THEGAYUK

Tag: Dessert

So many desserts to choose from and so little time. Here’s our extensive list of desserts for you to try in your own kitchen. A step by step guide awaits you…

  • RECIPE | Mum’s Organic Lemon Drizzle Cake

    Mum’s Organic Lemon Drizzle Cake

    Freezable

    Serves 1 mum or 8-10 slices depending on your portion

    Prep 10 mins

    Cook 40 mins-1hr (dependant on your oven)

     

    Who doesn’t love a lemon drizzle? More specifically, whose mum doesn’t love a lemon drizzle cake. My mum adores this cake, hence the name. Once baked you can freeze the cake for a month, or keep in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

    LEMONS – The lemon is great for aiding digestion. It can also help you stay refreshed as has a cooling effect on the body. Lemons contain flavanoids which have been to exhibit cancer fighting properties. (SOURCE: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-lemon.html ) For a more effective, healthier way of incorporating the lemon into your diet, why not start your day with a glass of lemon water.

     

    Ingredients

    225g organic self-raising flour

    225g organic unsalted butter, softened

    225g organic caster sugar

    4 free-range eggs

    1 organic lemon, zested

     

    Topping

    juice 2 organic lemons

    100g organic caster sugar

     

    Instruction

    Preheat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4

     

    1. Line a 8x21cm loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
    2. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened sugar and butter together until creamy.
    3. Add the eggs, one by one, and slowly mix together.
    4. Sift your flour into the mix, and add the zest of one lemon.
    5. Spoon in the cake mix into the prepared load tin, and level the top with the back of a spoon.
    6. Bake the cake in the oven until a skewer inserted to the centre comes out clean.
    7. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in its tin.
    8. While cooling, mix together the juice of 2 lemons with 100g sugar.
    9. With a fork, prick the cake all over the top and pour the lemon sugar juice over the top.
    10. Leave to cool completely before removing from the loaf tin, and serving.

     

     

     

     

     

  • RECIPE: Cookie-Creamy-Cranberry Baby Bars

    Cookie-Creamy-Cranberry Baby Bars

    Mini chocolate bars embracing the classic cookie and cream combo with a festive nod from dried cranberries. Don’t anticipate leftovers with these naughty little delights!

    Ingredients

    680g white chocolate

    450g Oreos or similar sandwich style biscuit, Custard creams could even work!

    100g dried cranberries

    chocolate sprinkles, or similar

    Instructions

    1. Line a large baking / casserole dish with greaseproof paper. I used a dish measuring 32cm x 23cm.
    2. In a food processor or smashed in a freezer bag, turn your cookies into smithereens.
    3. Have a small amount of water simmering in a saucepan that a heat-proof bowl can sit on top of.
    4. Place the white chocolate into the bowl above the simmering water and melt, stirring every now and then until smooth.
    5. Pour in the bashed biscuits and combine with the melted chocolate to mix.
    6. Pour the combined mix onto the greaseproof paper lined dish and scatter the cranberries and sprinkles on top and press in very lightly.
    7. Transfer the dish to the freezer to set for at least 1 ½ hours.
    8. Remove from the freezer, lifting out your chocolate slab from the dish using the greaseproof paper and begin to cut into desired shaped/sized bars.
    9. For storage, keep them in the fridge unless you are eating straight away!

     

     

     

  • RECIPE: Banana Bark

    Banana Bark

    Serves 2

    Prep 15 mins (+45 mins freezing time)

    No cook

    No Fuss Dessert / B-Vitamin Rich / Healthy Fats / Healthy Bones

     

    These are so simple, and so delicious. Choose whichever nuts you like but I find walnuts and almonds the best combination for flavour, texture and nutritional value. The nuts used here contain many properties that will count towards healthy bones and skin (manganese, biotin, phosphorous, magnesium).

     

    WALNUTS– Good source of B7, which is the vitamin that helps strengthen hair and reduce hair loss. The other B-complex vitamins in the walnut help you fight the ageing process on your skin and can help obtain a healthy glow. Walnuts have also been found to have anti-cancer benefits with the slowing of tumour growth in breast and prostate cancers. (SOURCE: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/19/7-walnuts-benefits.aspx )

     

    ALMONDS – 23g of almonds will provide the following DRI; 49% biotin (a B vitamin essential for blood sugar balance and skin health), 40% vitamin E, 26% manganese, 25% copper, 17% vitamin B2, 15% phosphorous, and 15% magnesium. Almonds are said to reduce risk of heart attack, lower bad cholesterol and provide healthy fats. Almonds alkalize the body, and when your body is not alkaline enough there is risk of osteoporosis and poor immune function.

    (SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20 )

     

    BANANAS – 1 medium, fresh banana (118g), will provide the following DRI; 25% vitamin B6, 16% manganese, 13% vitamin C, 12% potassium, 10% biotin, 10% copper.

    DARK CHOCOLATE– Nutritious. Yes it is, in moderation. You wouldn’t want to eat it in one sitting obviously but just to show you, based on 70-85% cocoa; 100g dark chocolate contains the following percentages of your recommended daily intake; 67% iron, 58% magnesium, 89% copper (great for immune system), 98% manganese, along with potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium. Dark chocolate could also improve blood flow / lower blood pressure, and even improve risk factors for heart disease. (SOURCE; http://authoritynutrition.com/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate/ )

     

    Ingredients

    2 bananas

    225g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

    1 tbsp unsalted butter

    100g partially blitzed nuts (I used almonds & walnuts in a small food processor, or you could just chop them)

     

    Instructions

    1. Still in their skins, pierce each banana with a chopstick until it’s half way up the banana.
    2. Peel the banana skins off carefully.
    3. Break up the chocolate pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl with the butter, and sit on top of a saucepan with a little simmering water in it.
    4. Stir the chocolate regularly.
    5. Once melted you can either dip the bananas or pour the chocolate on top and use a spoon to coat thoroughly.
    6. Place your chopped / blitzed nuts on a plate and now carefully roll and cover the chocolate bananas in them.
    7. Transfer the bananas to a dish lined with greaseproof paper and place in the freezer to harden up for at least 45 minutes.
    8. Take out from the freezer and serve. If you have sensitive teeth you can remove from the freezer 15 minutes before munching.

     

     

  • RECIPE | Butter Bean Coconut Cake

    Prep 15 mins | Cook 30-40 mins (oven dependant) |

     

    The trend with cakes and baking recently has been to use vegetables or things you wouldn’t normally think to make a cake with, bringing a new nutritional angle and flaunting how versatile some ingredients can actually be. This butter bean cake does exactly that. The beauty of the beans are that they guarantee a moreish moist cake at the end. Delicately flavoured with desiccated coconut removes the need for flour making this a winner for anyone on a gluten-free diet.

    BUTTER BEANS – 100g of cooked butter beans is the equivalent of around 77 calories. High in protein the butter bean is also a good source for ; iron, zinc, magnesium, and some core B-vitamins which help turn carbohydrates into energy. Beans in general are renowned for helping lower cholesterol levels and care for the colon. (SOURCE: http://www.foods-healing-power.com/health-benefits-of-beans.html )

    Ingredients.

    3 eggs

    2 ½ tsp baking powder (gluten-free)

    260g caster sugar

    75g desiccated coconut

    100 ml vegetable oil

    1 tsp vanilla

    350g cooked white beans, drained weight. – I use 1 can butter beans and top up to 350g with cannellini beans. Any beans that don’t make it into the cake I reserve in the fridge and incorporate into dinner somehow!

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    1. Blend the beans in a small food processor until they are smooth. You may have to stop and scrape the sides a few times to achieve the smooth paste you’re after.
    2. Transfer the bean paste to a large mixing bowl and add the vanilla extract and eggs. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
    3. Now add in your sugar and whisk again.
    4. Add the coconut, baking powder, and oil and combine thoroughly.
    5. Lightly oil a 22cm loose-bottomed cake tin, pour in the cake batter and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean after testing the centre.
    6. Leave the cake in its tin to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
    7. Serve along-side some fruit and light cream, although the cake will be moist enough to enjoy without cream.

    If you don’t have a 22cm loose-bottomed cake tin then you could use a small roasting tin, just ensure that your cake batter doesn’t come too close to the top otherwise it will overflow as it rises.

  • RECIPE | Golden Pomodorino Cake

    Prep 30 mins | Cook 45 mins

    As tomatoes are part of the fruit world it makes it a little easier to understand how this translates in the form of a cake. Eaten raw these little pearls of sunshine have a natural sweet taste, and they go quite well with pomegranate seeds in salads. Research has shown that most of tomatoes health properties are actually enhanced through the cooking process.

    The de-seeding and skinning process of the tomatoes may seem laborious but the end result of this cake is pure gold. Moist and lightly flavoured with lemon make a good pairing for pomegranate decoration and the sweet sharpness they will bring to the dessert.

    YELLOW TOMATOES – Yellow tomatoes have double the amount of iron to red tomatoes. It’s a close call as to which is the more beneficial colour tomato. Some highlights of the yellow tomato are that they contain more; phosphorous, potassium, zinc, niacin, and folate than red tomatoes. SOURCE : http://www.prevention.com/which-healthier-red-tomatoes-vs-yellow-tomatoes ). Lycopene, normally associated with red tomatoes (baked beans are a good source for this also), but our bodies can actually digest Lycopene from that found in the yellow tomato. Lycopene is known for its many health benefits including anti-cancer properties and protection from heart disease. (SOURCE: http://organiceyourlife.com/lycopene-and-yellow-tomatoes/ )

    Ingredients.

    2 eggs

    225g self-raising flour

    140g unsalted butter

    140g caster sugar

    140g yellow tomato purée (around 225g of yellow tomatoes make this much purée after de-skinning and de-seeding)

    1 tsp baking powder

    ½ tsp baking soda

    ½ tsp salt

    ½ tsp lemon zest

    pinch cinnamon

     

    to decorate;

    pomegranate seeds

    icing

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4

     

    1. Rub butter over some greaseproof paper and use this to line a loaf tin.
    2. Begin by de-skinning and de-seeding the tomatoes. Make a cross with a sharp knife on each tomato and plunge into recently boiled hot water for 30 seconds – 1 minute. Drain from the hot water and immediately plunge into cold water for the same amount of time. Peel away the now loose skins and squeeze to purge the seeds from the tomato.
    3. Purée in a small food processor until smooth. Set aside.
    4. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until well combined and fluffy.
    5. Add the eggs, whisking one in at a time.
    6. Add the lemon zest, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the flour and sift about half of the flour mix into the buttery sugared mix, stir well to combine.
    7. Add all the tomato purée and stir through thoroughly.
    8. Sift in the remaining flour and stir.
    9. Pour the cake batter into the greaseproof paper lined loaf tin and place in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean after inserting in the centre of the cake.
    10. You can serve pomegranate seeds on the side, or make up some icing with icing sugar and drizzle on top of the cake where you can then “glue” the seeds on top using the icing.

  • RECIPE | Gluten & Dairy Free Coconut Muffins

    I encourage you even if you’re able to live a non-restrictive diet, to try these little fluffy cups of coconut gold! My friend was amazed that these are both gluten and dairy free and said it was the best “free from” cake she had ever had. They are delicate and lovely. Get involved!

    These muffins are packed full of coconut which are a good source of; copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. The Koko dairy free alternative that I use is also a great source of calcium and has added vitamin D2, and B12!

     

    Decoration Tip!

    I love using the Parisian company My Little Day (INSERT WEB LINK: http://en.mylittleday.fr/ ) for baking accessories like the cups you can see in the pictures. They also have a fantastic range of straws and other party accessories that bring the je ne sais quoi that the Parisians’ do oh so very well.

     

    Ingredients.

    300ml milk alternative (I used Koko dairy free milk which is made from coconuts to reinforce the coconut flavour here)

    290g gluten-free self raising flour (I used Doves)

    160g desiccated coconut

    130g caster sugar

    2 tsp gluten-free baking powder

    5 tbsp melted butter alternative (I used Pure sunflower spread), melted

    1 tbsp vanilla extract

    ½ tsp salt

    2 eggs

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4

     

    1. In your mixing bowl pop in your flour, sugar, coconut, baking powder and salt and mix well to combine thoroughly.
    2. In another bowl, whisk up your eggs along with the milk and vanilla extract.
    3. Make a dip or a well in your coconut flour mix, and now pour in your eggy milk.
    4. Stir the ingredients to mix well.
    5. Now add your melted butter into the cake batter and mix well again.
    6. Your cake mix is now ready to be decanted into muffin cases. Don’t overfill them otherwise they will just explode up out of the sides. ¾ full is usually best.
    7. Place in the oven 25 minutes. You can test if your cakes are ready if a skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the centre of one.

     

     

  • RECIPE | Dermie’s Walnut Coffee Cake

    The ultimate Afternoon Tea classic of a luxurious Walnut Coffee Cake is always good to have in your repertoire and is one of my all-time favourite cakes.

    In this recipe, I use Irel Coffee (or Camp Coffee) essence which can be found in all good supermarkets and works better than real coffee. I like to use mascarpone cream instead of butter-cream, especially in the summer as it leaves a lighter, fresher and more modern twist on a age-old classic.

    Shopping List:

    – 225g Soft unsalted butter
    – 225g Caster Sugar
    – 4 Free Range Eggs (at room temperature)
    – 100g Walnuts (roughly chopped)
    – 225g Plain white flour (sieved)
    – 1 Tsp Baking Powder
    – 3 Tbsp Irel (or Camp) coffee essence

    Coffee Icing & Filling

    – 450g Mascarpone Cream
    – 50g Caster Sugar
    – 6 Tsp Irel or Camp coffee essence

    To Decorate:

    – 8 Whole walnut halves

    Method:

    1. Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Line the base of two 8 inch sandwich tins with greaseproof paper and lightly dust the edges with flour.

    2. Cream the butter well with a wooden spoon, add the sugar in stages until pale and light in texture. Add in an egg one-by-one to the mixture, adding a tablespoon of flour to each addition to prevent the mixture from curdling and gently fold in the coffee extract.

    3. Add the chopped walnuts, flour and baking powder and fold into the cake mixture. The mixture should be a light dropping consistency, add 1-2 tbsp of buttermilk to loosen the mixture if needed. Weigh the mixture and divide it in two into the cake tins. Bake for 30 minutes.

    4. The cake is cooked when a skewar is inserted in the centre and comes out clean. Leave to rest in the tins for five minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Leave the cakes to cool on the wire rack completely before adding the filling.

    5. To make the filling and icing; whisk the mascapone cream and sugar well before adding in the coffee essence.

    6. Divide the coffee cream mixture evenly and using a palette knife sandwich the two layers together evenly and coat the top with the remaining mixture. Decorate with 8 whole walnuts.

  • RECIPE | Double Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies

    RECIPE | Double Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies

    The very best brownies I have tasted surprisingly have no flour. I have tried out so many brownie recipes over the years and I always find that flourless brownies are often times much nicer. You may wish to add some chocolate sauce, ice-cream or both but I like to keep it plain and simple.

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  • RECIPE | Dermie’s Orange Mince Pies

    RECIPE | Dermie’s Orange Mince Pies

    This recipe makes eighteen light zesty mince pies topped with a warm cinnamon crumble. When baking they leave a festive aroma which will linger throughout your home leaving an extra special welcoming for your guests. Serve with some softly whipped cream or a generous dollop of Armagnac butter, accompanied with a glass of mulled wine….

    ORANGE MINCE PIES
    CREDIT: Jakub Walutek Photography

    Shopping List

    Pastry:

    – 200g Cream Flour (sieved).

    – 150g Unsalted Butter (chilled & cubed).

    – 50g Caster Sugar.

    – 2 Orange Zest.

    – 1 Organic Egg (beaten).

     

    Filling:

    – 350g Homemade or Wexford Mincemeat.

     

    Cinnamon Crumble Topping:

    – 150g Cream Flour.

    – 125g Unsalted Butter.

    – 75g Caster Sugar.

    – 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon.

     

    Armagnac Butter:

    – 150g Unsalted Country Butter (at room temperature).

    – 100g Icing Sugar (Sieved).

    – 3 Tbsp Armagnac.

    – 1 Tbsp Boiling Water.

    ORANGE MINCE PIES
    CREDIT: Jakub Walutek Photography

     

    Method

    1. To make the pastry, finely grate the orange zest evenly into the flour, rub the flour, butter and sugar to form a fine breadcrumb mixture in a mixing bowl. Pour in the beaten egg slowly to bring the mixture together (you will only need ½ of the whole egg to bring it together).

    2. Tip the mixture out onto a chilled floured marble surface, bring the mixture together gently with your hands and form into a rectangular shape. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour.

    3. Lightly butter and flour a 12-hole muffin tray. Thinly roll out your pastry dough in between two layers of cling film. Cut out 12 circles with your pastry cutter large enough to fill the base of your tin. Press the pastry circles into each hole and place a tablespoon of mincemeat in each pastry circle. Chill for a further 15 minutes.

    4. Preheat your oven to 200C/Gas 6. Make your crumble by rubbing the flour, butter and caster sugar together to form a bread crumb mixture. Sieve in the cinnamon evenly into the mixture, cover the tops of each pie with just enough crumble to cover the mincemeat.

    5. Bake for 20 minutes until he tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the mince pies cool completely before removing from the tin. Place on a cake stand and cover with a dusting of icing sugar. Cover any remaining pastry with cling film and chill in the fridge to be used later in the week.

     

    For The Armagnac Butter:

    1. Beat the icing sugar and butter together until smooth. Mix in the water then add in the Armagnac.

    2. Store in the fridge over night.

  • RECIPE | Dermie’s Pedro Ximenez Chocolate Tart

    RECIPE | Dermie’s Pedro Ximenez Chocolate Tart

    Pedro Ximénez is a classic, luscious, sweet Spanish dessert sherry made using sun dried Pedro Ximénez grapes. It is dark mahogany in colour, reminiscent of raisins on the nose with a rich, sweet and velvety notes on the mouth leaving a very long finish.

    Pedro Ximénez Chocolate Tart

    Pedro Ximénez sherry is intensely sweet and has a real affinity with milk chocolate and is widely available in all good licensed premises. This recipe uses a generous helping of Pedro Ximénez to transform an ordinary chocolate tart recipe into something sensational.

    If you wish to add extra depth to the chocolate tart then replace milk chocolate with dark chocolate in this recipe. Enjoy.

    Shopping List:

    Pastry:

    – 190g Cream flour.

    – 100g Unsalted butter (diced).

    – 75g Caster sugar.

    – Pinch of salt.

    – 1 Organic egg (lightly beaten).

    – Egg wash.

    – 10″ tart tin (26cm).

     

    Chocolate Filling:

    – 400ml of double cream.

    – 200g Valrhona / Lilly O’ Brien’s / Lindt milk chocolate.

    – A generous pinch of sea salt.

    – 25g Caster sugar.

    – 2 Organic eggs.

    – 100ml Pedro Ximénez (double serving).

    – 1 Tsp vanilla essence.

    Pedro Ximénez Chocolate Tart

     

    Method

    1. Place the flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor. Using the pulse setting, pulse the mixture a number of times slowly until the mixture resembles curse breadcrumbs. Add in the egg until the mixture comes together. Do not over work the dough as it will make the pastry tough.

    2. Flatten out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangular shape 2cm thick. Then wrap in cling flim and place in the fridge for 30mins. Alternatively place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

    3. Grease your loose bottom pastry tin lightly with butter and remove the pastry from the fridge. Roll out the pastry on a cold floured marble surface to a width of half an inch. Ensure you are rolling a circular shape enough to cover the sides and ends of your tin using the round loose base as your guide.

    4. Using a pallet knife gently lift the pastry over your tart tin. With some of the left-over pastry, roll a small 1 inch ball of pastry dough and use this to smooth out the edges of your tart tin. Using a folk, prick the base, cover with cling film and place the lined tin in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    5. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4. Take the pastry tin out of the fridge and line with baking parchment coming up over the sides of the tin. Fill the tin with baking beans and ‘bake blind’ for 20 minutes until the pastry is dry.

    6. Take the beans out of the pastry tray, brush the pastry with egg wash and place it back in the oven for a further 3-5 minutes until the pastry is pale and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you make the chocolate filling.

    7. Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over a gentle heat until it reaches the ‘shivery stage’. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and stir until melted. Then mix in the sea salt, Pedro Ximénez and vanilla.

    8. Whisk the eggs yolks and the sugar until they form a thick, white, froth and gently fold into the chocolate mixture so as to not knock out any of the air.

    9. Bake for 20 minutes until just set with a very slight wobble in the centre. Do not over cook the chocolate mixture as you will dry out the tart.

    10. Cool completely before serving. It is perfectly fine to make this tart the evening before your dinner party. Serve with a glass of Pedro Ximénez, a dessert wine or a strong black coffee.

     

    Cinnamon Cream

    – 150ml Cream.

    – 3 Tbp Icing Sugar.

    – 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon.

     

    Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to soft peaks.