Fruit

Apple and Custard Tart

October 13, 2012
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I dreamt up this combination of a tart with a layer of apple puree topped with creamy custard last month, I imagined it in my mind tasting quite wonderful and it does.  This has become the dessert I want to eat before I die, only I would like the whole tart.  It’s apple and custard […]

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Baked Stuffed Apples in Pastry Dumplings

October 10, 2012
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This is an old fashion way of baking apples.  I have vague memory of seeing apples treated this way in old cookery books but it was Catherine commenting on my site recently who reminded me of this method.  I was talking to Anne about it when she told she bakes cooking apples this way all […]

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Banana Cake – best banana flavour cake

October 7, 2012
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If you want a cake that tastes strongly of natural banana flavour then this is it, it’s supercharged with banana flavour.  The texture is cake-like, moist but at the same time soft and crumbly.  Some banana cakes have a chewy slightly rubbery texture, this is most definitely not one of those, it’s delicate enough to […]

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Sweet pickled figs in cardamon, pickled plums in coriander and allspice, pickled mirabelles in vanilla and black cardamon

September 24, 2012
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This collection of sweet fruit pickles with different spices came about from a conversation with Gloria, she mentioned making pickled plums and how the sweeten spiced vinegar was very good to use in vinaigrettes.  As Gloria put that idea in my mind I could see how lovely it would be to use the pickled plum itself […]

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Yellow plum sauce, Victoria plum sauce

September 23, 2012
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I wanted to make a plum sauce Oriental style but one which allergy kid could eat which meant no soy sauce.  I thought it would be nice to use yellow plums and make it a golden colour.  I bought over 2.5 kilos (5.5 pounds) of golden coloured plums below but unfortunately things didn’t quite go […]

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Dutch Fruit Pudding

September 15, 2012
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After making the Dutch Cake in the post here, I made versions of this as a pudding, served either individually like these blackberry ones or in one large dish as the plum version below.  Other fruits like apricots, peaches, raspberries or blueberries could be used instead. I’ve jotted down notes below. What’s obvious about using the […]

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Dutch or Norwegian Apple Cake

September 12, 2012
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I don’t know why this cake comes under both names. I have this method of making cake in my 1970′s Marks & Spencer Cakes Pastries and Bakes book, in there it’s called Norwegian Apple Cake and I have exactly the same recipe including the same ingredient amounts in my Darina Allen’s Easy Entertaining book published […]

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Frozen Blackberry or Raspberry Soufflés with super smooth texture

August 31, 2012
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After making the ewe’s cheesecake tart, I was left with 5 egg whites and this was the recipe I came up with to use them; a really smooth textured frozen dessert without the need for liquid nitrogen.  It’s so easy to make, the hardest part is to boil the blackberries with sugar for 15mins.  That’s it. […]

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Easy Peach Tart (Peach Galette) with Vanilla Pastry

August 19, 2012
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I’ve been thinking about making a tart like this for the last two weeks while we’re surrounded by lovely peaches.  These are the white variety but any will do including swapping them for nectarines so long as they’re ripe.  When I made these yesterday I ate two of the small tarts and quite a bit […]

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Banana Tarte Tartin, Passion Fruit & Banana Sorbet

December 23, 2011
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This is Gregoire’s Banana dessert from his Never Skip Dessert  book, which is unfortunately out of print!  Easy tart to make and made from ingredients usually in the house; butter, flour, sugar and bananas. The first time I made it was last weekend for Emily  and husband Andrew, it was a hit.  I baked it […]

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Gloria’s Quince & Apple Mincemeat (fat-free)

December 8, 2011
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It’s still not too late to make mincemeat for your Christmas mince pies.  I can cope with shop bought pastry but not shop bought mincemeat, it’s just not the same, miles apart.  The ones you buy are monotone, lack vibrancy and sharpness to balance against the sweetness.   I made my lovely friend Gloria’s mincemeat […]

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Spelt Apple Cake (dairy-free)

October 7, 2011
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It occurred to me to try spelt flour in a cake when I came across a bakery in St Albans, Hertfordshire,  selling a huge range of baked products using spelt flour.  The other reason was because I have English white spelt flour in the cupboard that is pretty poor quality for bread (I had bought […]

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Preserving with Gloria Nicol

September 4, 2011
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I bought Gloria’s new preserving book, 100 Jams Jellies Preserves & Pickles back at the beginning of July but because I’ve been immersed with all things bread I haven’t had the chance to mention it here but now I must.  I’ve spent a few days boiling down some of my favourite summer fruits using her […]

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BBQ Nectarines or Peaches with Vin Santo

August 13, 2011
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I made these for the first time two years ago and then again last year.   White nectarines but equally good with ripe peaches charred and warmed through on the barbecue using the last of its heat then sprinkled with your favourite liqueur or dessert wine.  Very good served with a scoop of ice-cream.

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Banana, Salted Caramel and px Sherry Parfait

March 6, 2011
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This is a smooth delicious ice-cream and easy to make, banana with a toffee slightly caramelised flavour.  It’s perfect for using up bananas which have past their best, you really want them over-ripe when there’s a high concentration of sugar and the banana flavour will come through strong. The first time I made a banana […]

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