4 Recipes for cakes, puddings and sweet treats

All things sweet

veryberrymeringuenests This recipe for Chantilly cream is a simple combination of double or whipping cream, vanilla and icing sugar. It gives a sweetened whipped cream to serve with dessert and cakes and works particularly well with summer berries on a meringue or pavlova. Be warned that adding icing sugar makes the cream stiffen quicker than usual and the cream will continue to stiffen after you stop beating so go carefully.

Makes enough to serve 4 – 6 as an accompaniment or top 1 Pavlova

Link to measurement conversion chart

Ingredients

150ml double cream – or whipping if you prefer
2 tbsp Icing sugar
Vanilla essence

You will also need

a mixing bowl
a hand or electric whisk

Method

Pour the cream in a mixing bowl
Add a few drops of vanilla essence, less is best here.
Sprinkle on the sugar then beat until soft peaks start to form, this will not take long.
Either transfer to a serving bowl or use as needed in a dessert, cake or piped decoration
Eat and enjoy!

chantillycream softwhipped peaks

Serving suggestions and variations

I like to use Chantilly cream with meringues or inside a sponge sandwich cake. It is particularly complimentary if you are using fresh or frozen berries of any kind, peaches and apricots.
It makes a great addition to a cold dessert or topping for trifles.
It can be used instead of clotted cream in a cream tea.
If you want a different flavour substitute the vanilla for a splash of flavoured liquor

Acknowledgements
Chantilly cream is named for a small French town outside Paris that is famed for its whipped cream. Therefore I acknowledge the French for this one, and it tastes great.

We hope you have enjoyed this recipe. If you have some photo's to share, we would love to hear from you or you can post them on our Facebook page.

You might like to try some other recipes from our collection;

Eggs Royale make a very special starter or breakfast, so if you want to impress give this a go
Got a lot of runner beans to use up, try Runner Bean Spaghetti and bolgnaise sauce, or any other pasta sauce, great if you are gluten free
Whether you are doing a BBQ or serving a curry, Hot Aloo potatoes will make a great addition to the meal

We hope you have enjoyed these recipes

Happy eating!

2018 02 11 11 I have fancied making a Dundee Cake for a long time but have struggled to find a recipe that really appealed. Then I found one from the River Cottage collection. Not being a big fan of Whisky I made a vital substitution using Grand Marnier instead and have come up with an extra orangey version which I love. Great to make when the Saville Oranges are in season, especially if you like to make your own marmalade, but not essential. This cake is also a good way to use up a few eggs.

Link to measurement conversion chart

This recipe makes enough for 12-20 servings

Ingredients

500g sultanas
75ml Grand Marnier
250g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened
Grated zest of 2 oranges (use Seville oranges if in season)
250g light soft brown sugar
5 eggs beaten
275g plain flour
Pinch of salt
125g ground almonds
2 tbsp Seville orange marmalade or other orange marmalade
50-100g whole blanched almonds to decorate

You will also need

20cm deep cake tin greased and lined
A large mixing bowl

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C
Marinade the sultanas in the Grand Marnier for 30 mins, longer if you have time
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and orange zest together until combined then add the sugar and beat thoroughly until light and creamy.
Gradually add the eggs, approx. one at a time, adding 1 tbsp of the flour with each and beat thoroughly before adding the next.
Finally fold in the remaining flour, ground almonds, whisky-soaked sultanas and the marmalade or peel.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, then decorate the top of the cake with the whole almonds.
Bake in the oven for about 1½ hours until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Check after 1 hour and, if the surface is getting too brown, lay a piece of foil over the top.
Leave to cool in the tin before removing.

Eat and enjoy!

2018 02 11 01 2018 02 11 03 2018 02 11 04 2018 02 11 06

Serving suggestions and variations

If wrapped and kept in an airtight tin this cake is alleged to keep for up to 6 weeks, it might last a week here if I’m lucky
If you want a more traditional version switch the Grand Marnier for Scotch Whisky
Not keen on sultanas, use currants or raisins instead
Try reducing the volume of sultanas and replace then with an equal amount of cherries / chopped figs / apricots or whatever you fancy
I love the flavour of Almonds but pecans would be just as good for the top of the cake
Best eaten whilst drinking a cup of tea but a glass of Grand Marnier with it would be just as good
Want to serve your cake as a dessert then a good dollop of custard is my recommendation.

2018 02 11 13

If you have some photo's to share, we would love to hear from you or you can post them on our Facebook page.

Acknowledgements

I picked his recipe up from the River Cottage Website. The reason it caught my eye was that it had 5 eggs in it and we normally have plenty of eggs to spare. My thanks go to the River Cottage team for the original recipe.

You might like to try some other recipes from our collection;

Cheese is a great accompaniment to fruit cake and if you are eating cheese then try our Carrot and Almond Chutney to go with it.
Looking for something else traditional, you can't get more traditionally British than Cottage pie and ours is Totally Tasty!
If you are thinking of a traditional afternoon tea then you will want some scones to go with it, check out our cream tea recipe.

We hope you have enjoyed these recipes and would love to hear from you if you have any recipes to share, serving suggestions or variations to add.

Happy eating!

2017 10 2810 Whoopie pies were a popular product on my farmers market table, which was before the reinvention of the cupcake came along. They are originally an American Amish mini sponge cake, served as a lunchtime treat to keep you going until dinner time. They can be made in a variety of flavours however the chocolate ones were the most popular on my table. Whoopie pies are a great sweet snack about the size of a doughnut, two quite dense sponge cakes sandwiched together with a filling of your choice – butter cream is a favourite. They can also be topped with a flavoured water icing and cake decorations if you want to pretty them up. I love that there are no cake tins involved so they spread and form their own shape, if this is a problem for you then use bun tins instead of a baking trays. These are a dense, filling sponge for a snack, not a light delicate teatime treat. Give them a go and see what you think, they proved very popular with University students in Southamption!

Link to measurement conversion chart

This recipe makes approx. 15 whoopie pies

Ingredients

125g Butter
200g light brown sugar
1 large egg beaten
350g plain flour
50g Cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
250ml Greek yogurt or buttermilk

Filling

150g softened butter
250g icing sugar
A few drops of vanilla essence

You will also need

3 large baking trays lined with parchment paper
An electric whisk
A mixing bowl

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c
Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy then beat in the egg until combined
Sift the dry ingredients the beat into the buttery mixture a spoon at a time, alternating with the yogurt/milk
Using a spoon dollop 2cm diameter balls of the mixture onto the trays allowing plenty of room to spread
Bake for 12 – 15 mins until well risen, the tops should be cracked
Transfer to a baking try and allow to cool
Make the filling by beating together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence adding a tiny amount of water if needed.
Sandwich together 2 cakes with a generous amount of filling
Eat and enjoy!

2017 10 2802 2017 10 2803 2017 10 2805

Serving suggestions and variations

The filling can be anything you fancy, try; chocolate butter cream, chocolate flavoured Meringue Buttercream, crème patisserie, chocolate truffle mix, Chantilly Cream or whipped cream
They can be topped with a flavoured water icing or melted chocolate drizzled over the top
Use cake decorations or vermicelli on top if you want to pretty them up.
If you want a more even pie then pipe them out with a large plain nozel and smooth the top.
Replace the cocoa with plain flour and add an alternative flavouring instead. Try a few drops of vanilla or almond essence, orange or lemon zest or one measure of espresso. Then adapt the filling to suit.

2017 10 2901 2017 10 2902

Acknowledgements

I can’t think of anyone to give the credit for this one other than the Armish in America. In fact I can’t even remember where I first heard of them but they were popular in recipe magazines for about 6 months prior to the re-emergence of cupcake popularity around 2012, which coincided with their disappearance from the foodie magazines. However they are worth a go if you want something different.

We hope you have enjoyed this recipe.

You might like to try some other recipes from our collection;

Like the Woopie Pie, that remind the Armish of a special treat, Boiled Egg and soldiers is one of those Childhhod favs. for me.
Our Corned Beef Lasagne is another one that is a family special
fancy a special salad with your lasagne then try our onion and tomato salad

We hope you have enjoyed these recipes

Happy eating!

This recipe for Tiramisu has evolved from the original following the gift of Cherries in Kirsch. It is essentially a chocolate and cherry version of the classic. It incorporates 3 egg yolks, which make it a richer dessert, but are not essential if you prefer not to use raw eggs. We also make our own 2 egg chocolate sponge cake as we don’t like the texture of soaked boudoir biscuits. It is best if made a day before as the flavours mature. We love it and now you can too. enjoy!

Link to measurement conversion chart

This recipe serves 6 - 8 and looks great if assembled and served in individual wine glasses.

Ingredients

3 egg yolks – optional
75g Caster sugar
100ml of Kirsch plus another good splash!
1 x 425g tin Pitted Black Cherries
500g Mascarpone
200g Creme Fraiche
20 boudoir biscuits – we make a 2 egg chocolate sponge, it has a better texture
25g plain chocolate grated

You will also need

2 mixing bowls
An electric whisk
a grater for your chocolate
1 large serving bowl for one large dessert or 6 – 8 wine glasses depending upon the size of your glasses and the number of desserts you want to create

Method

Separate the cherries from the syrup, saving the syrup.
Using a large bowl beat the egg yolks and caster sugar together until pale and thick
Add the mascarpone and beat until smooth then incorporate the fromage fraise and drained cherries then add a good splash of kirche liquor
Mix together the Kirche and syrup from the cherries.
Dip half the boudoir biscuits into the cherry liquid and arrange in the bottom of the serving bowl
Spoon over half the mascarpone mix and sprinkle half the grated chocolate evenly over the top
Repeat to form a second layer – then lick the mascarpone spoon, chefs treat!
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or more, this improves the flavour

Serving suggestions and variations

If you don’t consume alcohol miss out the liquor and add a slug of cherry syrup to the mascarpone mix instead.
If you don’t like to eat raw eggs, leave them out.
Replace the kirche with a chocolate liquor for a more choclaty version
Miss out the cherry and kirche elements and add your favourite fruit liquor and a suitable flavoured fruit juice instead. Stir some fruit into the mascarpone mix as well if you like or layer it in on top of the sponge cake. Raspberries and peaches work well.
I recommend the use of a proper sponge cake instead of boudoir biscuits. Use a flavoured or plain sponge following our basic Victoria sponge adapted to 2 eggs

Acknowledgements

Most Italian families have their own recipe for this wonderful dessert. A former colleague of mine, Claudine, attended an Italian cookery class and brought this in for us all to try. It was the start of a Tiramisu love affair! Our version has evolved in part from Claudine and in part from a BBC food recipe.

If you have enjoyed this recipe you might like to have a go at these too;

If having some friends round try Asparagus Gallettes, either make one big one or several small ones as a starter
Doing an Italian meal then our Carbonara A La Basevi Storecupboard makes a great main with a little twist
Want a little mediteranean influence on your dinner plate then then have a go at our Mediteranean roasted Vegetables or Med Veg, any leftovers go well in a sandwich.

carbonarawithmushrooms