Do you choose sweet over salty popcorn every time? When you’re stressed, is it the chocolate biscuits that get demolished, rather than the bread bin? Are you one of those people who would rather skip the main and go straight for dessert? Then we’ve got a treat in store for you. Give your waistline and dental hygiene the week off and hold a ‘Pudding Club’ with your friends. Everyone has to make one pudding, bring it along…and dig in! You won’t be able to stomach sugar for a week after, but it’s well worth it for a few hours of paradise on earth…Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Tiramisu
3 cups of strong black coffee (cold)
3 tbsp caster sugar
6 tbsp Amaretto
2 eggs, separated
250g mascarpone cheese
250ml whipped cream
Enough cocoa to dust
1 packet of sponge lady fingers
1) Put the coffee and half the Amaretto in a bowl – mix.
2) In a different bowl, beat the two egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy.
3) Add the mascarpone to the above and mix. Fold in the whipped cream.
4) In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold this into the cream mix. Add the rest of the booze, but make sure the mix doesn’t collapse.
5) Dip the biscuits into the coffee/Amaretto – be careful not to make them too soggy! Cover a dish with the biscuits.
6) Spread a layer of the cream mixture onto the biscuits, then layer more biscuits on. Spread more cream mix on. Continue this process until you have run out of biscuits – finish with a cream layer.
7) Smooth the top layer and cover with cocoa dust.
Put in the fridge for about two hours or longer if you can resist it, to let the flavours develop.
9) Buon appetito!
Bread and Butter Pudding
25g butter, plus extra for greasing
8 thin slices of bread
50g sultanas
2 tsp cinnamon powder
350ml whole milk
50ml double cream
2 eggs
25g granulated sugar
1) Grease a tin with some butter.
2) De-crust the bread, spread butter on one side, and then cut into triangles.
3) Put one layer of bread in the dish, butter-side-up and add a layer of sultanas. Sprinkle over a bit of cinnamon then repeat the layering process. Finish with a layer of bread.
4) Warm the milk over a low heat. Add the cream but be careful not to curdle or boil.
5) Crack the eggs in a bowl, add ¾ of the sugar and gently whisk. Add the milk/cream mixture and stir well. Strain this before pouring over the bread layers.
6) Sprinkle with the rest of the sugar and let stand for half an hour.
7) Having preheated the oven to 180°C/ Gas Mark 4, put the pudding in for 30-40 minutes, then tuck in.
Cheat’s Eton Mess
1 punnet strawberries, chopped
1 tbsp granulated/caster sugar
1 – 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Shop-bought meringues
Lightly whipped cream
1) Mix the strawberries with the sugar and vinegar.
2) Crush up the meringues into smaller pieces.
3) Fold the meringue pieces and cream in with the fruit.
4) Indulge (and don’t tell anyone the secret ingredient!)
