Lemon & Lime Pudding

This is another dish which, I think, is lovely during the springtime. The texture is delicate and light, the flavours are pure and intense, making it absolutely beautiful to eat.
It is actually a soufflé but don’t let that put you off from making it. Its not supposed to be a big, puffy number. The recipe contains baking powder, and is baked in a wide dish, rather than the traditional ramekin, making it pretty much foolproof. Made this way the texture remains like chiffon- airy and fragile.
The amount of sugar you use will depend on how acidic your lemons and limes are. I use homemade vanilla sugar, because I have a huge jar of it. It’s fine to use caster sugar too, if that’s what you’ve have available.

Components
10g flour
10g cultured, unsalted butter
125ml milk
50- 100g real vanilla sugar
2 free range eggs, separated
5g baking powder
Enough lemons and limes to make 125ml juice
½ tsp each finely chopped lemon and lime zest

Process
Preheat the oven to 180c. Butter a baking dish. Mine is 26cm by 18cm.
Make a roux with the butter and flour, but do not allow it to brown.
Add the milk and 50g sugar. Cook, stirring all the time it until it has thickened.
Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool a little.
Beat in the egg yolks and baking powder, followed by the citrus juices and zests. Taste the mixture, and add more sugar if you think it needs it (the lemons and limes I used were quiet acidic, I needed close to 100g sugar all up).
Beat the whites until they are white and fluffy.
Fold the egg whites into the lemon/lime mixture.
Pour into the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until just set and lightly golden on top.
Dust with icing sugar and serve with unsweetened cream.
Makes 2 generous serves.

Darkest Chocolate Mousse

Components:
150g first-rate dark chocolate (85% cocoa fat), broken into pieces
15g unsalted cultured butter
1 free-range egg
30ml amaretto, brandy, cognac, rum etc or other liqueur
or espresso coffee (freshly brewed)
2 free-range egg whites
50g authentic vanilla sugar (or caster sugar)
250ml cream (35% fat)


Process:
Over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter in the bowl you intend to serve the mousse. Do not allow the bowl to touch the hot water- chocolate is a very sensitive product and will burn if it becomes too warm.
Remove the bowl from the heat and blend in the egg and chosen liqueur or coffee.
In a separate bowl, pound the egg whites with a whisk until they form soft peaks.
Continue to whisk the egg whites, adding the vanilla sugar 1 tsp at a time, until all the sugar has been incorporated. The egg whites should be thick and glossy (i.e. meringue).
Fold a few spoonfuls of the meringue into the chocolate to soften the mixture, and then fold in the rest of the meringue using a large metal spoon.
Whip the cream in a separate bowl.
Fold the whipped cream very, very tenderly into the chocolate meringue. Do not overwork the mixture- the cream will turn to butter, if combined too aggressively.
Make even the surface of the mousse using a spoon or spatula, and wipe the edges of the bowl with a tissue.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Decorate the chocolate mousse as you wish. I like to adorn mine with excellent cocoa powder and rosettes of whipped cream. Serves four people.

Red on Red

It took a while for me to warm to rhubarb. Coming from a Latino background, I did not grow up eating it like the Aussie kids did and for quite a few years I thought the idea of cooking red sour stalks as a dessert, was just absolutely bizarre.
But I did eventually come to the rhubarb party, and now I wouldn’t say I love it, but I do enjoy it from time to time. During the wintertime, it’s comforting to have some in the fridge ready to go, to combine with apples and bake as a crumble.
This recipe came about as a way of using up some pomegranates, which were very ripe, and in immediate need of use. Red on red - it works for me. The result was deliciously tart and sexy.

Rhubarb and Pomegranate

Ingredients
1 bunch of rhubarb
Caster Sugar
Juice of 2 very ripe pomegranates
1 cinnamon stick

Method
Wash and trim the rhubarb. Cut the stalks into about 5 cm lengths.
Place them into a baking dish in one layer.
Pour over the pomegranate juice, plenty of sugar to taste and the cinnamon stick.
Bake at 150C for 30 minutes. Baking the rhubarb prevents it from turning into an unappetizing mush. Try not to stir the produce.
Cool and eat with rich cream to balance the acidity, or cinnamon infused crème anglaise.
Keeps for about 1 week, in the refrigerator.

Polenta, Hazelnut, Walnut and Mandarin Cake

Last month, I decided to host a birthday feast for a precious friend of mine. This is a rather novel occasion for a person such as myself as I do not usually have company and when I do so, my parties tend to be of an informal nature. But for this episode, I wanted to impress my dearly loved comrade- it was his birthday after all.
So the for the first installment, I decided upon homemade pumpkin and white truffle ravioli, served in a crystal clear beef consommé. Twice-cooked duck followed the first course. The fowl was first poached in a red wine stock, glazed with sugar and balsamic vinegar and roasted. The result was crispy bronzed duck, served with a red wine jus and cumin roasted carrots. Very chic. To close the palate, the main dish was followed by a cold, cannellini bean, coriander leaf and lemon salad. For dessert I created my own cake for the occasion. No cookbook formulas or recipes, just my imagination and personal performance. Uncomplicated and triumphant, it consisted of polenta, nuts and mandarin. The birthday cake was served with cointreau infused Crème Chantilly.
Now, you may be thinking “How remarkable!” The only problem is that by the time the guests had arrived I was ready to overdose on Valium, jump off my balcony, or simply run far, far away and never return (probably to a mental institution). I am not used to cooking for a crowd, only for two people. Or three at the most. And entertaining a stylish three course meal was just too much for my pretty little head.
The moral of the story is: I will never host a dinner party ever again in my life. Luckily, my sane and levelheaded partner saved the night, simply by throwing me out of my kitchen and taking control!
Once again, thank you for saving me, I love you Mike.

Ingredients
225g cultured unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
110g ground hazelnuts
110g ground walnuts
1 vanilla pod, seeds only
3 free range eggs, lightly beaten
Juice from ½ mandarin
Zest from 1 mandarin
115g yellow polenta
5g baking powder
pinch sea salt

Method
Remove the butter from the fridge and leave it at room temperature to soften.
Preheat the oven to 160C.
Cream the softened butter, sugar and vanilla seeds until fluffy.
Add the nuts and eggs in an alternating fashion.
Mix in the zest, juice, polenta, baking powder and sea salt.
Spoon the cake mixture into a paper lined, greased and floured round cake tin (1.3 litre capacity). I did not keep in mind the amount of time the cake took to set- I was performing other traumatic dinner party tasks at the same time. I am guessing it ought to take about 30 minutes to bake to an appealing golden brown.
Dust with icing sugar & serve with cointreau flavoured Crème Chantilly.
You should get about 4- 6 slices from this quantity. It all depends on how gluttonous you are!

PS. Happy Birthday Glenn.

Paskha

The following post is probably a week too late. But, as they say it is better late than never, and I guess this way you will be well prepared for next Easter. Well actually the reason why I am late with this story is because I wanted to wait and try the genuine thing before I devised my own version and wrote of it. And for this thing I had to wait until Easter Sunday.
What exactly is this “thing”?
It is Paskha. For those who don’t know what Paskha is, allow me the pleasure of introducing you.


Paskha is Russian for a very rich dessert made from fresh cream cheese, sweetened with sugar and enriched with egg yolk, butter and cream. It is flavoured with citrus zest, spices or vanilla and may also contain dried or glace fruits and nuts. This divinely rich cheese is pressed into a mould and is allowed to drain over night. It is served on Easter Sunday to accompany the traditional yeast raised bread, known as Kulich. The whole thing comes together like a deconstructed cheesecake and is just heavenly. It is possibly the richest dessert imaginable to human kind, and I am so in love with it. Much the same way that I am with my boyfriend.
Even though I had heard of Paskha, Easter Sunday lunch was my first taste. I had the privilege to celebrate Russian Easter with my partners extended family. I also was allowed the recipe and secrets of making Paskha, from the host of the lunch, Christine. Other family members had their own versions of making Paskha, which were communicated to me, along with a few vodka shots. From this family gathering, and through my own independent research during the past week, I devised my own formula. Why? Simply because I like to work on culinary ideas, and to interpret them to my way of thinking, making them my own, if not better than the original.
You will notice I haven’t provided a recipe for the Easter bread. Kulich requires a bit more skill to master than Paskha. I will work on that during the next 12 months. The one you see in the photo, I bought from the local Russian bakery.
In the meantime I hope you enjoy this sweet treat as much as I do. One Russian food writer I came across said, “this dish is so rich that all but the most hardy (or gluttonous) are able to eat more than a few spoonfuls”. I don’t think I need to tell you which one of those two descriptions I am!

Ingredients
500g European style cream cheese (full fat)
115g cultured unsalted butter
220g caster sugar
3 free range egg yolks
160ml sour cream (full fat)
½ tsp very finely chopped lemon zest
½ tsp very finely chopped orange zest
1 very fresh and plump vanilla bean

Method
Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Using a wooden spoon, beat together the butter and caster sugar, until creamy and fluffy. This part does require effort and there is no substitute for this step, in my view. A food processor will not give you a better result.
Beat in the egg yolks, one by one.
Mix in the sour cream.
Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the mix, along with the citrus zests. Taste and add more if you think it needs it. I have stipulated the above amounts as a starting point. I added more as I wanted my Paskha to be very perfumed. I also added cinnamon and nutmeg. You can add cardamom, as well. It is important to not overwork the mixture, as heat will allow the butter to melt and split.
Pass the cheese through the finest disc of the mouli, and incorporate the cheese into the butter/ egg yolk/ cream mixture.
Now, you will need a mould. Traditional Paskha moulds are available from Russian churches. You can fashion one out of any dome or pymarid shaped receptacle by punching a few holes in the base to facilitate drainage. My kind husband (husband is gay talk for long term boyfriend) made one for me, from a plastic milk shake container.
Line your chosen mould with a damp cheesecloth or muslin and spoon in your Paskha mixture. Place a weight on top and refrigerate for 24 hours.
When ready to eat, turn upside down. And remove the mould and cloth.
Serve with Kulich or another dense and enriched yeast dough.
Enough for 6 gluttons.

Peaches with Bubble Syrup

My original idea for this dessert was to make Bellini sorbet i.e. white peach and sparkling wine sorbet. But my very persuasive partner, suggested peaches poached in sparkling wine instead. So I sent him off to purchase some lovely peaches and Australian sparkling wine (I cant use the word “champagne” here, I may be sued like YSL!). He returned with some lovely yellow peaches and the bubbles. I must say, food writers and chefs get very excited by the white peach, but the yellow variety is just as lovely and I don’t think it deserves such snobbish treatment just because it isn’t white. Both are suitable and ultimately the choice is yours.
The only drama I encountered with this recipe was removing the skins after poaching. Peeling anything is usually enough to induce a tantrum on the kitchen floor. Luckily my beloved partner was by my side to take over with this hideous task. I love happy endings…

Ingredients
Peaches
Sparkling wine
Cinnamon stick
A few cloves
A vanilla pod, split in half
Sugar

Method
This is very simple. Select peaches that are ripe, but still firm.
Place the peaches into a saucepan with the aromatics. Pour in the wine. The peaches should be completely submerged. If this is not the case, add water.
Add sugar. The amount of sugar you add will depend on the sweetness of the peaches and the wine, and of course your personal taste.
Bring to the boil, and switch of the heat immediately. The residual heat will be enough to gently poach the peaches.
Leave them to cool in the syrup.
Remove the skins from the peaches. This will require patience- a virtue that I lack.
Reduce the syrup until it is thick and nectar like. Add more sugar, if you think it needs it.
When the syrup has cooled, discard the aromatics and pour the syrup over the peaches. Leave to macerate in the fridge.
Serve the peaches unadorned in shallow bowls, with the sweet pink nectar drizzled over. They are lovelier if you remove them from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving.

Tiramisu - My Way

Tiramisu is a modern dessert (like pannacotta) and hails from the watery city of Venezia It was invented circa 1950, around the same time as carpaccio, which is also a Venetian creation
I don’t do much pastry and cake baking these days. I hate sticky fingers and flour all over my kitchen. But I used my own cream cheese in this dessert and that makes me feel competent enough! See ricotta-esque for my recipe and substitute cream (35% milk fat) for half the milk. You will also need more acidulant and the cheese will need to drain over night. If cheeses making isn’t your thing, then substitute ricotta mixed with marscapone.
I could not help myself from putting a twist on the original recipe. Orange and coffee, surprisingly, make a fabulous combination. And after grinding my own cocoa nibs for the first time, I will never go back to using cocoa powder. If you can get the cocoa nibs, use them. The dark aromatic powder will lift your tiramisu to divinity.


Ingredient
4 eggs (free range please), separated
5 tbsp pure icing sugar
600g fresh cream cheese, preferably homemade (see above)
or
300g ricotta mixed with 300g marscapone
Zest 1 orange, finely grated
Juice ½ orange
250ml strong espresso coffee, cooled
60ml brandy or Ameretto di Saranno
Italian savoiardi biscuits (how many will depend on how large your dish is)
Cocoa nibs, finely ground to a powder (use the coffee grinder)

Method.
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and the icing sugar, until pale and creamy. It will take about 4 minutes with a wire whisk.
Mix in the cream cheese and orange zest.
Beat the egg whites separately until stiff. Mix the egg white into the cheese mixture. Finally add the orange juice.
Combine the brandy or Amaretto with the coffee.
Dip the savoiardi into the coffee mixture. Actually, more precisely drench them. You want them soft, but still retaining their form. Use as many as you need to line a serving dish. Mine is 25cm long and 5 cm high.
Pour over more of the coffee mix to make sure the biscuits are well soaked.
Sprinkle over some chocolate powder.
Spread half the cheese and orange mixture over the savoiardi biscuits.
Add another layer of soaked biscuits and coffee, then finish with a layer of cheese mixture.
Refrigerate over night.
When you are ready to eat, sprinkle the top with chocolate powder.
Enough for about 8 serves. PS Happy Birthday Mikey.

Honey Pannacotta

From what I have read in my many books of Northern Italian cuisine, Pannacotta (literally cooked cream) is a fairly modern dessert, created sometime during the 20th century. I really like the smooth rich texture of this dessert and it marries well with any fruit. I like to play around with the flavours depending on the fruit it will be served with. I have added some Christmas cheer to this recipe, instead of the more usual vanilla flavouring (actually, I forgot to buy vanilla beans so I changed my plan).
I like to make this just a few hours before I intend to serve it, so it is only just set and really soft and voluptuous.


Ingredients
600ml cream (35% milk fat)
½ cup good quality honey
2 tsp of gelatine
30ml fortified wine (sherry, brandy etc)

Method
Oil 6 125ml capacity dariole moulds.
Over a low heat, bring the cream and honey to a simmer. Turn off the heat.
Heat your chosen alcoholic flavouring separately. I do this in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
Sprinkle the gelatine over the hot spirit. Stir to dissolve and combine.
Add this mix to cream and stir to make sure everything is well amalgamated.
Pour through a strainer into the prepared moulds.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or until just set.
Unmold when you are ready to serve.
The turned pannacottas will begin to lose their shape a few minutes after serving, but I think they are perfect at this consistency. Serve with fresh berries.

Dulce de Leche

Dulce de Leche is a Latin American sweet spread. It is basically caramelized milk, cooked until thick and sticky. This divinely sweet treat has many uses. The most common way, is to have it on buttered toast for breakfast, with a cup of café con leche (milky coffee). Pastry cooks also like to use it in cakes and pastries. My grandmother uses it to fill crepes. She used to also make ice cream with it. I just like to have it around so I can attack it with a spoon and stuff it straight into my mouth, whenever I need sweetness and comfort.
A commercial product is available from South Amreican delis, but in my opinion is not as good, and it is better to make your own. Some people prefer, for convinience to boil unopened cans of condensed milk until it turns into a product which is similar. Why? I ask. It does not cost much less or take less time than the traditional method, so why bother? All that is involved in the traditional way, is to simmer milk and sugar, until the right consistency has been reached. It is not rocket science, and far safer than boiling unopened cans. I have heard freakish horror stories of hot caramel explosions in peoples kitchens. There is nothing glamorous or convenient about scrapping caramel from the kitchen ceiling and curtains. And I guess you would not be needing that laser peel anymore, after the hot caramel has burnt your face off!
Call me old fashioned, but I am sticking to tradition here.


Ingredients
1 litre of milk (I use goats milk, but cow is fine)
300g sugar
1 scant tsp of baking soda
1 fresh vanilla bean

Method
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and baking soda.
Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to the lowest setting.
Cook very, very gently for about 2 hours, stirring every now and then. You can lay a wooden spoon across the saucepan to prevent the mix from spilling over.
It is ready when it is thick and brown, like caramel fudge. Remove from the heat.
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the “dulce”.
It will keep indefinitely in the fridge. I like to store mine in a sterilized jar, but a plastic container will do just as well. Makes about 1 cup.

Flan de Naranjas

Caramel, egg and orange are popular flavours in the desserts of Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries. And this lovely dessert combines all three. Flan is just the Spanish name for crème caramel. The Spanish “flan” is sweeter and more firmly set than its French relative, the crème caramel. I like it better like this. When I was devising this recipe I did some research and found that it is common to substitute condensed milk (from a can), for fresh cream or milk. I would not usually use an ingredient like this but it works here. I also use commercially squeezed blood orange juice. The custards are going to be baked so there is no point using the fresh product (and besides, I think blood orange season is over).
I like to serve this with some glace orange zest, and whipped cream sweetened with a little orange sugar syrup.

Orange Caramel Custards

Ingredients

For the caramel:
1 cup sugar
250 ml water

For the custard:
3 eggs (free range)
1 tsp orange essence
200ml of sweetened condensed milk (from a can)
170ml blood orange juice or other orange juice

Method
For the caramel:
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves.

Turn up the heat to maximum and boil the syrup without stirring (stirring will cause the caramel to crystallise), until it turns into a golden brown caramel.

Swirl the pan around every now and then to make sure the caramel colours evenly. I like my caramel to not be too dark and I keep it on the lighter side. But if you like a bitter caramel, then cook it until it is darker. Keep in mind, once it begins to colour, it will continue to do so rapidly, so keep an eye on it, otherwise you will end up with a burnt mess.

When it has cooked to your preference pour the caramel into 6 125ml porcelain ramekins. Tilt each ramekin, so the caramel coats the sides and base of each container. Work quickly because the caramel will set rapidly.
For the custard:
In a bowl, combine the eggs, essence, condensed milk and orange juice, using a whisk. Try not to get any bubbles into the mix, as they will spoil the texture of the smooth custard. Pour the custard through a fine strainer, into a jug.
Baking the custard:
Experience has taught me that a lower oven temperature than most books suggest, is better for baking custard, so preheat your oven to 120c. In the meantime, lay a clean teatowel on the base of a baking tray (this will help the ramekins from sliding around).

Pour the custard mix into the caramel lined ramekins. Place the ramekins onto the baking tray and pour boiling water around them to reach about half way up the sides of the individual dishes. You have now created a “bain marie” (this will help to regulate the temperature).

Put the tray into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until set .If you over cook, the custards will be grainy and have small bubbles, so try to avoid this.

Allow the custards to cool, then cover and refrigerate. I think they need at least 24 hours to chill and are better after 48 hours.
To serve:
Run a knife along the inside of each dish and turn upside down onto a serving dish. Sometimes they need a little help to release them. Just use a knife to help them slide out. Decorate with glace orange zest and serve with whipped cream. This quantity will make 6 “flans”
Note: To glace orange zest, prepare a sugar syrup with equal quantities of sugar and water. Poach julienned orange zest in this syrup for 2 or 3 minutes. Allow to cool and macerate in the syrup. Any remaining syrup can be used to sweeten the whipped cream.

Rich and Decadent

Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), the French gastronome, once said “Chocolate is one of the most powerful restoratives. Let any man who has spent working a considerable portion of the time that should be spent sleeping, let any man of wit who feels himself temporarily become stupid, let any man who finds the air damp, the time long, and the atmosphere difficult to tolerate, let any man who is tormented by an obsession that prevents him from thinking clearly, let all those men dose themselves with a good half litre of amber-coloured chocolate…and they will see a miracle”. Well, that’s a rather dramatic statement. If only chocolate was the answer to mankinds problems! What I do know is, hot chocolate is divine. And when I say hot chocolate, I mean real hot chocolate- made with fine dark chocolate (no cooking chocolate please), milk and aromatics. You should think of this as liquid chocolate dessert, rather than chocolate flavoured milk. It is rich, subtly sweet and aromatic and best served in espresso cups with little spoons. This is the only chocolate dessert I make. It is by far, easier to make than any mousse or cake and far more satisfying.

Rich and Decadent Hot Chocolate

Ingredients
500ml milk (I use organic and unhomogenized)
100 g dark chocolate (85% cocoa fat)
2 tbsp of good honey
½ vanilla pod (or a cinnamon stick or both)
1 tbsp of port (or brandy, or rum)

Method
Bring the milk and the vanilla (or cinnamon) to scalding point. Turn of the heat.
Add the chocolate (in pieces) and the honey, and leave it alone. The vanilla will do its job and the chocolate will melt. Traditionally hot chocolate is supposed to be prepared up to this point and then left to sit overnight. However proceed as you wish.
Remove the vanilla pod (or cinnamon), scrape out the seeds and add them to the chocolate. Discard the vanilla pod.
Reheat the chocolate gently (do not boil, or else you will burn the chocolate and the milk).
Add the port (or other spirit). Now, either pour this into the blender or use a stick blender. Process for about a minute, until the mixture has thickened slightly and you have a foam (like cappuccino).

Serve immediately in espresso cups. This amount is enough for 4 espresso cups, with enough for a few second helpings. In my experience, even though this is rich and best served in dainty cups, people always want more. It is rather addictive.

Calorie Counting...

This is another recipe in following with yesterday’s theme, “light and easy”. You see summer is just around the corner (despite the wintry Melbourne weather we have been experiencing) and I am afraid I may turn into a fat pig (or butter ball, as my partner calls me). Its time to lighten up with the diet and hit the gym…That’s enough of my weight issues, this is supposed to be a good food blog, and diet food rarely fits into that category. I suppose just like every other human being who enjoys their food, there are times when one needs to make a few changes to his diet. And that’s not a nice thought at all. Maybe I can run 20 kms every day so I can continue with my rich diet! The idea of exercising seems more appealing than giving up the foods I love. Anyway diet or no diet, here is an elegant dessert that is light on sugar but delicious nonetheless.

Strawberries and Ricotta

Ingredients
1 punnet of strawberries, washed and hulled
2 tsp honey (not honey from the supermarket. These are a poor quality. Try the healthfood store. They usually have a far better range)
2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
Ricotta

Method

The most important aspect of this dessert is the Ricotta. It must be super fresh. Buy from an Italian deli or a cheese shop. Get them to cut it for you in one big hunk. Ricotta is delicious when really fresh, and just plain boring when not so fresh. Let your eyes guide you when buying, its easy to tell if it is fresh or not. The fresh stuff will look glossier and firmer. Ricotta that has sat for a week will look a little dry and a bit sunken. If you cannot find fresh ricotta don’t bother with this. And please do not use ricotta from tubs, at the supermarket.
Mix together in a small bowl the balsamic and honey.
Pour over the strawberries and mix lightly. Leave to macerate for 15 minutes.
Serve the strawberries tumbled over the ricotta.
I serve one punnet of strawberries per 2 people.

Caramel Ice Cream

Technically speaking, ice cream should contain egg yolk if it is to be called ice cream. Most ice creams sold at supermarkets aren’t really ice cream at all (as nice as some of them are). And nothing beats proper homemade ice cream, made with egg yolks and cream. The real deal is more dense than the commercial variety- not as fluffy. But is still creamy. I guess the texture is like that of good gelato Homemade ice cream should be consumed within 24 hrs of freezing. After that it starts to get a bit too firm and icy. In fact some top restaurants just throw out any unsold ice cream at the end of the night. So just make enough and eat it all quickly. That shouldn’t be too hard.Do not bother making ice cream unless you own an ice cream maker. I bought mine a few years ago from David Jones. It’s a little Italian machine that’s still going strong (and I have made a lot of ice cream).

Ingredients
90g caster sugar
50ml water
600ml thickened cream (35% milk fat)
150 ml milk (I use organic)
120 g caster sugar, extra
5 egg yolks (free range)

Method
Place the sugar and water into a saucepan. Dissolve the sugar over heat. Do not stir, just swish the pan around. When the sugar has dissolved, raise the heat and boil hard until you have a golden brown caramel.
Remove from the heat immediately and pour in the milk. It will bubble furiously. Then pour in the cream.
Stir this over a low heat until the caramel has dissolved completely into the milk/cream .
Add the extra sugar. In a bowl whisk the yolks until combined. About a minute by hand. Some recipes say to whisk the yolks until thick and yellow- I don’t see the point in doing this.
Pour the caramel cream over the egg yolk and mix.
Cook this over a low heat, stirring the entire time until it is thickened. Do not boil or you will scramble the yolks.
Pour this through a sieve into a clean bowl and refridgerate.
Churn in your ice cream machine and freeze.

Note- When you churn your ice cream don’t churn it to a stiff paste. A high fat ice cream like this one will taste greasy. Instead churn it so it is somewhere between a liquid and a solid (like a mushy paste.)

This amount should be enough for 2 greedy people.

Strawberry and Honey Zuppa Inglesea

I love cooking food for friends. But I can’t say I really enjoy preparing course after course- my kitchen is too small, and besides you miss out on all the fun if you are stuck in the kitchen. So I prefer to offer nibbles, main course, a side dish and dessert. Bread is absolutely crucial. And of course, lots of wine. Needless to say the food will be the best I can afford. Long gone are the days when I would cook to try to impress. Simplicity is by far the way to go, both for yourself and your guests. I don’t think entertaining is the time to pull out confronting flavours. I like to know that people are relaxed and enjoying themselves, rather then worry if they like the food. I tend to avoid very strong cheeses, offal, or foods that are very spicy.This is where this dessert is ideal. I think most people would find it a joy to eat. Zuppa Inglese is the Italian version of Trifle. It is often made with a base of cake or biscuits soaked in Marsala , then covered with custard and topped with whipped cream and fruit. And there are as many versions, as there are cooks. I substitute Port for the Marsala and sweeten my custard with honey. Both ingredients work well with the strawberries. Don’t be put off making your own custard. Home made custard is far superior to the shop bought version, and this one is easy. It contains a little flour to stabilze the mixture. Try it, the end result will be lovelier.I was very happy when an Italian friend commented that this Zuppa reminded him of his mother’s version.

Ingredients
150g sugar
150g water
150g port
1 punnet of strawberries, washed and hulled
1-2 tbsp sugar, extra
Madeira sponge, from the shop
1-2 tbsp of roast slivered almonds
3 egg yolks (free range)
1 tsp flour
25g honey
1 tsp sugar, extra again
600ml 35% fat cream
4 tsp sugar, extra again
Fine Bitter chocolate bits (optional)

Method
Place sugar and water into a saucepan and stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Allow to cool and only then, add the port.
In the meantime cut your strawberries into halves and sprinkle with the extra sugar. Allow to macerate, until the juices from the strawberries are released and the sugar has dissolved. The strawberries can sit like this for several hours, without any damage.
Cut the cake into slices 1cm thick. Also remove the brown edges. Line a serving dish (I use a glass bowl) with the cake, covering the entire bottom surface and spoon over the port syrup. Now this amount of syrup will be too much. Just refrigerate any left over syrup for next time. It keeps indefinitely. It is hard to say how much syrup is required to soak the sponge. This depends on personal taste and on the actual cake you are using.
Add the strawberries and any juices on top of the cake base. Then scatter over this the almonds.
Heat half the cream until scalding.
Whilst this is occurring, beat the egg yolks, honey, the extra tsp sugar, and flour until there are no lumps.
Pour over the hot cream, still beating.
Tip back into the saucepan and cook over a gentle heat until thickened and creamy, stirring constantly. Be careful not to curdle the custard.
Pour through a sieve onto the cake and strawberries.
Leave to cool, cover and refridgerate until set.
Beat the remaining cream and the extra 4 tsp of sugar until it forms soft peaks. Spread the cream over the custard and refridgerate over night.
When you are ready to eat, sprinkle over the chocolate bits (if using) and serve. Enough for 6.