Category Archives: Desserts

Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake

  • For 22cm springform caketin
  • 250g shortbread fingers
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 200g white chocolate
  • 400g cream cheese
  • 200g fromage frais
  • 250g strawberries – 2/3 choped and rest sliced to decorate
  • Extra white choc to melt and drizzle over the top

Crush biscuits and mix with melted butter.

Press into base of caketin.

Melt chocolate on low heat in microwave and set aside.

Beat together cream cheese and fromage frais.

Add chocolate and chopped strawberries.

Spoon onto biscuit base and chill for 4 hours.

decorate with sliced strawberries and a drizzle of melted white choc

Margaret’s Lemon Icicle

  • 300ml/1/2 pint double cream
  • 3 eggs separated
  • 110g/4oz caster sugar
  • 2 lemons rind and juice

1. Line loaf tin with clingfilm.

2. Whisk whites gradually and add sugar.

3. Whisk cream with egg yolks and fold it evenly into the whites with the rind and juice.

4. Pour into loaf tin and freeze.

5. To serve turn out and allow 10 minutes at room temperature. Slice and serve with a raspberry sauce.

Easy Australian Pavlova

  • 2 egg whites
  • 12g caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 4 tbsp boiling water

1. Place all ingredients into small bowl of an electric mixer, beat onhigh speed until the mixture is very stiff. Spread onto prepared trays, either one 11 inch pavlova or 15 small shells.
2. For the large pavlova, bake in a moderate oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to slow and bake for a further 45 minutes. Cool in oven. For small shells, bake in moderate oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to slow and bake for a further 30 minutes. Cool in oven.

White Chocolate Terrine with Mocha Sauce

  • 300g/10oz white chocolate with hazelnuts
  • 6 tbsp milk
  • 50g/2oz ratafia biscuits
  • 3 tbsp Tia Maria
  • 125g/4oz soft unsalted butter
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 300ml/1/2 pint lightly whipped double cream
  • 150g/6oz dark chocolate
  • 300ml/1/2 pint water
  • 2 tsp corn flour
  • 2 tsp instant coffee
  • 1 tbsp Tia Maria
  • 1 tbsp double cream

40 minutes preparation

1. Break the white chocolate into a pan, add the milk and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until melted. Pour into a bowl.

2. Meanwhile spread the ratafia biscuits over the base of a dish and sprinkle with the 3 tablespoons of Tia Maria.

3. Beat the butter into the melted chocolate, add the egg yolks then fold in the whipped cream.

4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff then fold them into the chocolate mixture. Finally add the ratafia biscuits. Do not add any left over Tia Maria or the terrine may separate. Pour into a 1kg/2lb loaf tin that has been lined with clear film.

5. Cover and freeze for at least four hours, or overnight.

6. To make the sauce: put the dark chocolate into a pan with all but a tablespoon of the water and heat gently until the chocolate has melted. Stir the cornflour and coffee into the reserved water then add to the pan stirring until smooth and thickened. Add the tablespoon of Tia Maria. Cover the surface of the sauce with clear film to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool.

7. To serve, remove the terrine from the freezer and peel away the cling film. Pour the mocha sauce onto large plates then place a slice of the terrine on top. Place a drop of cream on the sauce and run a cocktail stick through the centre to make a heart.

Makes 12 portions