I love crème brûlée but it doesn’t love me. Imagine my delight at finding this recipe for a wonderful burnt and creamy dessert which doesn’t use any cream! The recipe comes from my sister’s birthday present to me: MY LITTLE FRENCH KITCHEN by Rachel Khoo. In a saucepan bring 500ml (1 pint) of milk to boil and…… Continue reading semolina pudding brûlée
Tag: dessert
tarte tatin
This classic French dessert comes from the Hotel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron south of Paris. The hotel was run by two sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin. The tart was apparently created by Stéphanie Tatin when she left her apples on the stove too long and decided to put the pastry on top, serving it hot from the oven. It became a signature dish at…… Continue reading tarte tatin
grilled figs
A simple but wonderful dessert when fresh figs are in season. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Cut fresh figs in half and lie them face-up in a baking dish. Scatter walnuts around them. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoons of honey. Add 1 teaspoon of orange blossom water, stir to combine and drizzle the…… Continue reading grilled figs
cheese strudel
Here’s a nod to my Austro-Hungarian background. Preheat the oven to 200℃ (390℉). Combine 250g (8¾ oz) of farmers cheese, ⅓ of a cup of sugar, 1 cup of almond meal and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or paste and beat until smooth and creamy. Add 1 egg and beat well. Melt 40g of clarified butter or ghee. Lay out 5 sheets…… Continue reading cheese strudel
apples and plums baked with sour cream
A hot pudding which combines tart spiced apples and plums, a sweet vanilla custard-like layer and a brown sugar and cinnamon topping. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (360ºF). Peel and dice 2 apples and place them in a small saucepan with the zest and juice of ½ a lemon and a pinch each of nutmeg and cinnamon.…… Continue reading apples and plums baked with sour cream
ma’amoul
These small shortbread pastries are very popular in Palestine and the Gulf States. Filled with dates, pistachios, walnuts and occasionally almonds or figs, Muslims eat them at night during Ramadan and during the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays and Arabic-speaking Christians eat them at Easter. They are also popular among Syrian, Lebanese and Egyptian Jewish communities, who eat them with nut fillings on Purim, and with date fillings on Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah. The subject of ma’amoul arose in conversation with my friend Caroline who was not only…… Continue reading ma’amoul
the best chocolate sauce
This chocolate sauce is so easy and so much better than any you can buy. It is delicious with ice cream, on a banana split, over Pear Helene or with anything that is good with chocolate sauce! Here it’s served warm over good quality vanilla ice cream, with frozen pitted cherries (thawed) and a good…… Continue reading the best chocolate sauce
baked rice pudding
This is an old favourite with a fragrant Middle Eastern twist. Preheat the oven to 160℃ (320℉). In a saucepan heat 3 cups of milk and 1 cup of cream with a cinnamon stick, 3 strips of orange rind, ¾ of a cup of caster sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla paste and a generous grating…… Continue reading baked rice pudding
baumkuchen
Like the cross section of a tree trunk, this Bavarian baumkuchen or ‘tree cake’ is traditionally painted onto a rotisserie grill in thin layers forming the ‘rings’ of the tree. This version is cooked in a cake tin and the layers are horizontal. This cake is best made one or two days ahead and keeps well.…… Continue reading baumkuchen
cannelés
Yvie (a committed Francophile) made these Bordeaux specialities. Although made with a simple batter the result is chewy or almost crunchy on the outside and custard-like in the centre. Of course you need cannelés moulds to make the real thing. Traditionally baked in copper there are also silicone versions available. Make a batter of 3 cups of milk, 1¼…… Continue reading cannelés
michelle picker cooks 