Easy puddings to please
These simple desserts are the perfect solution to the panicked realisation you forgot to make something for a holiday gathering.
Let me set the scene for you: Christmas is approaching fast and you’ve been so busy you’ve forgotten the promise you made to bring dessert to the family dinner or barbecue with the neighbours.
Before you resort to buying a family pack box of icecreams from the petrol station, help is here.
These three puddings can all be made in advance and you can buy the ingredients well before you need them to avoid lastminute shopping drama.
Raspberry and lemon possets
Serves 4-6 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes
These elegant little puddings are whipped up in minutes and can sit in the fridge for up to a day before serving. They are fairly rich, so if you aren’t feeding greedy people you can stretch this amount to feed six people easily.
❚ 11⁄2 cups frozen raspberries
❚ 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
❚ 2⁄3 cup caster sugar
❚ 450ml cream
❚ 1⁄2 cup roasted, salted pistachio nuts, shelled and roughly chopped
Take half a cup of the raspberries and mash to a puree. Push this mixture through a fine sieve to make about two tablespoons of juice. Set aside.
Put the sugar and cream in a small saucepan. Stir well and set over low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and let bubble away for three minutes. Remove from the heat and add the raspberry juice and lemon juice. Stir well and let stand for 10 minutes.
While you’re waiting, take another half cup of the raspberries and divide between four to six little ramekins or glasses. Carefully pour the cream mixture on top. When the puddings have cooled, cover and leave to set in the fridge for at least two hours.
When you’re ready to eat, sprinkle the remaining raspberries and the chopped pistachio nuts on top of the possets and serve.
Black doris plum and white chocolate tiramisu
Serves 6-8 Preparation time:
30 minutes (plus
6-12 hours’ chilling time) Cooking time: nil
A classic tiramisu is a heady confection of coffee and dark chocolate – delicious, but a recipe for a terrible night’s sleep.
This fruity version is slightly lighter but no less delectable.
To make it alcohol-free, use extra syrup from the plums as the liquid. Look for the Italian sponge fingers, also known as savoiardi, in the ‘‘international foods’’ section of the supermarket, or try a Mediterranean foods store.
❚ 1 x 825g tin black doris plums in syrup
❚ 200g white chocolate
❚ 4 eggs, separated
❚ 4 tablespoons caster sugar
❚ Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
❚ 250g mascarpone
❚ 5 tablespoons limoncello
❚ 16-20 Italian sponge fingers
Set a sieve over a bowl. Pour in the plums and leave to drain for a few minutes. Reserve the syrup. Remove all the stones from the plums. Mash them slightly with a fork and set aside.
Break up 150g of the chocolate and put in a small bowl that will fit snugly into the top of a small saucepan. Put about three centimetres of water in the saucepan and set over medium heat.
Don’t let the water boil. As soon as the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat (being careful not to get any water in the chocolate). Set aside.
Put the egg yolks, caster sugar and lemon zest in a bowl. Whip until pale, thick and mousse-y (using electric beaters is easiest). Fold in the mascarpone.
Wash and dry the beaters, ensuring there is no egg yolk mixture left on them. Put the egg whites in a separate bowl and whip until they form stiff peaks. Fold them very gently into the egg yolk mixture.
Pour the limoncello and five tablespoons of the reserved plum syrup into a shallow dish. Dip about eight to 10 sponge fingers into this liquid, then fit them into the bottom of a glass bowl (the sort that your mum makes trifle in).
Pour half the egg and mascarpone mixture on top, followed by half of the plums. Dip the remaining sponge fingers into the liquid and arrange neatly on top of the plums. Spread the remainder of the plums on top, followed by the remaining egg mixture.
Roughly chop the remaining 50g white chocolate and sprinkle over the top. Cover tightly and chill for at least six hours (preferably overnight) before serving.
Cranberry, lime and pomegranate jellies
Serves 6-8 Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus setting time) Cooking time: nil
A cold, wobbly, slightly tart jelly is very refreshing. You can serve this from one large dish, but it will look prettier (and set faster) in individual ones.
❚ 3 teaspoons powdered gelatine
❚ 31⁄2 cups cranberry juice
❚ 1⁄2 cup Barkers’ squeezed lemons fruit syrup
❚ Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes, plus one 1 lime for garnishing
❚ 1 pomegranate
Put the gelatine and 1⁄2 cup of the cranberry juice in a large heatproof jug and whisk until dissolved. Add the lime zest and set aside.
Measure three cups of liquid (the lime juice, plus the remaining cranberry juice) into a small pot. Add the lemon syrup and heat until hot but not boiling. Pour this into the gelatine mixture and whisk briskly until combined. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Divide half the pomegranate seeds between six to eight small glasses or ramekins. When the jelly mixture has cooled, pour through a sieve into the glasses. Cover and leave in the fridge to set. When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds on top of the jellies and decorate with lime slices.
❚ More of Lucy’s recipes at thekitchenmaid.com. To see what she’s cooking on a daily basis, find her on Instagram or Facebook.