WHITE CHOCOLATE BERRY TART
Pastry
500ml flour
45ml castor sugar
150g butter, cubed
1 egg, beaten
ice water to mix
Filling
45ml cornflour
60ml sugar
4 egg yolks
375ml milk
60ml castor sugar
5ml vanilla extract
90g white chocolate, chopped
20g butter
150g fresh blueberries
150g fresh raspberries
PASTRY: Put the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and enough ice water to form a stiff dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough and line a 20cm quiche pan.
Bake the pastry blind using baking paper and dried beans.
Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for about 10 minutes to dry out the base. Remove and cool completely before filling.
FILLING: Combine the cornflour, sugar and egg yolks and mix well.
Heat the milk, castor sugar and vanilla until just boiling. Add half the milk to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly.
Pour the mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk and stir over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Remove from the heat and add in the white chocolate and butter. Mix until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with cling film. Set aside to cool completely. Spoon the mixture into the pastry base. Place alternate rows of blueberries and raspberries on to the tart.
ROAST DUCK WITH CHERRIES
Serves 2-3
1 duck, about 1.9kg
salt and pepper
5-6 potatoes, washed and cut into wedges
Cherry sauce
200g cherries, pitted
125ml port
zest of 1 orange
100ml orange juice
60ml chicken stock
30ml honey
Preheat oven to 220°C.
Wash duck inside and out under cold running water and pat dry with paper towel.
Season with salt and pepper, place on a rack over a large roasting tray and roast for 20 minutes.
Put potatoes in the roasting pan under the duck, turn the oven down to 180°C and roast for 30-45 minutes, until the duck is cooked and the potatoes are crisp.
Carefully remove rack with the duck, cover in foil and rest for 15-20 minutes.
If necessary, cook potatoes longer if not crisp enough. Carve the duck, top with cherry sauce and serve with potato wedges.
SAUCE: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat and simmer until sauce has thickened.
BEEF CHERRY-YAKI
Serves 6
500g boneless beef sirloin or rump, trimmed of fat
30ml oil
3 medium carrots, julienne sliced
1 bunch spring onions,
julienne sliced
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
15ml cornflour
200g cherries, pitted
Teriyaki marinade
30ml sake
60ml soy sauce
60ml mirin
30ml brown sugar
30ml grated ginger
Thinly slice the meat across the grain into strips and combine with the teriyaki marinade. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour, stirring once. Then remove meat from the teriyaki marinade.
Combine the leftover teriyaki marinade with the cornflour and stir well. Set aside. Heat the oil in a wok or pan over medium high heat and stir-fry the meat until brown.
Add the vegetables and stir-fry for a few minutes.
Add the teriyaki and cornflour mixture to the beef and vegetables. Turn down the heat and allow to thicken for a few minutes.
Add cherries and cook, stirring often for a further
2 minutes.
TERIYAKI MARINADE: In a shallow dish, combine the ingredients and mix well.
BERRY LOAF WITH CITRUS DRIZZLE
Makes 1 loaf
375ml cake flour
190ml castor sugar
10ml baking powder
100g butter, melted
2 extra-large eggs
15ml finely grated orange rind
125ml yoghurt
125ml blueberries
125ml cherries, pitted
Glace Icing
250ml icing sugar, sifted
20ml orange juice
a little hot water
5ml orange zest
Sift the dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine the butter, eggs, rind and yoghurt in a jug and whisk together.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth batter.
Add the berries and stir gently.
Pour the batter into a 23x12cm loaf pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40-60 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
ICING: Combine the icing sugar, orange juice and a little hot water until you have a thick but still runny icing. Add the zest.
Pour the icing over the cooled loaf and decorate with extra berries.
SPARKLING JELLY WITH BERRIES
Serves 8-10
750ml ruby sparkling wine
375ml berry juice
300ml sugar
12 gelatine leaves
200g cherries, pitted
100g blueberries
100g raspberries
100g strawberries
Bring the sparkling wine and berry juice to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved.
Soften the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Drain.
Add the softened leaves to the sparkling juice mixture and stir over a low heat just enough to dissolve the gelatine, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Pour a little of the cooled jelly mixture into the base of your chosen bowl, glass or mould and allow it to just set in the refrigerator.
Arrange a layer of assorted berries on top, and then add a little more jelly to cover the fruit. Refrigerate until set.
Continue to build up the layers of berries by allowing them to set in the jelly before adding more. Refrigerate until completely set. - The Star