Cranachan

Sweet summer raspberries folded into cream flavoured with honey, whisky and toasted oatmeal - what could be more delicious?

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

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  529

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  18g

• Fat

  48g

• Saturates

  27g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  0.06g

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp medium oatmeal
• 300g fresh British raspberries
• a little caster sugar
• 350ml double cream (we used Jersey double cream)
• 2 tbsp heather honey
• 2-3 tbsp whisky, to taste

Directions

1. To toast the oatmeal, spread it out on a baking sheet and grill until it smells rich and nutty. It will not darken quickly, so use your sense of smell to tell you when it is nutty enough. Cool the oatmeal.
2. Make a raspberry purée by crushing half the fruit and sieving. Sweeten this to taste with a little caster sugar. Whisk the double cream until just set, and stir in the honey and whisky, trying not to over-whip the cream. Taste the mix and add more of either if you feel the need.
3. Stir in the oatmeal and whisk lightly until the mixture is just firm. Alternate layers of the cream with the remaining whole raspberries and purée in 4 serving dishes. Allow to chill slightly before eating.

Read More

Honey Yogurt Cheesecake

Bring a touch of Mediterranean magic to your table with this no-fuss bake that can be made ahead

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  789

• Protein

  12g

• Carbs

  40g

• Fat

  65g

• Saturates

  36g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  34g

• Salt

  0.67g

Ingredients

• 100g amaretti biscuits (or ginger or digestive biscuits)
• 85g toasted, flaked almonds
• 85g butter, melted
• 250ml Greek yogurt
• 750g mascarpone
• 2 eggs
• zest 1 lemon
• zest 1 orange
• 250ml honey (orange blossom is particularly good)
• fresh fruit, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Crush the biscuits and most of the almonds inside a plastic food bag using a rolling pin. Mix with the butter, then press into the bottom of a deep, oval, 23cm dish (or something similar in size-a roasting tin, baking dish or cake tin will work). Bake for 10 mins until crisp.
2. Stir or mash together the yogurt and mascarpone, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the lemon and orange zests, then stir in most of the honey, reserving about 3 tbsp. Spread over the biscuit base, cover loosely with foil and cook for 1 hr. Remove the foil and cook for 15 mins more until lightly golden and the top is firm with just the slightest wobble in the middle. Leave to cool. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.
3. To serve, scatter with almonds, drizzle over the remaining honey, and hand around fresh fruit to go with it.

Read More

Blueberry & Coconut Cake

This dairy-free dessert is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and is even freezer-friendly

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr - 1 hr, 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  387

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  47g

• Fat

  24g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  22g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 250ml rice bran oil, plus extra for the tin
• 3 eggs
• 225g caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g self-raising flour
• 50g desiccated coconut
• 175ml soya milk
• 140g fresh or frozen blueberries, plus extra to serve
• icing sugar, to dust

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease a 22cm Bundt or ring tin. Whisk the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Combine the flour and coconut. Alternately, fold the flour mix and soya milk into the wet ingredients, starting and ending with the flour.
2. Spoon a quarter into the tin. Fold the blueberries into the remaining batter, then spoon into the tin. Bake for 1-1¼ hrs, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cover the cake with foil if it browns too quickly.
3. Cool in tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Fill centre of the cake with extra blueberries and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Read More

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