Some of my favourite desserts

simcha7

Tue, May 12 2009, 1:44 pm

Plum and Cardamom Mess

350g plums
2 tbsp caster sugar
6 cardamon seeds, lightly crushed (if cardamom is not your cup of tea you can use cinnamon)
2 meringue nests, crushed
200ml natural yoghurt
200ml double cream, lightly whipped

Halve and stone the plums and place them in a large pan. Add the sugar, cardamom and 5 tbsp of water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook fr 15-20 minutes, until the plums are tender.
Set aside until cold and mash the plums roughly with a fork.
Mix the yoghurt and cream together and gently stir in the plums and crushed meringue nests. Serve immediatley in individual glass dishes.

Fruity Pancake Ribbons

1 pack thicker pancakes
225g fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
150g black seede grapes, halves and deseeded (bluberries can be used too)
100ml freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)
2 tbsp icing sugar

Preheat the grill. Roll up the pancakes and cut into 1 cm wide strips. Place in a medium-sized shallow ovenproof dish. Combine the strawberriesand grapes with the chopped pancakes, then pour the orange juiceover this fruit and pancake mixture. Sift the icining sugar evenly over the top.
Place under the grill for 5-8 minutes until golden brown. Divide between plates and serve each with a spoonful of natural yoghurt. For a variation of this recipe, dicide the fruit between the pancakes then roll up. Top with orange mixture and icing sugar and grill as before.

Plum Compote with Iced Coconut Cream
100g creamed coconut, chopped
450 ml double cream
1/2 tsp almond extract or 1 tbsp finely ground almonds
2 tbsp lemon juice
75g icing sugar
2 large egg whites
700g plums
1 tsp cinnamon or 2 halved cinnamn sticks
grated or gorund nutmeg
2 tbsp lemon juice
juice of 1 orange
50g brown sugar

For the coconut cream put the creamed coconut in a pan with 150ml of the cream. Heat gently for 2 minutes, stirring until the coconut melts. Pour into a mixing bowl, add the remaning cream, almonds, lemon juice and icing sugar. Beat until smooth. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Whisk the egg whites until quite firm, fold intot he cream. Frezze for about an hour and a half.
Prheat the oven to 200C. Halve the plums, discard the stones. Put in an ovenproof dishand add the cinnamon and a good sprinkling of nutmeg. Pour the lemon and orange juice over then sprinkle with sugar.
Roast for 20 minutes until soft and highly browned. Spoon into serving bowls and top with scoops of coconut cream.