Divine Desserts - Christmas Recipes & Crafts(2015)

Christmas Recipes & Crafts (2015)

Divine Desserts

Cheesecake with Caramel Pecan Nuts

Apple Pie

Prosecco & Lemon Sorbet

Cranberry Amaretti Creams

Pear & Ginger Bundt Cakes

Cranberry Apple Meringues

Poached Pears

Mango & Ginger Roulade

Chocolate Mousse

Rich Chocolate Pies

Cheesecake with Caramel Pecan Nuts

This delicious baked cheesecake, with its lovely caramelized pecan nut decoration, is a dessert worthy of gracing the Christmas table.

SERVES 6-8 PREP 25 MINS COOK 1 HR 20 MINS-1 HR 30 MINS

base

50 g/1% oz pecan nuts

150 g/5½ oz digestive biscuits, broken into pieces

50 g/1¾ oz butter, melted

filling

400 g/14 oz cream cheese

200 g/7 oz curd cheese

125 g/4½ oz unrefined caster sugar

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

200 ml/7 fl oz double cream

topping

10 g/¼ oz butter, for greasing

225 g/8 oz unrefined caster sugar

5 tbsp water

70 g/2½ oz pecan nuts

1.Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. To make the base, put the nuts in a food processor and process briefly, then add the broken biscuits and pulse again until crumbs form. Tip into a bowl and stir in the melted butter until well combined. Press into the base of a 20-cm/8-inch round springform cake tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.

2.To make the filling, beat together the cream cheese, curd cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, until smooth. Finally, stir in the cream. Spoon over the prepared base. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, then test - the cheesecake should be cooked but with a slight ‘wobble’ in the centre. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes if necessary. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.

3.To make the topping, grease a piece of foil with butter and lay it flat. Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer, swirling the saucepan rather than stirring, and cook until the syrup begins to darken, then add the pecan nuts. Transfer each nut to the greased foil and leave to harden. When you are ready to serve, unmould the cheesecake onto a serving plate and arrange the caramel pecan nuts on top.

Apple Pie

This classic dessert is perfect to round off Christmas dinner. Add more cinnamon to the filling if you’re feeling extra festive!

SERVES 6-8 PREP 40 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 50 MINS

175 g/6 oz plain flour

pinch of salt

85 g/3 oz butter, cut into pieces

85 g/3 oz lard, cut into small pieces

about 1-2 tbsp water

1 egg, beaten, for glazing

10 g/¼ oz soft light brown sugar, for sprinkling

filling

750 g-1 kg/1 lb 10 oz-2 lb 4 oz cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

125 g/4½ oz soft light brown sugar

½-1 tsp ground cinnamon

1.Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and lard and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough cold water to mix to a firm dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.

2.Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Thinly roll out almost two thirds of the pastry and use to line a deep 23-cm/9-inch pie dish.

3.To make the filling, mix the apples with the sugar and cinnamon and pack into the pastry case.

4.Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid. Dampen the edges of the pie rim with water and position the lid, pressing the edges firmly together. Trim and crimp the edges. Use the pastry trimmings to cut out leaves or other shapes. Dampen and attach to the top of the pie. Glaze the pie with beaten egg, make one or two slits in the top and place the pie on a baking sheet.

5.Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 30 minutes, or until the pastry is a light golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar and serve hot or cold.

Prosecco & Lemon Sorget

This deliciously light and refreshing dessert is lovely after a heavy meal - or you could serve it as a palate cleanser between courses.

SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS COOLING AND FREEZING COOK 5 MINS

140 g/5 oz caster sugar

100 ml/3½ fl oz water

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

350 ml/12 fl oz prosecco

fresh mint sprigs, to decorate

1.Put the sugar, water and lemon rind into a medium-sized saucepan over a low heat and heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved.

2.Bring to the boil, then boil for 1 minute until slightly reduced. Leave to cool, then strain through a sieve.

3.Add the lemon juice and prosecco to the lemon syrup and stir to combine, then pour into an ice-cream machine and churn following the manufacturer’s instructions. Alternatively, pour into a container to freeze and whisk once an hour until completely frozen.

4.Remove the sorbet from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving, then scoop into serving dishes. Decorate with mint sprigs and serve.

Cranberry Amaretti Creams

All the lovely flavours of Christmas - ginger, cinnamon and tart, juicy cranberries - come together in this luscious and creamy cold dessert.

SERVES 10 PREP 15 MINS, PLUS COOLING AND CHILLING COOK 10 MINS

85 g/3 oz granulated sugar

2 tsp cornflour

large pinch of ground cinnamon

large pinch of ground ginger

125 ml/4 fl oz water

200 g/7 oz frozen cranberries

150 g/5½ oz full-fat soft cheese

3 tbsp caster sugar

200 ml/7 fl oz double cream

4 tsp orange juice

55 g/2 oz amaretti biscuits, crushed

1.Put the granulated sugar, cornflour, cinnamon and ginger into a heavy-based saucepan, then gradually add the water, stirring, until smooth. Add the cranberries and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and the mixture has thickened. Cover and leave to cool.

2.Put the cheese and caster sugar into a mixing bowl and stir, then gradually whisk in the cream until smooth. Stir in the orange juice and then the biscuit crumbs. Spoon the mixture into a disposable paper or polythene piping bag. Spoon the cranberry mixture into a separate disposable piping bag. Snip off the tips.

3.Pipe the amaretti cream into ten shot glasses until they are one-quarter full. Pipe over half the cranberry mixture, then repeat the layers. Cover and chill.

Pear & Ginger Bundt Cakes

Bundt cakes have become a traditional Christmas offering - these perfect miniature versions, with their luscious whisky glaze, are irresistible.

SERVES 12 PREP 20 MINS COOK 35-40 MINS

10 g/¼ oz butter, for greasing

10 g/¼ oz flour, for dusting

250 g/9 oz pears, peeled, cored and cubed

1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar

125 g/4½ oz butter, softened

175 g/6 oz caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

100 ml/3½ fl oz soured cream

175 g/6 oz plain flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground ginger

pinch of salt

4 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger

2 tsp vanilla extract

glaze

2 tbsp whisky

50 g/1¾ oz dark muscovado sugar

1.Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 12-hole mini Bundt tin and lightly dust with flour, shaking out any excess.

2.Place the pears in a small saucepan with a splash of cold water and the muscovado sugar. Cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes, until the pears are soft, but not mushy. Drain through a sieve, reserving the cooking juices, and leave to cool.

3.Place the butter and caster sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a spoonful of the flour if the mixture curdles. Stir in the soured cream.

4.Mix the flour with the baking powder, ground ginger, salt and 2 tablespoons of the crystallized ginger, then gently fold into the mixture with the vanilla extract and the pears.

5.Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6.To make the glaze, place the reserved cooking juices in a small saucepan with the whisky and sugar, bring to the boil and boil hard for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Spoon over the tops of the cakes and scatter over the remaining crystallized ginger.

Cranberry Apple Meringues

Apples cooked until tender with zesty dried cranberries, then covered with a soft meringue topping - it all adds up to a delicious dessert.

SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 25-30 MINS

500 g/1 lb 2 oz cooking apples

1 tbsp apple juice

175 g/6 oz caster sugar

100 g/3½ oz dried cranberries

2 egg whites

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Peel, core and chop the apples, place in a saucepan and sprinkle with the apple juice.

2.Add 70 g/2½ oz of the sugar and the cranberries, stir and heat gently until boiling. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until the fruit is just tender.

3.Divide the fruit between four 350-ml/12-fl oz ovenproof dishes and place on a baking sheet.

4.Put the egg whites into a grease-free bowl and whisk until they hold soft peaks. Gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until the mixture holds stiff peaks.

5.Spoon the meringue on top of the fruit, swirling with a knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the meringue is lightly browned. Serve warm.

Tip

This is a good dinner party dessert because it’s so easy to prepare ahead. Just cook the apple mixture and set aside until needed, then reheat and proceed with the recipe from step 3.

Poached Pears

Pears poached in Marsala make a very elegant dessert - they are an excellent standby as they can be prepared well in advance.

SERVES 6 PREP 20 MINS, PLUS CHILLING AND COOLING COOK 50 MINS-1 HR 5 MINS

6 dessert pears, peeled but left whole with stalks attached

500 ml/17 fl oz Marsala

125 ml/4 fl oz water

1 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 piece of lemon rind or mandarin rind

1 vanilla pod

350 ml/12 fl oz double cream

1 tbsp icing sugar

1.Put the pears in a large saucepan with the Marsala, water, brown sugar and lemon rind and gently bring to the boil, stirring to make sure that the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the pears are tender. Leave the pears to cool in the liquid, then remove from the liquid, cover and chill in the refrigerator.

2.Discard the lemon rind and simmer the liquid for 15-20 minutes, or until syrupy. Leave to cool.

3.Cut a thin sliver of flesh from the base of each pear so that they will stand upright. Slit open the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds into a bowl. Whisk together the cream, vanilla seeds and icing sugar in a bowl until thick. Put each pear on a dessert plate and pour over a little syrup. Serve with the vanilla cream.

Variation

You could add a few pieces of chopped stem ginger to the syrup when it has cooled, and serve the pears with some stem ginger or cinnamon ice cream instead of the vanilla cream.

Mango & Ginger Roulade

Mango and ginger are brought together in a delicious combination for this luscious dessert, which is perfect for entertaining.

SERVES 6 PREP 30 MINS COOK 15-20 MINS

1 tbsp oil, for oiling

10 g/¼ oz golden caster sugar, for sprinkling

150 g/5½ oz plain white flour

1½ tsp baking powder

175 g/6 oz butter, softened

175 g/6 oz golden caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp orange juice

1 large ripe mango

3 tbsp chopped glacé ginger

5 tbsp crème fraîche

1.Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Oil a 23 x 33-cm/9 x 13-inch Swiss roll tin and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang of 1 cm/½ inch above the rim. Lay a sheet of baking paper on the work surface and sprinkle with caster sugar.

2.Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat well until smooth, then beat in the orange juice. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth into the corners with a palette knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until risen, firm and golden brown.

3.Meanwhile, peel and stone the mango and cut into chunks. Reserve a few pieces for decoration and finely chop the remainder. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of the glacé ginger.

4.Turn out the sponge onto the prepared paper and spread with the mango mixture. Firmly roll up the sponge from one short side to enclose the filling, keeping the paper around the outside to hold it in place. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool, removing the paper when firm.

5.When cold, top with spoonfuls of crème fraîche and decorate with the reserved mango and the remaining glacé ginger.

Chocolate Mousse

This simplest of desserts is one of the most satisfying. T o get the best flavour, make sure you use the best plain chocolate.

SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 6-10 MINS

280 g/10 oz plain chocolate, broken into small pieces

1½ tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp brandy

4 eggs, separated

55 g/2 oz plain chocolate, broken into small pieces, to serve

1.Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, and heat, stirring, until smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in the brandy, and leave to cool slightly. Add the egg yolks and beat until smooth.

2.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, then fold into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into small serving bowls or glasses and level the surfaces. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 4 hours, or until set.

3.Take the mousse out of the refrigerator and serve, sprinkled with chopped chocolate pieces.

Rich Chocolate Pies

Chocolate and cream, baked together in a rich and delicious pie - what could be better as a dessert during the indulgent festive season?

SERVES 8 PREP 20 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 35 MINS

pastry

225 g/8 oz plain flour

115 g/4 oz butter, diced

2 tbsp icing sugar

1 egg yolk

2-3 tbsp cold water

10 g/¼ oz flour, for dusting

filling

250 g/9 oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces

115 g/4 oz butter

50 g/1¾ oz icing sugar

300 ml/10 fl oz double cream

grated chocolate, to decorate

1.To make the pastry, sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar, egg yolk and enough water to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line eight 10-cm/4-inch shallow tartlet tins. Chill for 30 minutes.

2.Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Prick the cases with a fork and line with crumpled foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.

3.To make the filling, place the chocolate, butter and icing sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in 200 ml/7 fl oz of the cream. Remove the pastry cases from the tins and place on a baking sheet. Fill each case with some of the chocolate mixture. Return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then chill until required.

4.Whip the remaining cream and pipe into the centre of each tart. Decorate with grated chocolate and serve.