Cherries Jubilee
Cherries Jubilee is one of my favorite desserts that was created for one of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee celebrations (Golden Jubilee 1887 or Diamond Jubilee 1897). Made with cherries and liqueur, typically Kirschwasser, which is subsequently flambéed and served over vanilla ice cream.
INGREDIENTs
½ Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
¼ Cup Water
¼ Cup Orange Juice
1 Pound Pitted Bing Cherries
½ Teaspoon Finely Grated Orange Zest
¼ Teaspoon Cherry Extract
¼ Cup Brandy
3 Cups Vanilla Ice Cream
Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Stir in the water and orange juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk until thickened. Stir in the cherries and orange zest, return to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. While the cherries are cooking spoon the ice cream into serving bowls. Remove the cherries from the heat and stir in the cherry extract. Pour in the brandy and ignite with a long lighter. Gently shake the pan until the blue flame has extinguished itself. Spoon the cherries over the bowls of ice cream. Serves 6
Strawberry Trifle
Trifle is a dessert made from thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, gelatin, cream, wine, port or sherry and whipped cream. These ingredients are usually arranged in layers with fruit and sponge on the bottom with custard and cream on top. There is no “set in stone” recipe so feel free to be creative.
INGREDIENTS
For The Syllabub:
2/3 Cup Dry White Wine
2 Tablespoon Sherry
Zest and Juice of One Lemon
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 ¼ Cups Heavy Cream
For The Sponge Cakes:
4 Separated Eggs
¾ Cup Plus 2 Tablespoon Sugar
¾ Cup Unbleached Flour
4 Tablespoon Softened Butter
For The Custard:
2 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
1 Cup Dry White Whine
3 Tablespoons Sherry
9 Cups Strawberries
For the syllabub put wine, sherry, lemon zest and lemon juice into a large bowl. Stir to combine and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
For the sponge cakes preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Put the egg yolk and ¾ cup of sugar into a large bowl and whisk until thick and pale yellow. In separate large bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks and add remaining sugar to the egg whites. Whisk again to stiff peaks. Add 1/3 of the egg whites and 1/3 of the flour and 1/3 of the butter to the egg yolk mixture and gently fold together. Repeat twice more with the remaining egg whites, flour and butter. Spoon a heaping ¼ cup of the batter onto a prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make 8 large circles in all, evenly spaced apart which should be about 4 on each baking sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until cakes are light golden brown and bounce back when touched. Transfer to a rack to cool.
For the custard bring milk to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Put eggs, egg yolk and sugar into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly pour the milk into a large bowl while whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from becoming scrambled. Transfer mixture to the pot and cook over medium-low heat for 13 minutes and stir constantly until thickened. Strain the custard into a medium sized bowl and set aside to let cool.
To assemble your trifle place 4 sponge cakes in the bottom of a 14 cup glass bowl. Overlap the cakes slightly. Pour half of the wine and half of the sherry over the cakes and press firmly to soak up the liquid. Repeat with the remaining cakes, wine and sherry. Top the cakes with 5 cups of the strawberries and pour the custard over the strawberries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 7 hours or overnight. Remove and throw away the zest from the syllabub. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the cream and beat to form soft peaks. Top the trifle with the syllabub and then heap the remaining strawberries on top. Serve immediately.
Serves 8
Sticky Toffee Pudding
This English steamed dessert consists of a very moist sponge cake that is made with chopped dates and covered in a toffee sauce. Sticky Toffee Pudding is considered an English classic and is thought to have developed somewhere in the south of England and made accessible by The Gait Inn at Millington (East Yorkshire), England in 1907.
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Stoned & Finely Chopped Dates
6 Ounces Boiling Water
1 ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
6 Ounces Self-Rising Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Lightly Beaten Large Eggs
3 Ounces Softened Butter (Plus Extra For Greasing)
5 Ounces Demerara Sugar
2 Tablespoons Black Treacle
3 ½ Ounces Milk
SAUCE
6 Ounces Muscovado Sugar
2 Ounces Butter (Cut Into Pieces)
8 Ounces Heavy Cream or Double Cream
1 Tablespoon Black Treacle
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Butter and flour 6 individual ramekins or use a deep square baking dish. Put the chopped dates into a large glass bowl and fill with boiling water to soak for 20 minutes. Once the dates are soft add the vanilla extract. Sift the flour and baking soda into a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. In small amounts at a time add the beaten egg to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix well between additions. Add the black treacle and beat well. Now fold in 1/3 of the flour and then 1/3 of the milk and repeat until the flour and milk are all in the butter mixture. Add the chopped dates including the liquid in the bowl and stir gently. The mixture will resemble a thick batter. Divide the mixture between the ramekins (or deep square baking dish) and place on a baking sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes for the individual puddings or 45 to 50 minutes for the deep square baking dish. The cake should be raised and firm to the touch. Make sure not to over bake. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out.
To make the sauce: Over medium heat melt the butter, sugar and half of the cream in a saucepan. Increase the heat slightly and bring to a boil while stirring constantly until all of the sugar has dissolved. Add the treacle and allow the sauce to bubble for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 1 minute. Now stir in the remaining cream.
To serve place an individual pudding or a portion from the baking dish onto a warm individual serving dish. Drizzle generous amounts of sauce over the pudding. You can serve with either ice cream or custard. Serves 6
Rhubarb Fool
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Fresh Rhubarb (Trimmed & Cut Into 6” Lengths)
3 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice
½ Cup Plus 1 Tablespoons Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Soak the rhubarb in 9 cups of cold water for 25 minutes. Drain the rhubarb and pat dry. Cut crosswise into ½ inch slices. In a medium saucepan combine the orange juice, ½ cup sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the prepared rhubarb to the saucepan. Bring mixture back to a boil and then reduce heat to a medium-low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until rhubarb is tender and starts to break apart. Rhubarb pieces should be remaining and not a total puree. Transfer rhubarb to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate from 2 to 24 hours. When ready to assemble, beat the whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar together until cream forms soft peaks. To assemble, spoon ¼ cup of the rhubarb mixture in 8 ounce glasses. Top with ¼ cup of the whipped cream. Repeat with another layer of rhubarb and whipped cream. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Serves 4
Salmon Mousse
Up until the 18th century, salmon was one of the most commonly eaten fish in Europe. With the Industrial Revolution came the pollution of many of the rivers which effectively eliminated wild salmon. These days most of the salmon sold in the U. S. and Europe is produced on fish farms. I usually prefer to consume wild salmon and make a point to ask the origin when I am purchasing my fish. This salmon mousse recipe is extremely versatile. It can be used as an appetizer (sliced and served as is on small squares of toasts with a squirt of lemon juice); as a main course; served with cold asparagus; served with a tossed salad; and a “make-ahead” spread that can be served with crackers or toasted rye bread.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Fresh Salmon
Bunch of Fresh Herbs
½ Pint Double Cream
2 Ounces Softened Butter
4 Ounces Dry Sherry
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ Ounce Powdered Gelatin
Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly oil a 1 pound loaf pan or a salmon mould. Place the salmon in a buttered, ovenproof dish with the fresh herbs and cover with water. Cover the dish with foil and cook for 20 minutes. Leave the salmon to cook in the liquid, and then remove the skin and bones. Reserve the liquid. Pound the salmon flesh until smooth. Lightly whip the cream and fold into the salmon. Soften the butter and stir into the mixture together with the sherry and lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper. Measure 6 tablespoons of the reserved fish liquid into a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set over a pan of hot water until the gelatin has dissolved. Cool slightly and then beat into the mousse. Spoon the mousse into the loaf pan or the mould and leave to set in the refrigerator overnight. Turn out onto a serving plate to serve. Serves 8
Meringue
There are several types of meringue. The sweetened, uncooked beaten egg whites that form the “islands” of Floating Island (also known in French as Ile flottante), the partly cooked toppings of lemon meringue pie and other meringue pie and other meringue-topped desserts, and the classic dry featherweight meringue. Different preparation techniques produce these results. French meringue is the method best known to home cooks. Fine white sugar is beaten into egg whites. Italian meringue is made with boiling sugar syrup, instead of white sugar. This leads to a much more stable soft meringue which can be used in various pastries without collapsing. In an Italian meringue, a hot sugar syrup is whipped into softly whipped egg whites until stiff. This type of meringue is safe to use without cooking. It will not deflate for a long while and can be either used on pies and Baked Alaska, or spread on a sheet and baked for meringues. Swiss meringue is whisked over a bain-marie (water bath) to warm the egg whites, and then whisked steadily until it cools. Then it is baked.
INGREDIENTS
2 Egg Whites
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 Pinch Salt
½ Cup Sugar
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Preheat oven to 375° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat on high speed until stiff. Beat in sugar one tablespoon at a time. Fold in vanilla. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Place in oven and turn oven off. Leave in the oven for 5 hours. Makes 12
Victoria Sponge
The Victoria Sponge Cake was named after Queen Victoria, who favored a slice of the sponge cake with her afternoon tea. A traditional Victoria Sponge consists of raspberry jam and whipped double cream or vanilla cream. The jam and cream are sandwiched between two sponge cakes. The top of the cake is not iced or decorated.
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
8 Ounces Sugar
8 Ounces of Soft Butter
4 Large Eggs
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Filling:
4 Ounces Raspberry Jam
5 Ounces Double Cream – Whipped
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. In a small whisk the eggs just to mix. Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture. Make sure that each addition is well mixed in before adding more. Sift the flour and baking powder, then gently fold into the egg mixture with a spatula. Use baking parchment to line a 9 inch round cake pan with a removable bottom. Line the side of the pan with a separate strip of parchment. Pour in the cake mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until done. Cool on a wire rack. Remove the cake from the pan and cut into two equal layers using a bread knife. Spread jam on the cut surface of one layer and whipped cream on the other cut surface. Sandwich together. Serve sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar is you like. Serves 8
Crème Caramel
INGREDIENTS
Custard:
1 Quart Whole Milk
1 ¼ Cups Plus 3 Tablespoons Sugar
5 Jumbo Eggs
3 Jumbo Egg Yolks
2 ¼ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Caramel:
½ Cup Plus 1 Tablespoon Sugar
3 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
3 Tablespoons Water
First arrange 8 (1 Cup) ramekins in a large roasting pan and set aside. To make the caramel: in a small saucepan, bring the sugar, water and corn syrup to a simmer over medium heat. Stir lightly to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 25 minutes or until a rich, amber caramel amber caramel forms. Pour an equal amount of hot caramel into each ramekin. If the caramel gets too hard, gently reheat it. Preheat the oven to 300° F. To make the custard: In a large saucepan, bring the milk and sugar just to a simmer over medium heat. Stir for 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Let cool until warm. In a large bowl, whisk the whole eggs with the yolks. Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture and then the vanilla. Strain the custard and pour into the prepared ramekins. Add enough hot water to the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with 2 layers of plastic wrap. Bake the custard for 1 hour or until they are set, but still slightly wiggle in the center. Remove the hot custards from the water bath and let them cool on a rack until they are room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the custards overnight. To serve pour 2 inches of extremely hot water into a small bowl. Dip the ramekin in the hot water for 10 seconds and then run a thin knife around the edge of the ramekin to loosen the custard. Invert the crème caramel onto a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining crème caramels and serve. Serves 8
Strawberry Tart
This is such an easy dessert recipe. Feel free to substitute the strawberries with your favorite berry.
INGREDIENTS
9 Inch Pie Crust
8 Ounces Softened Cream Cheese
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Cups Washed & Hulled Whole Strawberries
Bake the pie crust until golden brown. If you are using a frozen pie crust then follow the package directions. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Spoon the filling into the cooled pie crust. Spread the mixture evenly in the shell. Arrange the strawberries on top of the filling. Some people like to arrange the strawberries with the bottoms up, but arrange however you wish. Chill for 1 hour before serving. Serves 6
Baked Camembert
I discovered Baked Camembert while living in France. Baked Camembert is a great appetizer or can be eaten as a meal.
INGREDIENTS
One 9 Ounce Camembert (In Wooden Box)
1 Peeled and Sliced Garlic Clove
½ Teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Small Baguette (Cut into Slices)
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Extra Olive Oil For Brushing
Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove the camembert from the box and throw away any wax paper packaging. Take a 10 inch square of foil and place in the wooden box. Place the camembert back inside the box. Pierce the top of the camembert with the tip of a knife and push in the slices of garlic along with thyme leaves. Drizzle with honey. Loosely scrunch the foil up over the cheese and set aside. Brush two 12 inch square sheets, the size of your baking sheet, of parchment paper with oil. Line the baking sheet with one of the oiled parchment sheets – oil side up. Spread the slices of baguette over the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed sea salt. Place the remaining sheet of parchment – oil side down – over the bread. Place in the oven with the camembert and cook both for 10 minutes or until the cheese has risen and the bread is crisp. Open up the foil and dip in the hot baguette. This is delicious! Serves 4
