Best dessert and baking recipes from TASTE Magazine

Panna cotta

Banana with cheat’s vanilla custard

10 minutes

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Orange granita and coconut milk dessert

Jelly recipes

Passion fruit jelly with lemon sabayon

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Poached peaches in rose syrup with white chocolate mousse

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Christmas dessert

Coconut and white chocolate lamingtons

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Panna cotta

Buttermilk and vanilla panna cotta with syrupy strawberries

5 minutes

Christmas dessert

Sherry trifle

20 minutes

Sherry trifle

Serves 6

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 x 200 g vanilla sponge cake, loaf
1 cup sherry 1
50 g icing sugar
40 g toasted almonds, plus extra to garnish
Toasted pistachio nuts to garnish
Maraschino cherries to garnish

For the poached fruit:

420 g caster sugar
1½ cups white wine
1½ cups white Port or Hanepoot
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
2 pears, peeled and cored
4 apricots
2 nectarines
125 g summer berries
8 gelatine leaves, softened in cold water

For the crème pattisière:

2 cups milk
120 g caster sugar
½ vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out
6 free-range egg yolks
40 g cake flour

For the creamy cheese topping, whip together:

100 g mascarpone
1½ cups double cream
1 T icing sugar

Method

Tear the sponge* into cubes and scatter over the bottom of a glass bowl or individual glasses. Mix the sherry with the icing sugar and drizzle over the sponge until nicely soaked. Scatter with the toasted almonds.

Arrange the poached fruit on top of the sponge and spoon over the cooled berry jelly. Chill for 2 hours, or until set.

Spoon the cooled crème pattisière over the jelly and return to the fridge. When ready to serve, pipe the cheese topping over the crème pattisière, sprinkle with nuts and garnish with cherries.

To poach the fruit, place the caster sugar, wine, Port or Hanepoot and vanilla pod into a saucepan and bring to gentle boil.

Add the pears and poach gently for 10 minutes, or until soft. Remove using a slotted spoon, slice and set aside.

Add the apricots and nectarines and poach for 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the berries and stir gently, then add the gelatine and stir again.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, peel the poached apricots and nectarines and slice.

To make the crème pattisière (pastry cream), heat the milk, 40 g caster sugar and the vanilla seeds until just boiling, then remove from the heat.

Place the egg yolks and the remaining caster sugar in a large bowl and whisk until thick. Whisk in the flour, then pour a ladleful of the hot milk mixture into the egg-flour mixture and whisk well.

Pour the egg-flour mixture back into the milk and place over a low heat.

Whisk continuously until the mixture starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Pour into a bowl, cover with clingwrap and set aside to cool.

*Cook's note: You can buy your sponge cake or make our easy hot milk sponge.

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Banana with cheat’s vanilla custard

Summer berry meringues

Orange granita and coconut milk dessert

Passion fruit jelly with lemon sabayon

Poached peaches in rose syrup with white chocolate mousse

Lemon curd yoghurt and caramel swirl

Edible Christmas decorations

Coconut and white chocolate lamingtons

Madeleines with strawberry fizz

Buttermilk and vanilla panna cotta with syrupy strawberries

Sherry trifle

Sherry trifle

Ingredients

Method