EASY PEASY puddings
Wrap up dinner with a warming sweet treat, packed with nostalgia
Chocolate, fig and almond puddings with raspberry sauce
PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINS
(+ COOLING)
COOKING TIME: 20 MINS SERVES 6 (AS AN OCCASIONAL DESSERT)
Cooking spray
55g (1/3 cup) wholemeal
self-raising flour
40g (1/4 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted 30g (1/4 cup) almond meal
30g light margarine, melted, cooled 50g dried figs, finely chopped
80ml (1/3 cup) water
30g dark chocolate, finely chopped 35g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder 2 egg whites (60g eggs),
lightly whisked
Raspberry sauce
120g (1 cup) frozen raspberries 60ml (1/4 cup) freshly squeezed
orange juice, strained
1 Tbsp granulated sugar substitute
1 Preheat oven to 160°C (fanforced). Spray 6 x 100ml dariole moulds or ovenproof dishes with cooking spray. Line the bases with rounds of baking paper.
2 Combine flour, icing sugar and almond meal in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3 Heat the margarine, figs, water, chocolate and cocoa powder in a small saucepan over low, stirring, until chocolate is melted. Remove pan from heat and set aside for 2-3 minutes to cool. Whisk in egg whites.
4 Combine chocolate mixture with the flour mixture. Divide between moulds and smooth the surface. Place the moulds on a baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out almost clean (you want them to be a little sticky). Set aside to cool slightly.
5 Meanwhile, to make the sauce, put the raspberries, orange juice and sugar substitute in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat for 2 minutes or until raspberries soften.
6 Push the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug and then return to pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce reduces and is slightly thickened.
7 Turn the puddings out onto serving plates. Spoon raspberry sauce over each and serve while still warm.
Quick apple, blackberry and raisin crumble
PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINS COOKING TIME: 25 MINS SERVES 6 (AS A DESSERT)
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled,
cored, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp caster sugar or granulated
sugar substitute
Pinch ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp raisins, roughly chopped 205g (11/2 cups) frozen blackberries 90g (1 cup) Vogel’s Golden
Baked Cluster Crunch or gluten-free muesli
125ml (1/2 cup) low-fat vanilla custard or gluten-free custard, to serve
1 Place the apples, water, sugar and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes or until the apples are just tender. Add the chopped raisins and stir well to combine.
2 Preheat oven to 180°C (fanforced). Spoon the apple mixture into a 1L (4-cup) ovenproof dish. Arrange blackberries over apple. Sprinkle over clusters or muesli. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and topping is golden. Serve with custard.
COOK’S TIP
You can replace the frozen blackberries with fresh, or any other frozen berries, and the raisins with roughly chopped currants or sultanas.
Steamed golden syrup pudding
PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINS
(+ COOLING)
COOKING TIME: 30 MINS SERVES 6 (AS A DESSERT, OR AN OCCASIONAL DESSERT WITH YOGHURT)
Cooking spray
80g (1/2 cup) wholemeal
self-raising flour
40g (1/4 cup) self-raising flour 2 Tbsp brown sugar or
granulated sugar substitute
1/2 tsp mixed spice
30g light margarine, melted
140g tub unsweetened
apple puree
60g egg, lightly whisked
11/2 Tbsp golden syrup
1 Tbsp low-fat vanilla yoghurt per
person (optional), to serve
1 Preheat oven to 160°C (fanforced). Spray a 1L (4-cup) shallow ovenproof dish with cooking spray. 2 Combine the flours, sugar and mixed spice in a large bowl. Whisk in margarine, apple puree, egg and 1 tablespoon of the golden syrup until well combined. Pour mixture into the dish and smooth the surface.
3 Cover top of the pudding with baking paper then foil. Place into a deep ovenproof dish or roasting pan and fill with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the pudding dish.
4 Cook for 30 minutes or until tested with a skewer. Remove pudding from water bath and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve drizzled with remaining golden syrup, and yoghurt, if you like.
Pear and ginger upside down cake
PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINS
(+ COOLING)
COOKING TIME: 30 MINS
SERVES 12 (AS A DESSERT, OR AN OCCASIONAL DESSERT WITH CUSTARD)
Cooking spray
2 medium just ripe pears,
unpeeled, cored and thinly sliced 2 tsp brown sugar or granulated
sugar substitute
Pinch ground ginger
12 Tbsp custard (optional), to serve
Cake batter
80g light margarine, at room
temperature
80g (1/2 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar or granulated sugar substitute
1 tsp ground ginger
115g (3/4 cup) wholemeal
self-raising flour
75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
2 x 60g eggs, separated
2 medium very ripe pears, peeled, quartered, core removed, mashed until smooth
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (fanforced). Spray a 20cm (base measurement) round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the base and side with baking paper. Arrange pear slices, overlapping slightly, around base of the pan. Sprinkle over sugar and ginger.
2 To make the cake batter, beat the margarine, sugar and ginger with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the flours, egg yolks and pears. Using electric beaters, whisk egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Stir into the cake batter.
3 Spoon cake batter over the sliced pears and smooth the surface using the back of a spoon. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Turn out onto a serving plate. Serve with 1 tablespoon of the custard per serve, if you like.
Baking days
create wonderful MEMORIES and end with delicious results