Recipes

Apricot Fool

8 ounces dried apricots (ready-to-eat)

2/3 cup plain yogurt

1 egg white

1 tablespoon soft brown sugar

toasted almonds or snipped apricots for garnish

Place the apricots in a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water, bring to the boil over low heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree the apricots with the cooking liquid in a food processor until smooth. Pour the puree into a large bowl and cool. Stir in the yogurt. Beat the egg white until stiff, then beat in the sugar a little at a time. Fold the egg white mixture into the apricot puree and spoon into dessert glasses. Sprinkle with toasted almonds or snipped apricots to decorate. Serves 4 to 6.

Bakewell Tart

Pastry:

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons water

Filling:

2 tablespoons raspberry jam

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/3 cups finely ground almonds

scant 1/2 cup cream of rice

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Pastry: Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour until the mixture is the size of small peas. Add the water gradually, bringing the mixture together with a fork. Form into a ball and allow it to rest for a few minutes before rolling out between two sheets of wax paper. Place the pastry in a shallow 9-inch fluted baking tin (loose-bottomed preferred) and set aside. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and place a baking sheet on the lowest rack in the oven.

Filling: Spread the raspberry jam over the pastry. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Combine the ground almonds and cream of rice in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the egg and almond extract. Add the dry and wet ingredients alternately to the mixture blending after each addition. Spread the mixture evenly over the jam.

Place the tart on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, then dust the tart with sifted confectioner’s sugar. Serve warm or cold. Serves 8.

– The Bakewell Tart recipe is adapted from the Be-Ro Flour Home Recipes Cookbook, 40th edition.

Quick Sticky Toffee Pudding

Gingerbread:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup Brer Rabbit molasses

1 cup hot water

Sauce:

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 fluid ounces (scant 2/3 cup) heavy whipping cream

heavy cream or vanilla ice cream

Gingerbread: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the beaten egg. Measure and sift the dry ingredients and spices together. Combine the molasses and hot water. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture alternately with the liquid, a small amount at a time, and beat well after each addition until smooth. Pour the gingerbread batter into a 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan lined with wax or parchment paper. Bake the gingerbread in a 350 oven for about 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature. (This recipe takes only half of the gingerbread, so freeze the rest, or use it for other desserts or at teatime.)

Sauce: Heat the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When the sugar has dissolved (no longer feels gritty when stirred), allow the mixture to bubble gently for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and cream. The mixture will be a little frothy. Set aside to cool briefly.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut half the gingerbread into thick slices and place them in a greased baking dish, leaving no spaces between the slices. Pour the sauce over them. Bake for 15 minutes, at which point the gingerbread will be soaked in sauce and bubbling. Serve hot with heavy cream or vanilla ice cream. Serves 8.

Lyle’s Golden Syrup is available at specialty stores or wherever British products are sold.

The Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe is adapted from Sainsbury’s “Top Twenty Recipes, 1997.” The Gingerbread recipe is adapted from the Brer Rabbit Cookbook.

Recipes by Mo Godman.