Egg custard tart

Easy peasy, and very pleasant, this variation ont he old english classic while surprise you with its simplicty. Feel free to add berries such as rapberries, gooseberries, logan, blue or cranberries to make an even more enjoyable tart.

You will need: (makes 2)

2x30cm blind baked sweet pastry tart cases

12 Whole eggs

750ml of Milk

750ml of Double cream

2 Vanilla beans, opened

Nutmeg

240g of Caster sugar

Whisk eggs and sugar till pale

Warm milk and cream with the vanilla beans

Add the two mixes together, very gradually  while whisking

Pour into 2 30cm flan tins lined with blind baked sweet pastry, do the pouring by the stoves or oven as to prevent spillage while transporting to the stoves

Bake for 40 minutes at 170 degrees

Lemon Mousse / Raspberry confit / flaked almonds

image courtesy of the englishkitchen.blogspot.co.uk

*part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

This mousse is gentle, pleasurable and enjoyable. Providing the classic citrus element through lemon, it presents an uplifting and pleasing dessert that is light and also, moderately healthy.The health conscious of you will also benefit from the antioxidant greatness that raspberries present, with the added nutrients of the almonds also. those of you who don't care all that much, will enjoy it nonetheless.

You will need (makes roughly 8):
175g caster sugar
2 sheets of leaf gelatine
Zest and juice of 3 lemons
2 medium egg whites
200ml reduced fat creme fraiche


Raspberry confit:


250g raspberries, washed
3 tbsp caster sugar or honey
2-3 tbsp lemon juice (obtained from the lemons above)

Combine the raspberries and sugar in a pan and heat gently together until the sugar has dissolved and the blueberries have begun to fall. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.transfer to a bowl and chill.



The doing bit:

Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes to soften. in the meantime add the lemon juice to a measuring jug and top up with water to 200ml. Add to a saucepan then add half the sugar, and simmer on a moderate heat to dissolve the sugar. simmer for about a minute then take off the heat. Drain the gelatine leaves and squeeze out any excess water, then add the gelatine to the lemon syrup. Leave to cool completely.

Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until the form soft peaks. Add the remainong sugar one tsbp at a time continuously beating until all the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is firm.

In another bowl lightly beat the creme fraiche then stir into the cooled lime mixture. fold the egg white mixture into this until uniform then decant the mix into 8 equal glasses. Place in fridge few a few hours until they have set, then use the raspberry confit, lemon zest and flaked almonds to garnish.

Poached Pears in red wine with yoghurt sorbet

Image courtesy of actden.com

*part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

Here we present another fruit dessert, with a rather enjoyable sweetness that is luxurious and enjoyment but ultimately quite healthy. Its quite warming in a winter sense, but is acceptable year round as a light dessert.

You will need (serves 4):

750ml bottle of red wine
4tbsp caster sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
2 slices of orange
1 stem ginger in syrup halved
4 ripe but firm pears

Pour the red wine and sugar into a saucepan with the orange slices, cinnamon stick, cloves and ginger. Slowly bring to a simmer stirring occasionally, and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Peel the pears leaving on the stork and de core them pears using a teaspoon or a melon baller. Lower the pears into the wine, and place a piece of crumpled greaseproof paper with a small hole cut out of the centre on the top. This will help keep the pears submerged.

Poach the pears for about 20 minutes at a gentle simmer, and pierce with a cocktail stick or similar to test if soft all the way through.

Transfer the pears and liquor to a bowl and allow to cool. Cling film and refrigerate preferrably overnight, or until required.

Serve warm, either by reheating in a pan or even using a microwave, alongside a scoop of yoghurt sorbet.

Yoghurt sorbet

Image courtesy of kevineats.com

This is a refreshing alternative to ice cream, and can be used as a great medium or vehicle for a variety of flavours if youre wanting to make different flavoured sorbets. Its phenomenally easy and cheap to produce, and also tastes exceedingly good.

You will need (makes a batch of about 8 portions):

350ml water
225g caster sugar
3 tbsp liquid glucose
300ml natural yoghurt
100ml fromage frais

In a pan add the water, sugar and liquid glucose and palce over a low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

Beat the yoghurt and fromage frais together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Mix in the cooled syrup.

Pour into a shallow tray and freeze, removing from the freezer every hour and beat together with a whisk until returning to the freezer. When the mix freezes smooth, it is ready.

Enjoy!

Baked Plums with crushed amaretti

Image courtesy of pictureshunt.com

*part of the sizzling stafforshire menu series*

Fruit desserts in my opinion are often overlooked in favour of heavy dairy and chocolate fixes. it's a shame because there is a hell of alot of natural flavour in fruit, and can balance well with a variety of other flavours also.

This dessert is unwavering in its simplicity, and provides a means of a cheap and quick, and very fulfilling dessert that is also extremely healthy. Its kind of halfway towards a crumble, without the guilt factor. With this in mind, you can do alot with this dish to change it if you wish, and develop it further.

You will need (serves 4):

500g ripe plums (make sure theyre firm and not too soft)
1/2 tsp for each plum
3 tbsp sherry, marsala or even creme de cassis.
30g amaretti biscuits
Natural yoghurt to serve
Optional herbs for aromatics

heat the oven to 200C. cut the plums in half and remove the stones, arrange the plums hole side up, in a lightly greased baking dish. Drizzle over the sherry. At this point i like to add a few springs of rosemary into the dish just to give an extra dimension of flavour, you can also use lavender.

crush the amaretti either manually or using a food processor for a very short burst. Sprinkle over the plums. Put small amount of butter on each plum and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Serve warm with a dollop of each yoghurt.

Vanilla Panacotta with blueberry compote

image courtesy of highlowfooddrink.com

Its a simple dessert, but I find pannacotta to be one of those pleasant and light desserts that is a welcome treat after a hearty meal. As a concept I find pannacotta to be a great vehicle for a variety of flavours and combinations, ranging from the simple vanilla to the mind blowing complex elements that can be incorporated into such a dessert. This recipe also presents a healthy approach.

You will need (makes a batch of 6):

600ml semi skimmed milk
1 vanilla pod, split
125g caster sugar
4 sheets leaf gelatine
200ml natural yoghurt

Blueberry compote

250g blueberries, washed
3 tbsp caster sugar or honey
2-3 tbsp lemon juice.

The doing bit:

In a pan add the milk and scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and add the seeds and the pod too. Add the sugar and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a simmer. Meanwhile soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes to soften them. As soon as the milk begins to bubble remove from the heat. Drain the gelatine leaves ans squeeze out any excess moisture, then add to the milk mixture. Stir to dissolve, then strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.

Once the milk is cooled, add the yoghurt and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into moulds (i find that plastic cups work well for this), then cover with cling film and allow to chill in the fridge for a few hours (or even overnight).

For the compote:

Combine the blueberries and sugar in a pan and heat gently together until the sugar has dissolved and the blueberries have begun to fall. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.transfer to a bowl and chill.

To unmould: place each plastic cup in hot water for a few seconds. Remove, then turn out gently onto a serving plate. Serve with compote aside.

Healthy Banana & Blueberry Muffins

These blueberry muffins are ideal as a breakfast item, or elevenses, or even just the occasional snack. The use of wholemeal flour, no added sugar and the boon of fibre and antioxidant rich blueberries gives rise to even the most health conscious. They're extremely easy to make, and delciious when warm.

Did i happen to mention that each muffin is approx 180 calories?

You will need (serves 12):


225g mashed bananas (roughly 2)
1 egg
125ml water
125ml vegetable oil
250g wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
150g fresh or frozen blueberries

The doing bit.

In a mixing bowl mash the bananas, then add the oil, flour and egg and beat to a uniform paste. Add the water and mix. add the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, mix well, and leave to rest for a few minutes. add the blueberries, then spoon the mixture into muffin cases.

Put into preheated oven at 180 degrees C, and bake four roughly ten minutes (or until done). Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Devour.

Strawberry Clafoutis (On mothers day)

Clafoutis is probably to the french in terms of sunday lunch, what Yorkshire pudding is to us British with beef. Its one of those favoured and savoured dishes thats looked forward to and is often held almost a symbol for homliness in terms of hearty food.

Before I reap great criticism, yes I am aware that clafoutis is traditionally made with cherries. That said, I think this variation works phenomenally well - coupled with the fact that my mum likes strawberries and the store around the corner had them reduced. It was almost as though fate was telling me something.

Its quite cakey yet light in texture, extremely enjoyable and very moreish. Trust me, you wont be disappointed

You will need:

200ml Milk
100ml double cream
75g ground almonds
2-3 drops vanilla essence
4 large eggs
150g caster sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
25g butter
500g strawberries, halved
2 tbsp brown sugar
50g  flaked almonds (optional)
icing sugar, for dusting

The doing bit:

Preheat oven to 180C. In a pan combine milk, cream and vanilla and boil for 1 minute. Set aside to cool.

Beat together sugar and eggs until fluffy, add the flour to the mixture gradually. Add the ground almonds in the same fashion until uniform paste. Add the cooled milk mixture.

Grease a baking deep baking dish or sealed cake tin. Add the strawberries and brown sugar then add the mixture slowly. Dust with flaked almonds.

Cook in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until knife comes out clean with a pierecing test.

Remove from oven when done and dust with icing sugar.

Devour.

Pancake batter (for pancake day)

image courtesy of tesco food.

We all succumb to the need to devour pancakes on pancake day (thats shrove tuesday). In days gone by the tradition for pancakes was the using up of all the "sinful" foods in the pantry in an appeasement to give them up for lent. Nowadays the tradition is held to in a similar fashion, but pancakes have adopted a more general form.

Very much like the creme egg ethos "how do you eat yours" pancakes can be devoured and enjoyed in ways un-numbered. Whether its the simple sugar and lemon approach, the zesty crepe suzette or even an indulgent chocolate and pear approach the pancacke holds fats as a quick, easy and loveable dessert.

You will need:


120g/4oz plain flour
pinch salt
2 free-range eggs
210ml/7fl oz milk
90ml/3fl oz water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
butter, for frying

Start with flour then add wet ingredients to dry adding one egg at a time until mixed into a uniform batter. Leave to rest in a cool place for about an hour before use.

Upon using heat up a frying pan (or crepe pan if you have one). Add the butter, allow to melt then add the mix until you have a thin coating on the pan. When the edges begin to lift, turn over the pancake and allow to cook the other side.

Serve according to your preference.

Banana Bread

image courtesy of keepitsweetblog.com

I have always been fond of banana bread, but have always been under the impression of its more of a cake than bread. It has often raised discussion (sometimes heated) amongst the catering community. In retrospect all cakes are a form of bread, and such ill have to go along with it. The smell of banana bread when cooking / cooling has been known to drive people to distraction - and i used to use this to my advantage. I would have a small amount prepared to cool down in the restaurant and bar area, and people would buy it in droves. Heres the recipe i used to use, i promise that you will love it. Its food that will make you smile, again and again.

You will need:

1 Loaf tin greased and lined with silicone

250gk of self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of bicard of soda
100g of butter softened
18g caster sugar
2 eggs
250g kilo of banana, peeled and crushed
Demerara sugar

The doing bit:

Sieve flour, bicarb and baking powder

Cream together butter and sugar until white

Add the eggs one by one and with each egg add a little flour

Add the banana

Fold in the flour mix

Place in the loaf tin, sprinkle the top with Demerara sugar


Bake in a moderate oven (about 180C) until when pierced with a inkef, the blade comes out clean.

Allow to cool and devour. Its a rather beautiful thing warm.

Creme Brulee

image courtesy of bbcgoodfood.com

Probably one of the most frequent of custard desserts present on any menu is the creme brulee. It literally means "toasted cream" and is a good "vehicle" dessert platform for a variety of flavours, from simple fruit additions to diverse spice blends and other subtle infusions such as cardomom, cloves, and bay (thinking along the lines of bechamel).

You will need


750g of Double cream
15 eggs yolks
120g of Caster sugar
2 Vanilla beans split (or vanilla essence)

Cream the sugar and egg yolks till pale

Add cream and vanilla beans (or essence)

Cook the mixture out in a bain marie, whisk for 20 minutes until thick.

Once thick, pour into ramekins dishes and set in the fridge

Glaze with icing sugar and a sprinkling of water

This mix can be blended with bayleaf, these to be introduced at cook out stage

before serving toast the sugar on the top with a blowtorch to create a crunchy glaze. Alternatively they can be placed under a hot grill :)

Ideally they are well served with tuile, or similar wafer or biscuit for dipping value.