Desserts

A simple feast for a summer's day; the refreshing taste of red fruits combined with a hint of mint and basil.

Ingredients

• 250ml monbazillac or desert wine
• 90ml red wine, cabernet sauvigon
• 100g water
• 40g sugar, caste
• 10ml vanilla syrup
• 5g mint
• 3g basil, fresh
• 225g raspberries
• 160g strawberries, stemmed, halved and quatered
• 40g wild strawberries (optional)
• 1/2 charentais melon, scooped into 12 balls with parisienne spoon
• 100ml chilled pink champagne

Method

Planning ahead

This dish can be prepared 4-6 hours in advance.

To prepare the red fruit soup

• Bring to the boil and two wines, sugar and vanilla. Flambe the liquid (*1) and turn off the gas. Add the muslin bag with mint and basil to infuse the liquid and water. Cool down approx 40oC (*2). Add the raspberries and the melon balls. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

To serve

• Place the soup and fruit into a large serving bowl or 4 individual bowls. Pour approx 2 tablespoons of the pink champagne over the top as you are serving.
• Chef's notes:
• (*1) This is to burn off the alcohol to give a rounder flavour, but it also means that children will also be able to enjoy this dessert.
• (*2) If the soup is too hot the raspberries will cook and puree. 40oC is the best temperature to get an exchange of flavours.

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DonÂ’t blink! This grown-up version of a childhood favourite will disappear fast.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped candied orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 24 chocolate graham crackers, each 2-1/2 inches square
• 1 cup mini marshmallows

Method

• Mix cheese, chocolate chips, orange peel, and vanilla. Spread one teaspoon of mixture on each cracker. Top 12 crackers with 7 to 8 marshmallows. Cover with remaining 12 crackers.
• Place crackers in centre of cooking grate. Grill 2 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 12 servings.

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Ingredients

• 3 of each peaches, apples, bananas, oranges (use fruit that is just under-ripe)
• A few tablespoons lemon juice
• 75 g (3 oz) glacé cherries
• A little cranberry jelly
• Schwartz Mixed Spice for sprinkling

Method

• Remove the stones from the peaches and core the apples. Cut each fruit into eight pieces. Place in bowl with a little lemon juice and stir so that each piece of fruit is covered to prevent browning. Peel the bananas and cut into 2.5cm (1'') slices.
• Thread the fruits alternately onto four kebab skewers, placing a glacé cherry at intervals as desired. Brush the fruits all over with the cranberry jelly and sprinkle with Mixed Spice.
• Place carefully on a hot barbecue turning and brushing the kebabs frequently with the cranberry jelly and sprinkling with Mixed Spice as necessary.
• Cook for just long enough to warm the fruits. Serve as an accompaniment with all barbecued meals or as a sweet course.

Makes 4 servings.

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This jazzed up version of a classic snack adds fun with chips of toffee and chocolate.

Ingredients

• 6 cups (7-1/2 ounces) crisp rice cereal
• 1 6-ounce package milk chocolate English toffee chips
• 4 cups (6 ounces) mini marshmallows
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
• 2 8 x 5-1/4–inch foil disposable pans
• In large bowl combine cereal and toffee chips.

Method

• In a 2-quart glass bowl, microwave marshmallows and butter on high for 2 minutes. Stir to combine. Microwave on high for 1 additional minute. Add vanilla extract and stir well. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until cereal is well coated.
• Press mixture immediately into two 8 x 5-1/4–inch disposable lightly greased foil pans, spreading evenly. Cool.
• Sprinkle each pan with 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Place pans on cooking grate for 2 to 3 minutes or until warm and chocolate is soft. Remove from heat and spread chocolate over cereal evenly. Cut into 16 bars. Serve immediately.

Makes 16 servings.

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This traditional-style English pudding is so thick, itÂ’s almost like a soft cake. It tastes wonderful served warm right from the grill and even gently reheated the next day.

Ingredients

For the pudding

• 4 eggs
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1 vanilla bean (tiny black seeds only)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1-3/4 cups milk
• 1-1/2 cups flour

For the sauce:

• 2 cans (16-1/2 ounces each) bing cherries in juice
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Whipped cream or vanilla or cherry ice cream

Method

To make the pudding batter

• In large mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar until frothy. Add rum, vanilla, and salt; beat well. Add milk and flour; mix to combine. Set aside.
• Strain cherries, reserving juice. Set cherries aside.
• Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine cherry juice, sugar, and rum. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, dissolve cornstarch in water, stirring until smooth. Whisk cornstarch liquid into hot cherry juice mixture. Return to a boil; boil one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
• Spray a flameproof 10-inch round baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour 1/3 of batter in bottom of pan; cover with the cherries. Pour remaining batter over cherries.
• Place baking dish in centre of cooking grate. Cook 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with cherry juice sauce. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: To remove vanilla seeds, slit vanilla bean pod in half lengthways. Carefully scrape out the tiny black seeds with the tip of a sharp knife. Save the empty pod and store it for up to six months in granulated sugar. Use the vanilla-flavoured sugar for coffee, whipped cream, or baking. Use the emptied pod to flavour a custard or dessert sauce.

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Sekel and Forselle pears are widely available in winter and are perfect for this warming side dish.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry white wine
• Juice of one oranges
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 stick cinnamon
• 2 whole cloves
• 6 whole shallots, separated into cloves, peeled, and trimmed
• 6 Sekel or Forselle pears (about 2-1/2 pounds), peeled, halved, and cored

Method

• In a shallow saucepan combine wine, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and simmer over low heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Add pear halves and continue simmering until pears are fork tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

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Don’t hesitate to pack in all the plums—they cook down when you bake them, sweetening the dough.

Ingredients

• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup warm milk (105°F/41°C to 115°F/46°C)
• 1 ounce fresh yeast cake or 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
• Pinch sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 egg yolks
• Pinch salt
• 5 pounds prune plums
• Cinnamon-sugar
• 3/4 cup chopped almonds
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup plum brandy (Zwetschgenwasser) or cherry brandy (kirsch or Kirschwasser)

Method

• In a large mixing bowl place flour; make a well in the centre. In a small bowl combine warm milk, crumbled yeast (or active dry yeast) and pinch of sugar; stir to dissolve. Pour yeast mixture into well and let set 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl combine butter, egg yolks, and salt; add to well. Knead liquid into dry ingredients until dough is smooth, elastic, and easy to shape into a ball. Work in more flour (about 1/2 cup) if needed. Dust with flour. Cover with a damp towel and proof in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough; turn onto lightly floured surface and roll out 1/2-inch thick. Place on a greased 15x10x1-inch baking sheet; cover with a damp towel and proof for 20 minutes.
• Cut plums into quarters lengthways, removing pits. Arrange plum quarters on dough vertically, poking ends into the dough (pack tightly); dough should be soft enough to support plum quarters on end. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Cover and proof for 10 minutes.
• Place baking sheet inside another 15x10x1-inch baking sheet to create an air cushion between heat source and bottom of cake. Place cake in centre. of cooking grate. Cook for 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a dry sauté pan combine almonds and bread crumbs; toast over medium heat until golden. Remove from heat and place in a medium mixing bowl; cool slightly. Add sugar and plum or cherry brandy; stir.
• Remove cake from grill; sprinkle almond mixture on top of cake.

Makes about 25 2x3-inch pieces.

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The trickiest part of this recipe is cutting the pineapple, and thatÂ’s a cinch, so keep the grill lit and delight your guests with this tropical finale.

Ingredients

For the glaze

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch kosher salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ripe pineapple

Method

To prepare the glaze

• In a small saucepan, combine the glaze ingredients and place the pan over medium heat until the butter and sugar have melted, stirring occasionally.
• Lie the pineapple on its side. Using a large, sharp knife, trim about 1 inch from the bottom of the pineapple. Cut the rest of the pineapple, including the crown of leaves, in half lengthways. Then cut each half in half, being careful to keep some of the crown attached to each wedge. Using a brush, spread some of the glaze over the flesh.
• Grill the pineapple wedges over Direct Medium heat on all three sides until they are warm, about 9 minutes, turning every 3 minutes. Remove from the grill. Starting at the bottom end of each pineapple wedge and holding the blade of the knife parallel to the work surface, make a cut between the flesh of the pineapple and the outer shell, and continue the cut along the full length of the shell. With the flesh still resting in the shell, cut the flesh in bite-sized pieces. Brush the remaining glaze over the pineapple and allow it to drip down between the pieces. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

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Ingredients

• 3 firm bananas
• 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• dash cinnamon
• 6 thin slices pineapple, fresh or canned
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. rum extract or 2 Tbsp. dark rum
• 6 large scoops vanilla ice cream

Method

• Cook bananas in peel on gas grill over medium-high flame 5 to 7 minutes per side (until peel is dark brown).
• Combine margarine, brown sugar, pineapple and cinnamon; stir until syrupy.
• Add peeled, cooked bananas cut in fourths, and pineapple slices. Baste in syrup, turning until fruit is glazed. Add rum extract or rum.
• Place a pineapple slice in each bowl; top with scoop of ice cream and banana sauce.

Makes 6 servings.

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