Seasonal Recipes for Summer
Serves 4-6
These jellies make a fantastically light, palate-cleansing end to a summer meal. You can replace the champagne with clear grape juice or diluted elderflower cordial if serving to children.
Ingredients
- 500g strawberries, hulled
- 50g caster sugar
- 200-400ml chilled champagne or other sparkling wine, such as prosecco
- 41/2 sheets Supercook leaf gelatine (or enough gelatine to set 500ml liquid if using another brand)
Method
- Pick out 8-10 of the nicest looking strawberries and set aside to use as a garnish. Cut the rest of them in half, tip into a large heatproof bowl and sprinkle over the caster sugar. Stir well to ensure that all the strawberries are well coated with sugar. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and place over a pan ?of simmering water.
- After 45 minutes strain the strawberries through a layer of muslin or a damp tea towel suspended over a sieve set over a large bowl. Leave to drain in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Discard the strawberry solids and measure the amount of liquid that has gathered (there should be 200-250ml). Top up with champagne or sparkling wine until you have 500ml.
- Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile heat 100ml of the strawberry and champagne liquid in a small saucepan until just below boiling point. Remove from the heat. Squeeze the excess water from the softened gelatine leaves and add to the saucepan. Stir until the gelatine has completely dissolved. Leave to cool to room temperature, stirring every once in a while.
- Mix the strawberry and champagne liquid and 100ml gelatine base together ?and pour into jelly moulds or champagne glasses. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours. If using champagne glasses, serve the jellies cold. Otherwise, briefly dip the base of the moulds in a bowl of hot water, then invert on to a plate. Either way, garnish with thinly sliced strawberries before serving.
Serves 4-6
A home-made sponge flan is rather easy to make and the result is far superior to any available from supermarkets. As this sponge recipe does not contain any butter, the flan is incredibly light and airy. To make a spectacular dessert, top the flan base with a generous helping of vanilla-speckled cream and a mass of glistening berries.
Ingredients
For the sponge flan
- Butter, for greasing
- 4 eggs
- 100g caster sugar
- 100g self-raising flour
For the vanilla cream
- vanilla pod, split
- 250g mascarpone
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 150ml double cream
To assemble
- 3 tbsp apricot jam, to glaze
- 400g mixed summer berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, redcurrants and halved strawberries
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Grease a 23cm flan ?tin with butter and line the centre with a circle of greaseproof paper.
- Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and place over ?a pan of simmering water. Using an electric hand whisk, whisk until the mixture is thick and pale and leaves a trail behind when the blades are lifted out. Remove the bowl from the pan and sieve the flour over the surface of the mix. Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the flour.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the sponge is golden and the centre springs back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool slightly. If necessary, trim off any extra sponge that may have risen over the edge of the tin. Turn out on to a wire rack, remove the greaseproof paper and allow to cool completely.
- When you are ready to assemble the flan, scrape the vanilla seeds into a large bowl, add the mascarpone and icing sugar and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks. Fold the cream into the mascarpone mix and spread over the base of the cooled flan. Gently heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan. Arrange the summer berries on top of the flan and brush with the apricot jam to glaze. Cut into slices to serve.
Serves 4-6
A good meringue for pavlova should be crisp on the outside, with a soft and fluffy marshmallow centre. Make sure that you use a clean, grease-free and dry bowl to whisk the egg whites.
Ingredients
- 4 large free-range egg whites, at room temperature
- 225g caster sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 300ml double cream
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to dust
- 400g mixed summer berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, and hulled and quartered strawberries
Method
- Preheat the oven to 140C/?Gas 1. Line a large baking tray ?with baking parchment. Whisk together the egg whites to firm peaks in a large, clean bowl. Gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and whisk until the mixture is thick and glossy. Fold in the cornflour and vinegar using a large metal spoon.
- Spoon or pipe the meringue mixture on to the baking tray to form a circle of approximately 20cm, then spoon or pipe round blobs on top of the meringue circle so that they join up to form a circle all around the edge.
- Place the meringue in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Then, turn the oven off, but do not open the oven door. Let the meringue dry out in the oven ?for 3-4 hours, or overnight ?if possible.
- When you are ready to assemble the pavlova, carefully peel off the baking parchment and place the meringue on to a flat serving dish. Pour the cream into a large bowl and add the lemon zest and icing sugar. Whip the cream to soft peaks before gently spreading over the meringue. Decorate with the summer berries and dust ?with icing sugar before serving.
Serves 6
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Ingredients
- 75g cocoa powder or powdered drinking chocolate
- 180g plain flour
- 2tsp baking powder
- 250g caster sugar
- 250g cooked beetroot
- 3 large eggs
- 200ml corn oil
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Icing sugar for dusting
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4 and lightly butter a 20cm (8in) round or square cake tin. Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in the sugar, and set these dry ingredients aside.
- Purée the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and oil, and whiz until it is smooth. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the beetroot mixture and mix it all lightly. Pour into the prepared cake tin.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean (cover with a loose sheet of foil if it starts to brown at about 30 minutes).
- This cake will not rise a great deal, and the top will crack. After removing from the oven, leave it for 15 minutes before taking it out of the the pan. Cool on a wiore rack and dust with icing sugar before serving.
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