5 oz) pudding rice
butter for greasing
1 vanilla pod
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
450 g (1 lb) apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons icing sugar










method



1. Bring the milk to the boil with the salt, sprinkle in the rice and
cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes. Leave to cool. Grease a
baking dish with butter.

2. Slit the vanilla pod lengthways with a sharp knife and scrape out the pith. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with
the sugar and vanilla and stir the mixture into the boiled rice. Whisk the whites until stiff and fold into the rice.

3. Thinly peel the apples, cut out the cores with an apple cor-er and cut the apples into equal rings.

4. Fill the baking dish with alternate layers of rice and apple,
finishing with a layer of apple. Sprinkle the apple with lemon juice
and dust with icing sugar.

5. Bake on the middle shelf of a moderately hot oven (200°C, 400°F,
gas 6) for about 20 minutes until the pudding is golden brown.

Apple Strudel recipe


Preparation time 20 minutes,
Cooking time 25-30 minutes,
Oven temperature 200°C, 400°F, gas 6,
Calories 540 per portion



ingredients









212 g (7 1/2 oz) packet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
icing sugar to sprinkle







For the filling


50 g (2 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
50 g (2 oz) chopped walnuts
100 g (4 oz) mixed dried fruit
50 g (2 oz) caster sugar
450 g (1 lb) cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 teaspoon mixed spice
grated rind of 1 orange
50 g (2 oz) butter, melted










method



1. Roll out the pastry very thinly on a lightly floured board to make an oblong shape.

2. Mix the breadcrumbs, walnuts, dried fruit, sugar, apples, mixed
spice and orange rind together, and spread over one end of the pastry
to within 1 cm (1/2 in) of the edges.

3. Brush the edges with the melted butter and roll up like a Swiss roll.

4. Place on a baking tray and brush with the remainder of the butter.
Bake in a moderately hot oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

5. Dust with icing sugar, slice and serve hot with custard.

For an authentic strudel. use phyllo instead of puff pastry. Sold
frozen in delicatessens, phyllo pastry is in paper- thin sheets. Brush
each sheet with melted butter and use two or three sheets thickness.


serving amount




serves 4

Tangerine jelly recipe

information


Wait until the jelly is beginning to set before adding the fruit or it will sink to the bottom.
Use satsumas or mandarins if tangerines are not available.



ingredients









8 tangerines
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 rounded tablespoon powdered gelatine
125 ml (4 fl oz) double cream
1 tablespoon orange liqueur (optional)










method



1. Rinse out an 850 ml (1 1/2 pint) metal jelly or ring mould with cold water and place it in the refrigerator to chill.

2. Squeeze the juice from 4 of the tangerines and strain into a
measuring jug. Stir in the sugar, adding a little more to taste if
liked.

3. Mix the lemon juice and water in a
small bowl; sprinkle gelatine on top and leave to soak for about 5
minutes, until opaque and spongy. Then stand the bowl in a pan of hot
water and stir until the gelatine is dissolved and the liquid is clear.

4. Remove the bowl from the pan and cool slightly. Pour the gelatine
solution in a thin stream on to the strained fruit juice, stirring
constantly. Make up to 600 ml (1 pint) with water and refrigerate for
about 1 hour, until just beginning to set.

5. Using a sharp serrated knife, peel the remaining tangerines, taking
care to remove every bit of bitter white pith. Divide the fruit into
segments and remove any pips.

6. Fold the segments through the almost set jelly and pour into the
chilled mould. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight, until set.

7. Unmould the tangerine jelly carefully and allow to stand at room
temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off the flavour.
Lightly whip the cream and flavour with liqueur if liked. Use the cream
to decorate the jelly or serve it in a separate bowl.


serving amount




serves 6

Banana Cheesecake recipe

ingredients









1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) 50 g butter or margarine
1/4 cup (50 g) 2 oz caster sugar (superfine granulated)
100 g chocolate-coated digestive biscuits, finely crushed







for the filling


2 ripe bananas, peeled
grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup (100 g) 4 oz sugar
225 g full fat soft cheese
2 eggs, separated
2/3 cup (150 ml) 1/4 pt soured cream
15 g powdered gelatine
5 tbsp water






for the topping


2/3 cup (150 ml) 1/4 pt double or whipping cream, whipped
2 bananas, peeled and thinly sliced
juice of 1 lemon










method



1. Melt the butter or margarine and sugar in a saucepan over a gentle heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs.

2. Press evenly over the bottom of a greased loose-bottomed 18-20cm/7-8 inch round cake tin. Chill while you make the filling.

3. Put the bananas into a large mixing bowl with the lemon rind and juice and 50g/2 oz of the caster sugar. Mash until smooth.

4. Beat in the cheese, egg yolks and soured cream.

5. Put the gelatine and water into a small heatproof bowl over a
saucepan of hot water and stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

6. Beat the gelatine into the cheese mixture. Leave on one side until the mixture is on the point of setting.

7. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the remaining caster
sugar. Fold lightly but thoroughly into the cheese mixture.

8. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and shake the tin gently to
level the surface. Chill for 3-4 hours or until the filling is set.

9. Carefully release the sides of the tin from the cheesecake and lift the set cheesecake out on the tin base.

10. Pipe the cream on top of the cheesecake. Dip the banana slices into
lemon juice to prevent them discolouring and arrange on the cream.


serving amount




serves 8

Banana Cream Pie recipe

for the pastry









1 cup (1/4 lb) 125 g all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (4 tbsp) 50 g sugar
2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces







for the filling


1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 firm, ripe bananas Whipped cream, for decoration










method



1. Make the pastry shell following the directions below.

2. When the baked shell is cool, make the filling.

3. Put the cream, milk, cornstarch, and sugar in a saucepan over
moderate heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is very
hot but not boiling.

4. Pour about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid into the bowl holding the
beaten egg yolks. Stir well and then pour this back into the saucepan
with the rest of the hot liquid. Cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, for about 10 minutes until the custard is smooth and
beginning to thicken. Do not let it boil.

5. Strain the custard into a bowl and then stir in the vanilla. Lay a
piece of transparent wrap or wax paper directly on the surface of the
custard to prevent a crust from forming and let it cool to room
temperature.

6. Slice the bananas and lay them on the bottom of the pie shell you
only need two bananas to fill the bottom pour the custard over the
bananas and chill the pie untill ready to serve

7. Decorate the top of the chilled pie with sliced bananas and serve with whipped cream

To make a cooked pastry case
1. Rub the butter into the flour with fingertips until it resembles
fine breadcrumbs, add the egg yolks and sugar and mix well, if dry add
cold water untill you can form a moist dough, place in fridge for 30
min.

2. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured board and line a 20 or 23 cm (8 or 9 inch) flan ring or pie plate.

3. Trim edges and prick base with a fork.

4. Line inside with a circle of greased greaseproof paper and fill with dried beans or peas.

5. Bake in the middle shelf of a moderately hot oven 190-200°C (375-400°F) for 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Remove paper and beans. Return to oven for a further 10 minutes or until golden brown