Extra help and hints & tips!

You have serving options – one large Tiramisu or a tiddy – meaning a small or individual serving.

I don't know whether you've come across this product, but you can buy orange curd. It's delicious and an excellent addition to your store cupboard.

I added the orange curd – 2 tablespoons - to my Mascarpone mixture, folding it through to give a rippled effect and extra zing!

In addition to the sprinkled chocolate I added 4 Amaretti biscuits, crushed to a crumb. Set aside and sprinkle with the chocolate and crumb just before serving.

Don't forget to omit the alcohol, substituting with orange juice when catering for the kiddies.

A little help – if you opt for the tiddy set your stall out – choose your size of glass or dish and an appropriate cutter to fit – here's a photo of the glass I use :

The glass has a capacity of 160ml – it measures 7 cms in diameter and 7 cms deep - the cutter I use measures 4cms in diameter and I slice the cake in 1cm slices. The method is exactly the same as that given in the Orange Tiramisu recipe and will give you six individual servings.

You don't have to line the glass, you can just alternate layers of cake and mixture finishing with a cake top. Add a teaspoon of the orange curd to the cake top then cling film loosely and fridge until you're ready to decorate and serve.

When you're ready – sprinkle with the chocolate and crushed Amaretti biscuits – the curd “glues” the chocolate and Amaretti biscuits in place.

The tiddy benefits from being made ahead – time to soak up all that orange loveliness – and the alcohol too if you are indulging in a grown-up version.

The choice is yours – whichever is appropriate for the party you're hosting!

Or may be you'd prefer a lemon version …

A Perfect Party Pud!

Desserts are a risky business for me – did you realise “desserts” is “stressed” backwards!

I'm going out on a limb here and have decided to serve a tiramisu. Tiramisu is a bit like “Marmite” you either love it or hate it, no sitting on the fence.

If I had a £1 for every time I've heard “I don't like coffee in desserts” or “I don't like chocolate in desserts” I'd be a rich girl.

It's very much the case too that coffee flavoured desserts are not popular with kiddies.

Here's my answer – an orange version. For the purists out there I give no apology I want to please all my guests, whether they are 5 years old or 75!

Here's the recipe :

Orange Tiramisu

Grated rind and juice of 2 oranges

20fl oz whipping cream/1 pint/570ml (heavy)

4tbls Cointreau (optional)

20 sponge fingers or Madeira cake

4tbls caster sugar

225g/8oz Mascarpone or curd cheese (Philadelphia)

50g/2oz plain chocolate (grated)

Mix the orange rind and juice with the Cointreau – adults only - for an alcohol free version then omit the Cointreau and add an additional 4 tbsp of orange juice.

Mix the cream carefully with the sugar and mascarpone. A small tip – place the mascarpone cheese in a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Once combined add the cream gradually.

Cut up the cake in shapes that suit the bowl you are using and dip into the orange mixture.

Layer the mascarpone mixture with the sponge.

Grate the chocolate and set aside. Sprinkle over the tiramisu when you are about to serve.

You can use two chocolate flakes – bashed in their wrappers – instead of the plain chocolate. I'm thinking the kiddies might prefer the flakes!

Stand by for extra help and hints & tips ...

Lemon and lighter!

Here's the proof …

Version 1 :

                                                                    just add raspberries

Version 2 :

- alternatively add the compote,

a deep rich colour and it tastes as good as it looks

– however you use it.

Version 3 :

- the assembly

– it's almost a shame to spoil it

Lots of choices to suit you – hope you find it yummy and useful!

Now back to the oranges ...

Want something lighter ...

... and love lemons? Here's an alternative to those heavier desserts!

You've three versions :

Version 1 :

Lemon Pots

Makes 6 x 160ml glasses

600ml double cream

150g caster sugar

finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons **

Raspberries to serve

small glass dishes or shot glasses

Heat the cream, sugar and lemon zest in a wide-based pan over a low heat until at simmering point. Stir continuously for about 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly until lukewarm.

Mix the lemon juice with the cooled cream in the pan and stir.

Pour the lemon cream into the glasses – two thirds full - transfer to the fridge to set for a minimum of 2 hours. This is based on a shot glass of 160ml.

When set and ready to serve arrange the raspberries on top.

** If you don't have fresh lemons you can use juice and omit the zest – 4 tbsp of juice is equivalent to one and a half lemons – 8 tbsp for this recipe.

Version 2 :

OR, you can omit the raspberries and make :

Cherry and Raspberry Compote

350g cherries, stoned – can use frozen

150g caster sugar

juice of 1 lemon

150g raspberries – can use frozen

4 tbsp water or juice from defrosted fruit

Pour the water into a pan and add the cherries, sugar and lemon juice. Place the on a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Cook the cherries over a low heat for 5-10 minutes until they have released some juice but are not overcooked. If you are using frozen cherries you will have the fruit juices when defrosted – use this juice instead of the water.

Add the raspberries to the pan and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until they start to soften. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the mixture to cool, then chill it well before serving.

You can keep the compote as is or blitz in a processor and pass through a sieve – purely a matter of personal preference – some people aren't fond of raspberry pips.

The compote in itself is versatile – you can use it as a topping over vanilla ice cream, over breakfast cereal – great with granola!

Here we're using the compote as the next tier for the lemon pots.

Version 3 :

I'm using Amaretti biscuits – moreish, delicious Italian biscuits - crush two per shot glass – approximately 23g – the size of the biscuits will vary.

Pour a layer of compote onto the lemon pot – after it has had time to set – complete with crushed Amaretti biscuits, just before serving.

Photos next!

The extra mile – the ice cream!

I always seem to plan my menus in reverse, with ideas for desserts first!

There's nothing that will serve you better than a home-made ice cream and all my recipes are of the “no-churn” variety. I use the standard vanilla ice-cream base recipe to begin :

Vanilla ice cream

Prep – 5 minutes

Total time – 5 minutes

plus freezing at least 6-8 hours

or until firm

Gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream is equal

to 18 scoops

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, then decant into smallish containers.

To serve – remove from the freezer and allow to soften.

Serve with the cake, drizzle and a scoop of ice cream.

The genius of this idea is that you can freeze it, each element alleviating the stress on the day.

I took a risk and served this at a dinner party, not knowing two of my guests' taste, thankfully it went down a storm!

Next … a lemon recipe

First up … Orange drizzle

This cake is moist – moist is good but to dress the cake I would make extra “drizzle” to serve with the Gateau a l'Orange.

Orange Drizzle

200g icing sugar

250ml orange juice – no bits

Put the sugar and orange juice in a small saucepan and heat gently so that the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Hey presto, that's all there is to it, a syrupy drizzle and you've turned your cake into a supper or dinner party dessert – serve with a spoonful of clotted cream or vanilla ice cream.

Here's the drizzle cooling :

and again with the cake

or, if you'd prefer to give your guests a choice,

serve the drizzle in small jugs

This is so easy and delicious!

I've frozen the syrup too so that's another task completed.

Finally, the extra mile … the ice cream

Magical oranges – here's the photo guide …

 

Take it from someone who doesn't “do cake” - this is the exception.

Now for the extra bits that takes it to the next level …