Decadent Desserts --mmmmm
150 g dark cooking chocolate, melted
8 teas coffee and chicory essence
125 g unsalted butter
125 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
125 g (1 cup) ground almonds
60 g (1 cup) fresh brown breadcrumbs
4 large eggs, separated.
ICING - 200 g dark cooking chocolate, 125 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream, whipped cream and chocolate fans to decorate.
Preheat oven to 180 Celsius. Grease and line base of 23cm springform cake tin. In small bowl mix together the melted chocolate and coffee/chicory essence.
In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in almonds, breadcrumbs, egg yolks and melted chocolate mixture.
Whisk egg whites until stiff. Mix 2 tab. egg whites into chocolate mixture to slacken it. Fold in remaining egg whites.
Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until firm.
Turn out onto a wire cooling rack to cool and cover with slightly damp, clean teatowel for 5 minutes. Remove teatowel and allow to cool completely.
For the icing, melt chocolate in top of double-boiler over gently simmering water. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream with a balloon whisk.
While icing is still warm, pour over cake and allow to set. Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate fans.
this is a very rich moist cake and can be served as cake or a dessert.
When icing .. set cake in a wire cooling rack over a plate before pouring icing over. This allows extra icing to run off cake without leaving a mess around the base.
Crust -
3/4 cup (100g) plain flour, 100 g butter softened, 1 teas cinnamon,
40 g finely chopped almonds, 1/4 cup (40 g) brown sugar.
Filling -
150 g unsalted butter softened , 2/3 cup (150 g) caster sugar, 2 eggs,
100g White cooking chocolate melted, 200 g fresh raspberries.
To make crust -- gently combine flour, butter and cinnamon. Add almonds and brown sugar and mix until a soft paste is formed.
Press mixture into a lightly greased 23 cm round springform cake pan and bake at 180C (350F) for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Allow to cool in pan.
To make Filling -- cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and when combined, fold mixture through the melted chocolate.
Fold through the fresh raspberries and pour the mixture directly on top of cooled base. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Decorate with extra fresh raspberries and chocolate curls and serve immediately.
Makes enough for 12 serves.
125 g unsalted butter; 125 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar ; 4 large eggs;
100g (3/4 cup) ground almonds ; 100 g dark cooking chocolate, melted;
60 g (1/2 cup) plain flour ; 60 g (1/2 cup) cornflour; 2 teas. baking powder.
Filling & Topping --
125 ml (1/2 cup) kirsch or white rum; 1/4 cup black cherry jam;
680 g jar morello cherries in syrup, drained and pitted;
600 ml thickened cream, whipped ; 100 g chocolate curls (Flake ).
Grease and line the bases of 3 x 20 cm sandwich cake tins. preheat oven to 180C. In mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer, until light and creamy. Beat in almonds, eggs and melted chocolate.
Sift flour, cornflour and baking powder over the mixture and fold in with large metal spoon.
Divide mixture between the 3 prepared cake tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and firm to touch.
Turn out onto a wire cooling rack to fully cool. Once cake has cooled slightly removing lining paper.
Sprinkle each cake with 8 teaspoons of kirsch or rum. Spread a layer of jam, cherries and half whipped cream over 2 of the cakes. Put one on top of the other and top with remaining cake.
Spread remaining cream over cake. Press on the chocolate curls and serve.
This is a winner to serve at any time! Make chocolate curls with a vegetable peeler and block of chocolate that is well-chilled.
250 g sweet wholemeal biscuits, crushed; 1/2 teas ground cinnamon;
100 g unsalted butter, melted ; 125 g strawberries, hulled ; 4 teas. caster sugar.
Filling & Decoration -
500 g low-fat, reduced salt cottage cheese, chilled;
90 g (1/2 cup) icing sugar;
200 g natural yogurt;
8 teas. lemon juice;
3 teas gelatine;
125 g strawberries ; sprigs of lemon balm or mint to decorate.
Mix together crushed biscuits, cinnamon and butter in mixing bowl. Use to line the base and side of a 23 cm. ceramic fluted flan dish. Chill for 10 minutes.
Puree strawberries and sugar in good processer and spread over biscuit base.
(alternatively use a good quality strawberry jam instead).
Sieve cottage cheese and icing sugar into mixing bowl, add yoghurt and mix well. Put lemon juice in small nonreactive pan; sprinkle gelatine over.
Dissolve over a very low heat.
Remove from heat and stir in a little of the cheese mixture into gelatine mixture. Add to remaining cheese mixture and mix well. Spoon into crumb crust case.
Chill for 4 hours. Decorate with strawberries and lemon balm just before serving.
This needs no baking and is a wonderful dessert which serves 8 to 10
1/3 cup or 80 ml golden syrup,
2 eggs,
1/3 cup evaporated milk;
1/2 cup or 100g firmly packed brown sugar,
3/4 cup or 100 g self-raising flour;
1/2 teas bicarbonate of soda.
Chocolate Sauce - 300 ml thickened cream
Lightly grease 4 ovenproof moulds (with 1 cup capacity at least). pour 1 tab. syrup over base of each mould. Beat eggs and sugar in small bowl with mixer, about 5 minutes or until thick. Stir in milk and butter; fold in sifted flour and soda.
Spoon mixture into prepared moulds, cover with greased greaseproof paper then foil; secure with string. Place moulds in electric frypan or large shallow pan.
Pur enough boiling water into frypan to come halfway up sides of moulds. Cover pan, boil about 20 minutes or until puddings are firm. Turn the puddings out, serve warm with chocolate sauce.
Chocolate Sauce -- combine cream and sugar in pan; stir over heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil, remove from heat. Add chocoalte and liqueur, stir until chocolate is melted.
Serves 4 and puddings can be frozen.
500 g rhubarb chopped ; 2 tabs. caster sugar; 10 sheets filo pastry; 100 g butter,melted; 1 tab. flaked almonds.
Filling - 250 g packet cream cheese;
1/2 teas vanilla essence; 1/2 cup or 100g caster sugar.
Layer 5 pastry sheets together, brushing each with some of the butter; cut in half crossways to form 2 squares. (to prevent drying out of pastry, cover with damp tea-towel until ready to use).
Place 1/3 cup filling in centre of 1 edge end; top with 1/4 cup rhubarb mixture.
Roll once, fold ends in, roll up. Place strudel on greased oven tray,brush with little more melted butter; sprinkle with almonds.
Repeat with remaining pastry, butter, filling, rhubarb mix and almonds.
Bake, uncovered, in moderately hot oven about 15m inutes or until studels are lightly browned.
Serve dusted with sifted icing sugar.
Filling - beat cheese, essence and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
serves 4 and not suitable for freezing
250 g (2 cups) plain flour; 125 g butter cubed; 4 teaspoons caster sugar; 1 egg;
2 teas lemon juice; 8-12 teas. chilled water.
FILLING - 1 kg cooking apples (about 5); 125 g (1/2 cup) white sugar;
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon; 20g butter; 2 eggs, separated;
90 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar ; glaceed julienne of lemon rind and mint leaves to decorate.
Preheat oven to 220C. Place flour and butter in food processor and mix to texture of breadcrumbs. Add sugar, egg yolk and lemon juice; mix for 10 seconds.
Add 4 teas. water and mix for 10 seconds, repeating until a dough forms which leaves the sides of bowl. Press dough into a disc shape, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill for 20 minutes.
Peel, core and thinly slice apples in pan. Add sugar, lemon rind and juice.
Cover and cook on a medium heat until apples bubble, then stew for 15 minutes, stirring twice.
Pour apple mixture into food processor and mix to smooth puree. Add butter and egg yolks and mix for 30 seconds.
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 23 cm flan tin. Prick base. Line with square of greaseproof paper and layer of dried beans. Bake "blind" for 10 minutes; remove paper and beans.
Reduce oven temperature to 180C. Pour apple mixture into pastry; bake for 15 minutes, until filling is almost firm.
Whisk 3 egg whites in clean polished bowl until stiff. Whisk sugar in gradually.
Swirl meringue mixture over apple filling with plastic spatula. Bake for further 15 minutes. Serve warm, decorated with lemon rind and mint leaves.
2 cups (300g) plain flour;
1 tab caster sugar; 1 tab lemon juice;
150 g cold butter, chopped;
1/3 cup (80 ml) cold milk;
1 kg (3 large) pears, peeled & quartered;
250 g frozen blackberries;
1 teas grated lemon rind; 1 tab milk extra;
1/3 cup (75) caster sugar, extra;
30 g butter, chopped, extra.
Press dough into a ball, knead gently on lightly floured surface until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll pastry between sheets of baking paper until about 3 mm thick. Lift pastry into prepared dish, ease into side; do not trim edge.
Place pears and frozen blackberries in pastry case, sprinkle with juice, rind and extra sugar, dot with extra butter.
Bring pastry up over filling, brushing pastry lightly with extra milk. Place dish on oven tray, bake in moderately hot oven about 40 minutes, or until pastry is browned.
Dust with sifted icing sugar if desired.
Serves 6, and not suitable to freeze
2 x 425g cans pitted black cherries;
1 tab cornflour; 2 tab. water;
340g packet golden buttercake mix;
1/3 cup (40g) ground almonds; 2 eggs;
1 cup (250 ml) milk; 60 g butter, softened;
1/3 cup (65g) firmly packed brown sugar;
1/2 cup (40g) flaked almonds.
Pour hot cherry mixture into prepared dish.
Place ingredients from cake mix sachet (without adding any ingredients listed on packet) in medium bowl of electric mixer; add ground almonds, eggs, milk and butter. Beat on low speed until ingredients combined; then beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.
Spread cake mixture over cherries in dish, sprinkle with combined brown sugar and flaked almonds.
Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven for 30 minutes or until firm.
serves 8 and not suitable freeze
125 g butter ; 2 eggs; 1 cup (150ml) self-raising flour; 1 teas ground nutmeg;
1/2 cup (100g) firmly packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts; 1/2 teas. ground ginger ;
1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk; 2 medium (400g) firm pears, peeled & quartered.
Caramel Sauce -- 60 g butter ; 1/2 cup (100g) firmly packed brown sugar;
3/4 cup (180 ml) cream.
Grease a pudding steamer (9 cup capacity), line base with round of baking paper. Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and creamy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beat well between additions. Stir in sifted flour, nutmeg and ginger with nuts and buttermilk.
Spoon 2/3 of mixture into prepared steamer, spread to come 2/3 of way up side of steamer. Arrange pears in steamer, allowing a little space between each, with thin ends point downwards to centre. Spoon remaining pudding mixture into basin, smooth top to cover pears.
Cover steamer with sheet of foil, place on oven tray. Bake in moderate oven for 1 1/4 hours. Stand pudding for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve with Caramel Sauce.
Caramel Sauce - combine all ingredients in pan, stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil; simmer, stirring, about 5 minutes, or until thickened slightly.
serves 8, and not suitable to freeze.
Updated 2 January 2004