My sister made this wonderful lemon pudding for a special occasion. Adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe, This pudding cooks in layers with a soft lemon custard underneath and a light cake texture on top. To make enough for 8, cream 100g (3½ oz) of butter with 230g (8 oz) of sugar and the finely…… Continue reading lemon pudding
Category: desserts
rhubarb, apple and pear crumble
This crumble has the most delicious balance of fruit and spicy topping. Cut a bunch of fresh rhubarb into slices and place in a large bowl. Add 5 sweet apples (I used golden delicious) and 4 pears all peeled, cored and cut into chunks. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and the grated zest of ½ a…… Continue reading rhubarb, apple and pear crumble
bread pudding
Made from ciabatta rolls (lots of crusts) this pudding was still wonderfully moist. Cut 5 large bread rolls or a large crusty loaf of white bread into small dice. Put them in a large bowl and soak for 1 hour in 5 cups of milk. In another bowl combine 4 large eggs, 1¾ cups of…… Continue reading bread pudding
deconstructed lemon meringue pie
Vanilla ice cream, shortbread cookie crumbs and quick microwave meringues are the perfect combination to showcase home-made lemon curd. To make the lemon curd beat 4 egg yolks and ¾ of a cup of sugar until well blended. Combine in a heavy saucepan with 120ml (3 fl oz) lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of softened butter. Cook over medium-low…… Continue reading deconstructed lemon meringue pie
chocolate self-saucing puddings
Hot and deliciously gooey these puddings are from a recipe by Donna Hay. Preheat oven to 180C (350F). In a bowl sift together 75g (½ a cup) plain flour, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Add 1½ tablespoons of hazelnut meal and 45g (¼ of a cup) brown sugar and stir to combine. Add 125ml (½ a cup)…… Continue reading chocolate self-saucing puddings
tiramisu
Made with strong espresso coffee, this Italian dessert translates as ‘pick-me-up’. I made this one using Antonio Carluccio’s recipe. Place 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar in a bowl and mix gently to a creamy consistency. Add 250g (9 oz) of mascarpone cheese and fold it in.…… Continue reading tiramisu
figs in red wine
This Nigel Slater recipe was intended as a dessert to be served with all it’s syrup. I decided instead to serve the figs as delightful cold morsels. In a saucepan place 375g (8oz) of dried figs, a bottle of red wine, 3 tablespoons of honey and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Bring to the…… Continue reading figs in red wine
coconut rice pudding
This rice pudding is so simple and delicious as well as being a great way to use up any left-over rice. Cooking time may vary depending on the type of rice you use. Start with cooked rice and for every cup of rice add 2 cups of milk and one cup of water. Bring to…… Continue reading coconut rice pudding
fig, date and goat cheese tart
Moroccan tagines often include fruit and I love the way it’s cooked. Take 12 pieces of dried fruit and cook them in a cup of water with a tablespoon of sugar. Allow to boil until the fruit is soft and the liquid is low. Now add a tablespoon of orange blossom water (available at Middle…… Continue reading fig, date and goat cheese tart
rhubarb and blackberry compote
I couldn’t resist buying a bunch of rhubarb recently – it looked so wonderfully bright and fresh. I decided to combine it with blackberries in a baked compote. After washing and trimming the rhubarb, I cut it into short lengths. These went into an oven-proof dish with a cup of blackberries, ¾ cup of caster sugar and…… Continue reading rhubarb and blackberry compote
michelle picker cooks 