Tiramisu

Not my first choice on the menu when I'm out, not because I don't like it, in fact I'm quite the fan but I know what it tastes like and more often than not it's the disappointing pre-pack version that's served up to me in restaurants.

Below is the Paolo Tullio version and I need to make some exchanges because I don't have the ingredients here and I'm not going shopping especially for it.  You can use stale cake instead of ladyfingers providing you avoid brownies they're too gooey to soak the liquids.  I don't always have brandy so rum or coffee liqueur is good.

Like any trifle a nice glass dish to show the layers is pretty cool.

Please note that this is not suitable for children or those with a bun in the oven because of the raw eggs.

250g Mascarpone Cheese
200g Caster Sugar
Ladyfingers/savoiardi biscuits
3 eggs
Marsala
a room temp espresso
Cocoa for sprinkling

1. Separate the eggs and whisk yolks with sugar.  Add half an espresso and a splash of brandy and mix well.  Next add the mascarpone cheese a bit at a time until is thoroughly mixed.
2. In a clean bowl whisk egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mascarpone mix.
3. Lay down a layer of ladyfingers into the bottom of the glass dish dipping each biscuit into the remaining espresso on one side first (or you could just layer them down first and sprinkle them with coffee liqueur)
4. Place a layer of the mascarpone mix on top and repeat finishing with a layer of the mascarpone mix. Sieve a layer of cocoa powder on top.
5. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Bread and Butter Pudding

I love those recipe books that lack glamour but are just packed with really good tried and tested recipes.  You quite often find real peaches of recipes in fund raising cookbooks for schools or hospitals and the ingredients tend to be a lot more accessible too.

 The other place that you will find good recipes tends to be with manufactures of baking suppliers Dr Oekter in Germany, McDougalls in Lancashire in the UK, Odlums and Shamrock here in Ireland and one I got as a present from New Zealand which is the Edmonds Cookery book from a friend of mine called Gillian who has since moved back home to NZ.

I made this recipe base on the Edmonds version except I used up a little brioche I had in the house, used vanilla extract instead of lemon rind to lift the flavour and used sultanas instead of currents.  It looked gorgeous when it was done and it tasted better than any Bread and Butter Pudding I've ever had, but I still don't like it.  I didn't as a child and it would appear that my opinions of it haven't changed and yet I love french toast - go figure.

This is an all in one recipe that is really easy to make and if you prepare it you can pop it in the oven while you have dinner and it should be ready for dessert.  Stale bread works well on this because it's so thirsty it absorbs more of the liquid.


6 Slices of Brioche or 4 slices of sliced pan
2 tbsp sultanas
3 eggs
2 cups/ 500ml milk
1/4 cup /50g Sugar

1. Layer slices of brioche or quoter triangles of bread, sultanas and sugar in a Pyrex dish.
2. Whisk eggs and milk together with 1 tsp of vanilla extract and pour over bread. Allow to stand for 15 mins meanwhile preheat the oven to 180c.
3. Bake for 30mins until set and if you're feelin' swanky sieve a bit of icing sugar over the whole thing to make it look pretty.

Milk and Cookies Cocktail Party

Milk and Cookies was the theme for my birthday this year.  But it was a little less innocent than the name suggests.  Normally I would use 1 part alcohol to 4 or 5 parts base but due to the amount of ice I upped the alcohol content to taste.

Drinks
Obviously there was milk but I popped some ice-cubes in the blender and started mixing

• Galliano - Vanilla Liqueur
• Kahlua - Coffe Liqueur (alt. Tia Maria)
• Baileys - Irish Cream Liqueur (alt. Any Irish Cream Liquer)
• Mickey Finns Butterscotch Liqueur
• Homemade Chocolate Vodka

This is what I knew going in:
Kahlua + Milk = Brown Cow
Gad's homemade speciality - Brown Goo = Vodka + Kahlua + Vanilla Ice Cream + Coke
Kahlua + Baileys 'head' = Baby Guinness

This is what I learned:
Galliano + Milk = Tastes like a vanilla milkshake only lighter
Kahlua + Galliano = Vanilla Frappuchino
Kahlua + Chocolate Vodka = Mocha Frappuchino
Oreo Cocktail

The rest can be mixed with Milk or Cream or each other, ad. nauseum 

Cookies
Homemade and Shop Bought just cause I have this weird fondness for oreos.
(I also like Bourbon Creams but I didnt have them)

Baked Apples

I used to think that the seeds in apples when they were baked became soft and wrinkly and juicy - it turns out that was just the sultanas.  Sinfully easy dessert to make.   But you'll need an apple corer. Choose a filling from the options below or just bake them as they are drizzled with honey, maple syrup or golden syrup.  I've chosen Bramley apples because they soften in the process but  I do like my apples quite tart so be warned.

1 Bramley Apple per person

Filling options:

• Fill with Mincemeat
• 1tsp of Chopped Nuts (Pecans, Walnuts, Almonds), 1tsp of Sultanas, 1tsp of soft brown sugar, 1tsp butter (per apple)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175C.
2. Wash and core apples and place in a greased oven proof dish.
3. Fill core of apple and bake for 30 mins.
4. Serve warm with Custard, Cream or Ice-Cream

Malteser and Mars Bar Chocolate Brownie Sundae

1 Small Bag Maltesers
Brownies
Vanilla Ice Cream
Mars Bar Ice Cream Sauce
whipped Cream

1. Break up some brownies and place a layer down the bottom of a Sundae Glass
2. Add a scoop of Vanilla Ice 
3. A layer of sauce and a sprinkle of crushed Maltesers for texture
4. Repeat 1-3 until you top it with cream and sprinkle crushed Maltesers on top.

Ice Cream Sundae

The perfect low effort end to any meal where you have a good few guests. This is a dessert that allows people to express themselves. I've suggested ingredients but it is really limited by your imagination.  A bowl (or even a highball glass) and spoon is all that's needed but if you can lay your hands on them an Ice Cream Spoon and Sundae Glasses look so pretty.

Sweets - Smarties, M&Ms, Revels, Maltesers, Mini Marshmallows, Jellies, Space Dust

Chocolate - Milk Dark White, Crushed Crunchie, Daim Bars, 

Sprinkles - Chocolate Vermicelli, Sugar Strands, Hundreds and Thousands

Biscuits - Bourbon Creams, Cookies, Oreos, Chocolate Digestives, shortbread, pinwheels

Cake - Brownies, Meringues

Nuts - Whole or Praline

Fruit - Soft fruit, maraschino cherries, bananas, Coconut

Cream - Whipped by hand or out of a can 

Ice Cream - just vanilla will do but the more the merrier

Sauce - Chocolate, Fudge, Caramel

Alcohol - For those old and bold enough to drink it how about some liqueurs?

Method

1. Layer Ice Cream and other ingredients until you reach the top 
2. Top with Cream
3. Add Sprinkles 
4. And for the cherry on top - a cherry!

Creme Caramel (Spanish Flan)

 This recipe came off the Lidl recipe website.  I made this going over to a friends house for dinner and though it was fine leaving the house by the time I had cycled to my friends house the ramps on the road had gotten the better of it and it looked more like scrambled egg.  This recipe calls for moulds which I didn't have so I used a pyrex casserole dish instead which did the job of making one large creme caramel  rather than four small ones. 


4 medium free range eggs, 2 whole eggs plus 2 yolks
600ml semi skimmed milk
175g caster sugar
1 strip lemon rind

Method

1. In a medium pan heat 100g of caster sugar until completely melted, then boil rapidly until a golden brown caramel.
2. Pour the hot caramel into 6 small 200ml ramekins or metal pudding moulds and swirl it around the bottom, then leave to set.
3. Heat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan oven/gas mark 5.
4. Put the milk and lemon rind into a pan and bring to just below boiling point.
5. Whisk the eggs and remaining 75g caster sugar together, then pour the milk over the eggs, continuing to whisk as you pour.
6. Strain the custard into the ramekins or pudding moulds.
7. Sit the dishes in a small roasting tin and pour hot water into the tin to come halfway up the ramekins or pudding moulds sides. Bake for 20-25 minutes until custards are just set.
8. Cool, then chill for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight).
9. To serve, run a knife around the edges of the custard and turn onto a small plate.

Eton Mess

One of the easiest desserts but fantastic flavour.  There is no baking necessary unless you make the meringues.  I haven't really included amounts because I think it depends on your preferences - want a bit more cream? add a bit more cream etc.  It was invented in Eton College in the 19th Century but apparently it is unclear as to whether it was banana or strawberries used in the recipe originally and the meringue part is a late addition.  Whatever it may have been, the version below is most common, it is now typically served in the height of summer when strawberries are at their best.

Meringues
Cream
A punnet or two of strawberries

Method

1. Wash and hull the strawberries and then cut them into halves or quarters.
2. Whip Cream
3. Break up meringues
4. Throw them all in a bowl mix and serve

Variations
Any fruit can be used or indeed a little lemon with some passion fruit thrown in for good measure (don't over mix because you want to be able to taste the different layers)