Lemon Posset With Sugared-Almond Shortbread

Making your own, individual citrus set puddings is even more impressive when served with homemade biscuits for scooping out the cream

• Cooking Time Prep 35 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  843

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  55g

• Fat

  68g

• Saturates

  39g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  43g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 600ml double cream
• 200g golden caster sugar
• zest 3 lemons, plus 75ml juice
• For the shortbread
• 140g cold butter, diced
• 140g plain flour
• 85g golden caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 50g ground rice (or more flour if you can't find it)
• 85g flaked almonds

Directions

1. Make the posset first. Put the cream in a big saucepan with the sugar and gently heat, stirring, until the sugar has melted. Bring to a simmer and bubble for 1 min. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Divide between pots or bowls, cool to room temperature, then carefully cover and chill for at least 3 hrs, or up to 24 hrs.
2. To make the shortbread, heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Whizz the butter and flour together in a food processor until no lumps of butter remain (or rub together with your fingertips). Tip into a bowl and stir in the sugar, ground rice and almonds. Line the base of a roughly 22cm square tin with baking parchment. Tip in the mixture and press it down firmly, making it as flat as you can. Dredge with more sugar and bake for 25-30 mins until pale golden. Cool in the tin.
3. Cut the shortbread into shards and serve with the possets and little spoons.

Read More

Apple Pear & Cherry Compote

Great as an easy dessert for Sunday lunch, then use for breakfasts and midweek puds

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12 portions

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  199

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  51g

• Fat

  1g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  47g

• Salt

  0.03g

Ingredients

• 8 eating apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 4 medium Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 8 firm pears, peeled, cored and thickly sliced
• 6 tbsp sugar, or to taste
• 280g dried sour cherries (or dried cranberries)

Directions

1. Put the apples and pears in a pan with the sugar and 50ml water. Bring to a simmer, then gently cook, covered, for 15 mins or so until the Bramley apple has collapsed to a purée and the eating apple and pear are tender (stir to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom).
2. Stir in the cherries or cranberries for 1 min, taste and add a little more sugar if necessary. Can be chilled for 3-5 days. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if you like. See 'Goes well with' for ideas for using up the compote.

Read More

Fruity Summer Charlotte

An easy and healthy pudding bursting with summer flavour, perfect for a family treat

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  262

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  47g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  33g

• Salt

  43g

Ingredients

• 500g summer fruit (we used raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)
• 4 tbsp demerara sugar
• 7 slices from a small cinnamon and raisin loaf (we used Waitrose's Richly fruited sliced loaf)
• 25g butter, softened
• crème fraîche or fromage frais, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tumble ¾ of the berries into a medium baking dish. Whizz the remainder of the berries in a food processor to make a purée, then stir this into the dish along with 2 tbsp sugar.
2. Spread the loaf slices with butter, then cut into triangles. Cover the top of the fruit with the bread slices, then scatter with the rest of the sugar. Cover with foil, bake for 10 mins, uncover the dish, then bake for 5 mins more until the fruit is starting to bubble and the bread is toasty. Serve with dollops of crème fraîche or fromage frais.

Read More

Vanilla Jellies With Apricot & Raspberry Compote

This panna cotta-style dessert reminds Mary Cadogan of the milk lollies she enjoyed as a girl

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  221

• Protein

  12g

• Carbs

  40g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  40g

• Salt

  0.23g

Ingredients

• 4 sheets leaf gelatine
• 600ml milk
• 50g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp for compote
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or rosewater
• 500g apricots
• 3 tbsp apple juice
• 100g raspberries

Directions

1. Soak the gelatine for 10 mins in enough cold water to cover the leaves. Bring the milk and 50g sugar slowly to the boil, gently stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract or rosewater. Remove gelatine from soaking water, squeeze out water, then stir into the milk until it has dissolved. Pour the jellies into 4 x 150ml moulds, cups or ramekins. Cool, then chill until set, about 3 hrs.
2. Halve and stone the apricots, then cut each half into 4. Put in a pan with the apple juice and 2 tbsp sugar, then bring to a simmer. Gently cook for about 5 mins until the apricots are tender, but not pulpy. Remove from the heat, stir in the raspberries, then leave to cool.
3. Turn the jellies out onto 4 plates, then spoon compote around the edge.

Read More

Tropical Fruits In Lemongrass Syrup

Lemongrass adds an intriguing citrus taste and fragrance to the syrup for this exotic fruit salad

• Cooking Time Ready in 10-15 minutes
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  172

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  44g

• Fat

  0g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  18g

• Salt

  0.02g

Ingredients

• 425g can lychees in syrup
• 2 stems lemongrass, halved and bashed with a rolling pin
• 85g golden caster sugar
• 2 x 425g cans fresh mixed tropical fruits
• 100g seedless red grapes
• 6 macaroons or coconut biscuits, to serve

Directions

1. Drain the lychees juice into a pan and put the lychees in a large serving bowl. Add the lemongrass and sugar to the pan, heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and set aside-the lemongrass will add flavour as it cools.
2. Strain the syrup over the lychees and tip in the fruits. Chill. Serve with macaroons.

Read More

The Ultimate Makeover Vanilla Ice Cream

Angela Nilsen creates a luscious ice cream that is creamy, fresh and - wait for it.... low-fat!

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes enough for 8 scoops

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  148

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  17g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  15g

• Salt

  0.11g

Ingredients

• 85g golden granulated sugar or caster
• 1½ tsp custard powder
• 1½ tsp cornflour
• 500ml full-fat milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways
• 200ml carton half-fat crème fraîche
• lightly crushed raspberries or strawberries, to serve

Directions

1. Freeze the canister from the ice-cream machine a day before you make the ice cream (if your machine requires you to). Next day, mix the sugar, custard powder and cornflour with 2 tbsp milk to make a thin paste. Beat in egg yolks. Pour the rest of the milk into a pan, scrape in the vanilla seeds, add the pod, then bring to the boil. Pour this slowly over the cornflour mix, stirring all the time as you do so. Clean the pan, then pour the milk mixture and vanilla pod back into it. Cook over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until it just comes to the boil and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2. Remove from the heat, stir in the crème fraîche, then pour into a bowl. Place a piece of greaseproof paper over the surface to prevent a skin forming, then leave to cool. Put into the fridge until really cold for at least 4-5 hrs (preferably overnight).
3. Remove the paper and vanilla pod from the custard, then transfer the custard into a jug. Turn on the ice cream machine, then slowly pour in the custard. Leave to churn for 10-30 mins (depending on your machine). When it stops, spoon into a plastic container, cover with cling film and a lid, then freeze for at least 3-4 hrs. (Will keep for up to 1 month. Do not re-freeze.) For the best taste, remove from the freezer and soften in the fridge for 1-1½ hrs before serving. Serve with fresh fruit.

Read More

Blackberry Zabaglione

Italian zabaglione is lovely rippled with a few crushed berries for a quick, outstanding dessert

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  205

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  32g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  32g

• Salt

  0.04g

Ingredients

• 400g blackberries
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod
• 3 tbsp marsala or sweet wine

Directions

1. In a bowl, lightly crush the berries with 25g of the sugar. Add a spoonful to the bottom of 6 small glasses, then set the rest of the berry mixture aside.
2. Bring some water to a gentle simmer in a medium-size saucepan and tip the egg yolks into a large heatproof bowl. Halve and scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the egg yolks and add the remaining sugar. Using an electric whisk, beat until light and airy. Splash in the Marsala, place the bowl over the pan of simmering water, then whisk your heart out for 10-12 mins until the egg yolks are thick and foamy and the whisk leaves a defined trail. Drain off some of the juice, then ripple the remaining berries through the mousse and spoon into the glasses.

Read More

Raspberry & Lemon Brandy Baskets

A healthy choice dessert - make it and use up the last of those pick-your-own raspberries

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  159

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  21g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  15g

• Salt

  0.16g

Ingredients

• 150g punnet raspberries
• 6 tbsp fromage frais
• 2 tbsp lemon curd
• 4 ready-made brandy snap baskets
• 1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

Directions

1. Reserve a few raspberries for decoration. Put the rest in a bowl and mash roughly with a fork. Fold in the fromage frais and the lemon curd and divide the mixture between the brandy snap baskets. Top with the remaining raspberries and almonds, then serve straight away.

Read More

Cheat's Clafoutis

Try this easy, low fat, no-fuss cherry and lemon version of the classic French clafoutis

• Cooking Time Prep 45 mins - 55 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  532

• Protein

  23g

• Carbs

  92g

• Fat

  11g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  38g

• Salt

  0.66g

Ingredients

• 450g cherries, pitted
• 2 tbsp cherry, plum or apricot jam
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 50g plain flour
• 3 large eggs
• 450ml skimmed milk
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp golden caster sugar
• icing sugar, to dust

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 170C. Lightly oil a shallow 1.3 litre baking dish. Gently heat the cherries and jam in a large saucepan, stirring all the time until the jam melts over the cherries. Tip them into the dish and sprinkle with the lemon zest and juice.
2. Whizz the flour, eggs, milk, cinnamon and sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds until smooth. Pour over the cherries, then put the dish on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the custard is set and the jam is beginning to bubble through. Dust with icing sugar and serve hot.

Read More

Angela's Summer Pudding

Angela Nilsen discovers a stunning new way for a classic fruity British dessert

• Cooking Time Takes 1½ hours, plus overnight chilling
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  245

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  55g

• Fat

  1g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  35g

• Salt

  0.29g

Ingredients

• 1.15kg British summer fruits (Angela liked 350g/12oz raspberries, 350g/12oz small strawberries, 300g/10oz blackcurrants, 175g/6oz redcurrants, but this is not definitive - experiment with your own blend and try mixing in loganberries and tayberries)
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 5 tbsp Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) or crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur)
• 2-3 day-old small unsliced farmhouse white loaf of bread (you will need about 5 slices)
• double cream, to serve

Directions

1. Firstly, get all the fruit ready. Hull the strawberries and cut them in halves or quarters depending on how big they are. Strip the blackcurrants and redcurrants from their stalks in one fell swoop by running a fork down the length of each stem-keep both the currants separate from the other fruits.
2. Tip the sugar into a wide, not too deep, saucepan. Measure in 3 tbsp water and the cassis. Put the pan on a low heat and cook, stirring often, until you can no longer hear the crunch of sugar grains on the bottom of the pan. When the sugar is dissolved, turn up the heat to medium-high and let the mixture bubble away for about 8 minutes. It will go quite syrupy and you want to catch it just before it starts to change colour or caramelise.
3. Now tip the blackcurrants and redcurrants into the hot syrup, it will feel quite sticky at first, then bring everything back up to a lively simmer and let it bubble again for no more than a minute, just to lightly burst and soften the currants without losing their shape. Take the pan off the heat and leave until it is barely warm.
4. Gently stir in the strawberries and raspberries-a large metal spoon is best so they don't break up-and let the fruity mixture sit for about half an hour so the juices all mix in.
5. Cut 4-5 slices from the loaf, about 5mm thick, and trim off the crusts. Cut a little square (about 4cm) from one slice and put it in the bottom of a 1.2 litre pudding basin. Using a big slotted spoon, put a layer of fruit (about 3 spoonfuls) over the bread. Next lay a slice of bread in the centre over the fruit trimming to fit and fill any gaps with trimmings of bread so the fruit is covered. Continue layering with more fruit, more bread, then a final layer of fruit so it comes to within a hair's breadth of the top of the basin. Spoon over a few spoonfuls of juice-not too much or it will ooze out when weighted down. (You should have about 4 spoonfuls of fruit and juice left for making a sauce.) Cover the fruit with a final layer of bread, press down to compact everything, then cover with cling film. Lay a saucer on top and weight down with heavy cans or weights. Stand the basin on a plate in case any juices spill out, then leave in the fridge overnight, or for a minimum of five hours. Press the leftover fruits and juice through a metal sieve to make a sauce, keep chilled. (You can freeze the pudding and the sauce at this stage for up to a month.)
6. To turn out, go round the edge of the pudding with a round-bladed knife to release it, then invert it on to a plate. Cut into slices with a serrated knife and serve with a drizzle of the fruit sauce and cream.

Read More