Fruity desserts

CHERRY CLAFOUTI

Serves 4

400g cherries, pitted

2 eggs

80ml castor sugar

60ml flour

100ml milk

100ml cream

3ml vanilla

icing sugar for sifting

Brush one large or two smaller ovenproof dishes with melted butter. Coat with castor sugar. Put the cherries on the base of the dish in a single layer.

Beat the eggs and castor sugar. Sift over the flour and add the milk, cream and vanilla. Beat well and set aside for 20 minutes. Pour over the cherries and bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until golden and puffed up. Remove and serve immediately sifted with icing sugar.

l This pudding is a bit like a soufflé as it needs to be served immediately it comes out of the oven. It can be assembled in advance but only bake it 30 minutes before serving. It can also be made using most soft fresh fruit like apricots and plums.

PEACH AND RASPBERRY CUSTARD CREAM

Serves 6

6 dessert peaches, peeled and chopped

60ml castor sugar

15ml lemon juice

250ml frozen raspberries

5ml rosewater

Custard

6 egg yolks

125ml castor sugar

500ml cream

5ml vanilla extract

Combine the peaches, castor sugar and lemon juice in a small pot and simmer gently until the peaches are soft.

Remove from the heat and stir in the raspberries and rosewater.

Divide the mixture between six ramekins and chill.

Beat the egg yolks and castor sugar.

Heat the cream and pour the hot cream on to the eggs and sugar.

Return the mixture to the pot and stir over a low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Cool and divide between the ramekins over the peach mixture.

Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the ramekins. Bake at 140°C for 20-30 minutes until just set.

Remove and cool then chill well before serving.

EASY FRUIT COCKTAIL PUDDING

Serves 8-10

500ml flour

250ml castor sugar

10ml bicarbonate of soda

3 eggs, beaten

400g can of fruit cocktail

Sauce

125g butter

125ml castor sugar

125ml cream

5ml vanilla essence

Put the flour, castor sugar and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add the eggs and the tin of fruit cocktail, including the syrup, and mix well.

Pour this mixture into a greased 25cm ovenproof baking dish. Bake at 180°C for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the pudding comes out clean. Remove from the oven and pierce the pudding all over with a skewer.

Pour over the hot sauce and leave it to become absorbed.

Serve warm with custard or cream.

SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients in a small pot and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the pudding.

CARAMEL BANANA UPSIDE DOWN PUDDING

Serves 6-8

160ml brown sugar

80g butter

30ml golden syrup

60ml chopped pecan nuts

2-3 bananas

100g butter, softened

160ml castor sugar

1 egg

5ml vanilla essence

250ml flour

5ml baking powder

5ml cinnamon

80ml milk

Combine the brown sugar and butter in a small pot and stir over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until butter is melted. Add the syrup and mix well.

Pour this mixture into the base of a greased and base-lined 20cm cake pan and scatter the nuts over. Slice the bananas into 5mm thick slices and arrange the sliced bananas in circles on top of the nuts to cover the entire base of the pan.

Cream the butter and castor sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla essence. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and add it alternately to the creamed mixture with the milk.

Spread this mixture over the bananas and bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and stand for 20 minutes before inverting on to a plate.

Serve with whipped cream.

RHUBARB, APPLE AND STRAWBERRY PUDDING

Serves 6

500g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces

3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

grated rind of 1 orange

30ml orange juice

60ml castor sugar

250g strawberries, halved

Topping

125g butter

180ml castor sugar

2eggs

310ml flour

60ml custard powder

10ml baking powder

150ml milk

5ml vanilla essence

60ml flaked almonds

icing sugar for dusting

Combine the rhubarb, apple, orange rind, juice and castor sugar in a roasting pan and toss to combine. Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and add the strawberries. Set aside to cool. Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof baking dish.

TOPPING: Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour, custard and baking powder and add alternately to the creamed mixture with the milk. Mix in the vanilla.

Spoon this batter on top of the fruit and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the pudding comes out clean.

Remove and serve warm with custard or cream.

l Use this topping to cover fresh or drained tinned fruit.

ROLLED FRUIT SALAD PAVLOVA

Serves 8-10

6 extra-large egg whites

5ml vinegar

375ml castor sugar

50g flaked almonds

250ml cream

a mixture of fresh seasonal fruit, diced

Preheat oven to 160°C. Spray a 30x40cm Swiss roll baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and then line with an ovenproof cooking bag (this is excellent to prevent sticking). Spray with cooking spray.

Whisk egg whites and vinegar until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually, beating well after each addition. When the mixture is thick and glossy, spoon into prepared tray and spread evenly with a spatula.

Top with almonds and press down lightly on mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes until set.

Turn out on to sheet of greaseproof paper. Peel off cooking bag from base and trim off hard edges with scissors. Allow to cool.

Whip cream until stiff. Spread on to cooled meringue and scatter with fruit. Roll it up like a Swiss roll.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for no more than 2 to 3 hours before serving.