Peach Clafoutis

Serves 1-4
Clafoutis is a famous French dessert from Provence.
The name has come from the Provencal dialect word clafir; to fill. Batter is baked with fresh fruit, either poached, roasted or raw, to a golden brown and finished with a dusting of icing sugar: Originally sour black cherries were used but you can put in whatever you like! Good quality tinned fruit will do instead of fresh. This dessert is very moreish.

You will need

• 1 x large baking dish, buttered.

For the peaches

• 50g (2oz) butter
• 6 small peaches, halved, stones removed
• 50g (Zoz) Tate & Lyle Caster Cane Sugar

For the batter

• 50ml (2 fl oz) milk
• 1 vanilla pod, split or few drops of essence
• 75ml (3fl oz) whipping Cream
• 25ml (¾ fl oz) Amaretto (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 175g (6oz) Tate & Lyle Caster Cane Sugar
• 25g (1 oz) flour
• pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

First cook the peaches

1. Melt the butter In a frying pan and put them in, cut side down. Cook on a medium heat for a minute  then sprinkle in the sugar.
2. Continue to cook until the peaches have a caramel-golden finish.
3. Turn them over; remove the pan from the stove and let them cool. Arrange them in the baking dish.

Make the batter.

1. Bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod.
2. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the whipping cream and Amaretto, if using to the milk and strain through a sieve.
4. Whisk the eggs, the sugar and the salt until it forms thick creamy ribbons.
5. Fold the egg mix into the cream. Sift the flour into the batter, stir it in and pour it over the peaches.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until it is set and golden brown.
7. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

A good spoonful of extra thick cream goes very well with the clafoutis.
Note: The flour can be replaced with ground almonds to intensify the flavour of the Amaretto

Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients 

• 8oz (225g) Caster sugar
• 3fl oz (100ml) Water
• ½ pt (300ml) Single cream
• 4oz (115g) Unsalted butter, diced

Method

1. Place the sugar and water in a heavy pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and use a thermometer to take the caramel to 180°C (350°F), when it will be a deep, golden brown.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually add the cream, a spoonful at a time, as the mixture will foam up. When all the cream has been incorporated, gradually stir in the butter to give a smooth, creamy sauce.
3. Use immediately or cool and refrigerate for up to a week. Reheat gently, returning to the boil only after the butterscotch is hot.

Golden Syrup Sponge

Ingredients

• 7oz (200g) Self Raising Flour
• 5oz (150g) Tate & Lyle Caster Sugar
• 4oz (100g) Unsalted Butter
• 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk mixed together
• 1-2 drops of milk
• 2 tblsp Lyle's Golden Symp
• Additional Lyle's Golden Symp as requied

1. Cream together butter and sugar until white. Add mixed eggs and yolk a little at a time until all incorporated
2. Fold in self raising flour and add 2 tblsp of Lyle's golden symp and a little milk to achieve dropping consistency.
3. Lightly butter and flour a 1 ½ pt (900ml) pudding mould. Spoon in some golden syrup to just cover the base. ·
4. Spoon the pudding mix on top. Cover lightly buttered tin foil.
5. The pudding can now be cooked in a hot steamer or a pan half filled with hot water for 1 ½ - 1 ¾ hours.
6. The pudding is now ready and can be turned out of the mould and simply finished with more golden syrup.

Serves 4-6.

Other ideas

• 3oz of chopped wallnuts can be mixed in for extra texture.
• For individual puddings, use 6 x 5 fl oz (150ml) pudding basins, greased. Cook for 45 minutes and serve on individual plates.
• This pudding is great served with an Anglaise Sauce, which is really just a delicious fresh custard sauce, or cream.

Individual Tiramisu-Style Desserts

INGREDIENTS

• 12 sponge fingers
• 250 ml Lavazza esspreseo coffee, chilled
• 2x15 ml spoons coffee liquer, eg Kahula or Tia Maria
• 250g tub mascarpone
• 3x15 ml spoons, whippng cream, or mllk
• 25g icing sugar, sifted
• 50 g dark chocolate finely chopped
• 5 ml spoon coco

METHOD

1. Place the sponge fingers in a single layer on a plate or tray. In a small bowl or jug, mix together the coffee and the liquer, pour over the sponge fingers and leave to soak up liquid, about 10 minutes
2. In a separate bowl, blend together the mascarpone, cream or milk, and icing sugar
3. To serve, arrange 3 sponge fingers in each serving plate to form a triangle shape with the end overlapping Place a heaped spoonful ol the mixture in the centre
4. Sprinkle over the chopped chocolate and dredge with a little coco to decorate. Delicious served with cups of Lavazza espresso coffee and glasses of Amaretto di Saranno.

Makes; 4 portions
Preparation Time 30 minutes
Per serving.
Caiories — 496
Fat — 35 g

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Serves 6-8
One of Britain’s richest desserts. It holds everything its title declares. It’s very sticky with an amazing toffee flavour; and as for the toffee sauce, it just dribbles over the black treacle, working beautifully with the cream and Demerara sugar. A pudding we just have to treat ourselves to — an eating experience!

You wlll need

• 1 x 22.5cm square baking tin (28 x 20cm will also work) buttered and/or lined with greaseproof paper
• 175g (6oz) dates, stoned and chopped
• 300ml (10 fl oz) water
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 50g (2oz) unsalted butter
• 175g (6oz) Tate & Lyle Caster Cane Sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the sauce

• 300ml (10fl oz) double cream
• 50g (2oz) Tate & Lyle Demerara Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Lyle's Black Treacle

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

1. Boil the dates in the water for about 5 minutes until soft.
2. Add the bicarbonate of soda, and keep the dates in the water.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar untll light and fluffy, then add the eggs and beat well.
4. Mix in the dates (with the water), the flour and the vanilla essence, then pour into the baking tin.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until just firm to the touch.

To make the sauce

1. Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and stir together until blended, then bring to the boil.

Cut the pudding into portions and ladle over the sauce.
Note: I use medjool dates in this recipe. They come from India and, without doubt, are the best to eat. They have a natural fudge-toffee flavour that is perfect for this dish, but other varieties can also be used.