Impress with quick & easy desserts

They’re so quick and easy to make you can spoil your family with a sweet treat every night. And each uses just five ingredients or fewer, excluding the optional toppings

ETON MESS CAKE

MAKES 1 LARGE CAKE PREPARATION: 20 MIN

2 store-bought vanilla sponge cakes 2 tubs (230g each) cream cheese 125ml (½c) icing sugar 800g fresh strawberries 6-8 large store-bought meringues, broken into large pieces

1 Halve each sponge cake horizontally to create four layers. 2 Put the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat in half the icing sugar until the mixture is smooth. 3 Trim the stalks off 600g of the strawberries. Put the strawberries in a bowl, sift the remaining icing sugar over and bash to break up roughly. 4 Put one cake layer on a cake stand, spread a quarter of the cream cheese mixture over, followed by a quarter of the bashed strawberries then meringue pieces. Repeat the layers, ending with meringue pieces. Alternatively, keep one cake layer aside to use later for a trifle. 5 Garnish the cake with the whole strawberries.

GRANADILLA PANNA COTTA

MAKES 6-8 PREPARATION: 15 MIN COOKING: 2½ MIN CHILLING: 6 HOURS OR OVERNIGHT

250ml (1c) milk 125ml (½c) castor sugar 10ml (2t) gelatin, sponged in 20ml (4t) cold water 250ml (1c) plain doublecream yoghurt or cream 2 cans or tubs (115g each) granadilla pulp

1 Microwave the milk for 1 minute, stir in the sugar and microwave for another minute or until the sugar has dissolved. 2 Microwave the sponged gelatin for 30 seconds or until melted, taking care not to let it come to the boil. Add a bit of the milk mixture to the gelatin and stir. Then add to the remaining milk mixture. 3 Add the yoghurt or cream and half the granadilla pulp, stir and pour the mixture into cups or glasses. Chill for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. 4 Once set, pour the remaining granadilla pulp on top and serve.

RASPBERRY MOUSSE

MAKES 8-10 SHOT GLASSES PREPARATION: 15 MIN CHILLING: 2-3 HOURS

400g frozen raspberries 60ml (¼c) castor sugar 7ml (1½t) gelatin, sponged in 15ml (1T) cold water 500ml (2c) cream, chilled fresh berries (optional)

1 Heat the frozen berries and sugar in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Make sure the mixture doesn’t bubble. 2 Add the gelatin and stir until it’s dissolved, taking care not to let the mixture come to the boil. Leave to cool to room temperature. 3 Transfer the cooled berries to a food processor and blitz until puréed. Pour through a strainer to remove all pips. 4 Whisk 300ml of the cream until soft peaks form and slowly fold into the berry mixture. Pipe or spoon into shot glasses and set in the fridge for 2-3 hours. 5 Garnish the desserts with the rest of the cream and fresh berries (if using) and serve.

OREO TART

MAKES 12-14 SQUARES PREPARATION: 20 MIN CHILLING: 4 HOURS OR OVERNIGHT

CRUST 1½ packets (228g) Oreo cookies 30ml (2T) boiling water FILLING 2 packets (90g each) instant dessert, chocolate flavour 540ml ice-cold milk 250ml (1c) cream

1 packet (152g) Oreo cookies TO SERVE cocoa powder (optional)

1 Crust Crush the Oreo cookies in a food processor and slowly pour in the boiling water via the spout. Press the mixture firmly into a 20cm square pie dish. 2 Filling Whisk the instant pudding and milk together until thick. 3 Whisk the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the instant pudding. Roughly break up a few cookies and fold into the mixture. Pour onto the prepared crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. 4 To serve Cut into squares. Dust with cocoa powder, garnish with cookies and serve.

PINEAPPLE YOGHURT TART

MAKES 6-8 GLASSES PREPARATION: 20 MIN CHILLING: 4-6 HOURS

200g finger biscuits 1 packet (80g) pineapple jelly 250ml (½c) each boiling water and cold water 1kg plain double-cream yoghurt 100ml condensed milk 1 can (440g) pineapple rings in syrup TO SERVE 1 fresh pineapple, cut into wedges (optional)

1 Reserve a few finger biscuits for the topping and break the rest into pieces. Divide the pieces among 6-8

glasses. 2 Put the jelly powder in a large bowl. Add the boiling water and cold water and stir until the powder has dissolved. 3 Whisk in the yoghurt

and condensed milk. 4 Drain the pineapple rings, reserving the syrup if you plan to use the topping in the tip below. Chop the fruit finely in a blender and add to the yoghurt mixture. 5 Divide the mixture among the glasses and chill for 2 hours. Add a few biscuits on top and chill for a further 2-4 hours. 6 To serve Garnish with pineapple wedges (if using) and serve.