10 shortbread biscuits 360g tin caramel treat 100g dark chocolate, chopped 150ml double cream
Place the biscuits in a plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin until you have crumbs. Scoop a large heaped dessert spoon of crumbs into 6 ramekins/glasses and give it a shake to level out. Set aside. Scoop the caramel out of the tin into a mixing bowl. Stir/beat by hand until softened. Now scoop a spoonful of caramel onto the biscuit crumb and level it out slightly with the back of a teaspoon. Set aside. Place the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted completely. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then. Beat the cream and chocolate with electric beaters for about 4 minutes – it has to become airy and thick. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and refrigerate for 2 hours. Take the cheat pot from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving.
Line a small 1 litre capacity loaf tin (or a Tupperware container) with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the sides. Set aside. Add the cornstarch, sugar and cold water to a small saucepan and mix together. Pour in the boiling water and stir the mixture over a medium-low heat until thick and smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the lemon zest and juice and stir to combine. Set aside. Add the egg whites to a mixing bowl and whisk to stiff peaks. Spoon the whipped whites into the cornstarch mixture and fold through with a spatula. Pour the mixture into the prepared container and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until completely set.
For the coulis: Add the berries, lemon juice and sugar to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and blitz with an immersion blender until thick and smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
Take the blanc mange from the refrigerator and invert onto a serving plate. Carefully peel off the plastic wrap. Pour some of the berry coulis over to serve or serve as is with the sauce on the side.
6 egg whites 62ml + 62ml caster sugar 500ml cream 250ml chopped mixed nuts 125g mixed dried fruit 125g red and green glacé cherries
Line a baking tin with a 1 litre capacity (or a Tupperware container) with plastic wrap or baking paper. Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until it forms soft peaks. Add a teaspoonful of the 62ml caster sugar while whisking. Wait for the sugar to be incorporated (about 30 seconds) before adding the next teaspoonful. Keep going until all of the sugar has been incorporated. Set aside. Pour the cream into another mixing bowl and add the other 62ml caster sugar all at once. Beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Spoon about a third of the cream mixture into the egg white mixture and fold through with a large metal spoon. Add the rest of the cream and fold it in until incorporated. Sprinkle the chopped nuts, dried fruit and half of the cherries over and fold it in to the mixture. Arrange the other half of the cherries on the bottom of your prepared container. Spoon the mixture into the container and lightly level it out. Place the cassata in the freezer until frozen. Serve in slices with or without a sauce.
To store leftover, cover the cassata with plastic wrap and place back in the freezer as you would with ice cream.
This is one of my favourite French desserts and really easy to make. Make the crêpes the day before you need them and simply reheat them in the orange-caramel-syrup before serving.
Crêpes: 750ml cake flour 2,5ml baking powder 5ml salt 500ml milk 250ml water 125ml sunflower oil 4 eggs
Orange sauce: 45ml caster sugar 250ml orange juice the zest of one orange 5ml lemon juice 15ml brandy 50g butter, cubed
For the crêpes: Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment. Whisk the milk, water, oil and eggs together in a separate wide-mouthed jug. Turn the mixer on to a low speed and add the liquid ingredients in a very thin stream. Keep whisking and pouring until all the liquid has been added. Turn the mixer on to a higher speed and whisk for at least two minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand for 1 hour. Heat a crêpe pan/frying pan until hot. Add a small amount of vegetable oil and swirl it around the pan. Pour the oil out and put the pan back onto a medium-high heat. Spoon a ladle-full of the batter into the pan and cook until small holes appear over the entire surface of the crêpe. Flip the crêpe and cook for 1 minute on the other side. Slide the cooked crêpe onto a plate and continue baking the rest.
For the orange sauce: Tip the caster sugar into a non-stick frying pan on medium to low heat. Allow the sugar to melt without stirring it. You want the sugar to turn a caramel colour without burning it – watch it like a hawk and do not walk away from it! Take the pan from the heat when the sugar is brown enough and add the orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice and brandy. Return the pan to a very low heat. Do not panic if the sugar has seized, continue heating over a low heat and stir lightly until the sugar has dissolved completely. Now start adding the butter, one or two cubes at a time while stirring constantly. Keep going until you have incorporated all the butter. Bring the mixture to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly and has a lovely gloss to it.
Fold each crêpe into half, and then fold it again so that you have a more-or-less triangular shape. Gently slide the folded crêpe into the pan and spoon the sauce over it. Serve immediately.
My Whisk and I 