special occasion desserts – My Whisk and I

about 30g butter, melted – to brush the ramekins
2 egg yolks
90g + 90g caster sugar +extra for the ramekins
5 egg whites
350-375ml of passion fruit pulp (about 25 fruits if you are using fresh)
icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat your oven to 220℃. Brush 6 x 180ml ramekins with melted butter, dust them with caster sugar (bottom and sides) and place them on a baking sheet.
Add the egg yolks and 90g caster sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk for at least 5 minutes. The mixture should be pale and thick and hold a trail when the beaters are lifted.
Add the egg whites to another large bowl and whisk until soft peaks.
Gradually add the remaining 90g caster sugar, one spoonful at a time while beating.
Place a sieve over a bowl, add the 350ml passionfruit and gently stir so that the pulp and juice runs through and the seeds stay behind. Reserve the pulp/juice as well as the seeds.
Add 80ml of the pulp/juice to the egg yolk mixture and mix well.
Stir a third of the egg whites into the mixture and then gently fold in the remaining whites.
Fill the ramekins almost to the top with the soufflé mixture and run you thumb around the edge to lift the mixture away from the rim.
Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
Dust the soufflés with icing sugar and serve with the pulp and some seeds mixed through.

A parfait is a cream-based, frozen dessert. The difference between and ice cream and parfait is that an ice cream has air whipped into it while it freezes and a parfait has air whipped into it and only then is it frozen!! It is a bit of a cheffy dessert but follow the instructions closely and you are guaranteed a very popular dessert!!

160g dark chocolate, chopped (I use DeVilliers chocolate that has a 70% cocoa solid content!!)
6 egg yolks (make meringue/pavlova with the whites)
250g caster sugar
30ml cocoa powder
400ml double cream

300g fresh berries
30ml icing sugar

Prepare a 20cm x 11cm loaf tin by lining it with baking paper.
Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt completely.
Take it from the heat and set aside to cool slightly but leave the saucepan of water at a very low simmer.
Add the egg yolks and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat together until combined.
Pour the egg mixture into the cooled melted chocolate and put the bowl back over the saucepan with simmering water.
This is the tricky part: Beat the mixture with an electric whisk for 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved completely and you are left with a very thick mixture. You have to keep beating the mixture or the egg will cook or even worse, the chocolate will seize!! Dont despair….if you whisk continuously the mixture will be fine.
Remove from the heat and sift in the cocoa powder. Fold in with a metal spoon.
Pour the cream into a clean mixing bowl and whip to soft peaks.
Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture in three batches.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Remove the parfait from the freezer about 20 minutes before you want to serve it. Turn it out onto a serving platter, remove the paper and heap the berries on top.
Sift with icing sugar to serve.

Tag: special occasion desserts

Passionfruit Soufflé

Chocolate Parfait with Fresh Berries