The most flavoursome puddings and desserts we've ever tasted.
Gooseberry Fool
A scrumptious, frothy summer pud that is very simple to make but needs a good whack of sugar to make it tasty for the younger members of the family.
|
 |
|
Frozen Bananas
Tamsin: For me to say these are delicious means little since my usual diet contains one if not two bananas a day. But when my son Joe said they were fantastic it really gave them the seal of approval because he hates bananas. I've never understood why. He is not a fussy eater, but ever since he was old enough to have a choice in the matter he's avoided bananas. Maybe he had banana overload in the womb. Perhaps that's why when he was born (which was not quite the straightforward birth I'd hoped for), the midwife couldn’t believe how unstressed he was. It was thanks to the potassium, high quantities of which are found in bananas, which is good for stress, heart and blood pressure.
|
 |
|
Carla's Orange Chocolate & Cream Choux 'C'
The most delicious combo of eclair pastry and orangey chocolate and cream...
|
 |
|
Cool ‘n’ Fluffy Cheesecake
This was my favourite pud as a kid but we only had it about once a year so every mouthful was savoured like manna. Good-quality, thick cream cheese makes it truly yummy, but Philly and other supermarket brands taste good too.
|
 |
|
Cranachan
A traditional Scottish pud often eaten at Burns Suppers. Originally it was made simply of crowdie (a kind of smooth curd cheese) and toasted oatmeal, but this recipe uses cream, oatmeal and raspberries instead.
|
 |
|
Christmas Pud Truffles
These funky truffles always make people laugh when they open the box – use good-quality chocolate and they’ll taste as good as they look.
|
 |
|
Crunchy Sugar Mice
An old Victorian favourite… though our kids still love a sugar mouse with a string tail. These make a neat Christmas stocking fillers for little ones.
|
 |
|
Old-fashioned Peppermint Creams
These simple, old-fashioned sweets make a great Christmas present dressed up in a pretty box. This recipe was given to Tamsin by one of her lovely volunteers at the museum. Make them about a week before you need them.
|
 |
|
Chocolate-dipped Orange Peel
One of my Christmas treats and so easy to make – a great present for the grandparents and aunts when placed in a decorated box or cellophane packet with tied with a bold ribbon.
|
 |
|
Austrian Apple Cake
This apple cake fills the kitchen with delicious yeasty smells that the kids love. Make life simple by using a bread machine for the dough.
|
 |
|
Pumpkin Pie
A spicy, sweet concoction that’s extra-delicious with a large dollop of clotted cream.
|
 |
|
Chocolate Workies
Mike: These are a childhood favourite of mine and I have managed to add them to Joe and Carla’s list of favourite puddings. Just pineapple rings, digestive biscuits and melted chocolate. They’re called ‘workies’, why I don’t fully know but it has something to do with my father eating them at work – either as a pudding served up at his canteen at Tate & Lyle (in the days when everyone stopped for a big cooked lunch in the middle of the day) or as a dessert at a works ‘do’ he and my mother attended.
|
 |
|
Danish Peasant Girl with Veil
Years ago when I first came across this Danish pudding, it was the name that seduced me to make it – and I wasn’t disappointed by the results. It’s now a family favourite: crunchy layers of toasted breadcrumbs and apple, topped with a veil of cream sprinkled with chocolate…
|
 |
|
Soft Toffee
This is a fantastically gooey toffee that can be pulled and stretched in your hands to make bite-sized pieces. We take it down to the fire on Bonfire Night or use it to make delicious mini toffee apples for Hallowe'en.
|
 |
|
Mini Toffee Apples
Sometimes a whole toffee apple can be too much. These bite-sized versions are easy for children to mould themselves, and go down very well with trick and treaters at Hallowe’en.
|
 |
|
Apple Snow
A simple dish that children really love, though parents often worry because it contains raw eggs. But then so does cake mixture and we don't think twice about letting children lick out the mixing bowl. I like to use good-quality eggs (well within date) to set my mind at rest...
|
 |
|
Apple Candy
Jane: Pinch, punch, first of the month, and Hallowe’en suddenly seems very close indeed. I’ve been pondering what to give the trick and treaters – usually I buy multi mini-packs of chocolate bars to dole out, but this year I want something seasonal, home-made and a bit more wholesome. In one old book, I came across Apple Candy, simple and pure, just apples and sugar. You core and quarter the apples (leave the skins on), and simmer in water until they’re pulpy. Drain and puree them, then add as much sugar as there is apple puree. Simmer for an hour until it turns into thick jam. Then mix in a tablespoon of rosewater and put in a baking tray to cool.
|
 |
|
Trifle in a 'Trifle'
Tamsin: Trifle. I never thought it aptly named as it’s certainly not a trifle to make - at least until I discovered Alpro soya custard. Now I always keep a packet of this delicious stuff in my larder so I can whip up a wickedly pleasurable dessert for guests in two seconds flat. This trifle has that wow factor yet takes a few minutes to assemble. I always use a home-made sponge prepared in advance but a bought one will do just as well.
|
 |
|
Anna-Louise's Redcurrant Tart
This is summer's finest tart! Every year Anna-Louise makes one and everyone we know tries to wangle an invitation to her house to taste a slice. It's originally a Roux brother's recipe and takes a while as the pastry needs some serious chilling. But it's absolutely worth the wait.
|
 |
|
Redcurrant Yogurt Ice-Cream
This has a lovely strong fruity kick to it, and because it uses single cream and yoghurt, it’s lighter in texture than most home-made ice-creams.
|
 |
|
Zany Pavlova
There is no nicer bubbly dessert than crunchy, air-filled pockets of meringue, and this colourful version always brings a 'wow' factor to the table.
|
 |
|
Orange and Rhubarb Crumble
This rich and oaty crumble is scrumptious topped with the sharp rawness of a dollop of creme fraiche.
|
 |
|
Junket
We're on a mission to bring back junket, a gentle milky pudding that was traditionally eaten on May Day. In Penzance, young people used to leave the inns on May Eve at midnight and tour local farmhouses to 'partake of junket, made of raw milk and rennet, sweetened with sugar, and a little cream added, followed by heavy cake and rum and milk.' It's a good, healthy, everyday family pud.
|
 |
|
Vanilla Ice-Cream with Orange Toffee and Cowslips
The first ice-cream of the year? No, well, at least it's the first topped with home-made toffee and edible flowers from the garden.
|
 |
|
