Eton tidy

Eton tidy
 
Author:
Makes: 8 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Meringues
  • 2 egg whites
  • 125 gr sugar
Vanilla custard
  • 200 gr milk
  • ½ tspn vanilla flavour
  • 10 gr white sugar
  • 10 gr custard powder
Drained yoghurt
  • 500 gr Greek style yoghurt
Finish
  • 25 gr toasted almonds
  • 16 strawberries
  • 16 blue berries
  • 8 sprigs fresh mint
Instructions
Meringues
  1. Preheat the oven to 120°C and prepare by lining a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until they begin to form soft peaks.
  3. Add the sugar, a little at a time, whisking the eggs constantly, until all the sugar has been used up and the eggs are white, stiff and glossy. If the bowl is turned upside down, the mixture should not move.
  4. Pipe neat circles measuring 8 cm in diameter onto the paper and pipe around the rim a second time to create a border.
  5. Place the meringues into the oven to bake for at least one hour or until the meringues are dry and brittle. When cooked, cool on a wire rack. Store the meringues in an airtight container for later.
Vanilla custard
  1. Bring most of the milk with the vanilla flavouring and sugar to the boil. Mix the remaining cold milk with the custard powder and stir into the milk.
  2. Bring to the boil until custard thickens. Cover and cool down to room temperature.
Drained yoghurt
  1. Place a sieve in a bowl without it touching the bottom. Moisten a tea towel or cloth and line the sieve.
  2. Pour the yoghurt in the lined sieve and place in the refrigerator to drain for several hours. The liquid will drain though the cloth in the bowl.
  3. Scoop the thickened yoghurt from the tea towel in a clean container store in the fridge until needed.
To finish
  1. Toast the almond flakes in a dry pan or in the oven until golden.
  2. Spoon a small amount of custard on the meringue base.
  3. Pipe the thick yoghurt on top in a swirl.
  4. Hull and quarter each strawberry and place in the cream along with some blue berries.
  5. Garnish with a sprig of mint, and some toasted almond flakes.
Stuff to know
For a quicker version, buy the meringue nest in.
The dessert needs to be served straight away after assembly or it will become soggy.
This dessert is a twist on the well known Eton mess, which consists of whipped cream mixed with crushed meringues and red fruit.
Do not bake the meringues on a high heat or they will color too much.
The custard needs to be thick or it will run off the meringues.
You might not need all the custard for the meringues but a smaller amount is tricky to make.

 

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Brandy snaps

Brandy snaps
 
Author:
Makes: 16 snaps
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 55 gr butter
  • 55 gr demerara sugar
  • 55 gr golden syrup
  • 50 gr plain flour
  • ½ tspn ground ginger
  • ½ tspn lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Melt on a low heat in a pan the butter, demerara sugar and golden syrup without boiling until the sugar has dissolved.
  3. Take the pan of the heat and allow to cool for 5 min.
  4. Fold the flour, ground ginger and lemon juice in the batter.
  5. Spoon teaspoons of the batter well spaced apart on the baking tray and bake in the oven for 8 to 10 min or until the brandy snaps have spread and are golden brown.
  6. Take them out of the oven and allow to cool enough to be firm enough to handle but warm enough to be pliable.
  7. Roll the brandy snaps around a wooden handle to make a cigarette shape or drape on an upturned and well buttered glass or mug to shape them like a basket. Allow to cool and set before removing.
Stuff to know
Allow some time for the butter, sugar and golden syrup to dissolve in each other.
Too warm, the snaps will be too soft to handle. Too cold, they become brittle and impossible to shape. return them to the oven for a minute if too cold to shape.
Replace the lemon juice by brandy.
Make the brandy snaps watertight by coating the inside with melted chocolate.

 

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Marshmallows

Marshmallows
 
Author:
Makes: 30 pieces
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
To dust
  • 50 gr icing sugar
  • 50 gr corn flour
Marshmallows
  • 120 gr egg whites
  • 20 gr white sugar
  • 150 gr water
  • 500 gr white sugar
  • 150 gr glucose
  • 20 gr leaf gelatine
Instructions
  1. Mix the icing sugar and corn flour. Grease a deep tray or oven dish with oil, line the bottom with baking paper and dust with the combined icing sugar and corn flour. Keep the rest for later.
  2. Bring the water with the white sugar and glucose to the boil and boil until it reaches 121°C on a sugar thermometer.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk the egg white with the small quantity of sugar to stiff peaks.
  4. As soon as the syrup reaches the correct temperature, pour it slowly onto the egg whites in a thin, steady stream while whisking with a electric whisk. Be careful not to pour the hot syrup directly onto the beaters, as it may stick to them or splash back at you.
  5. When all the syrup has been mixed, continue to whisk the meringue for a couple of minutes.
  6. In the same time, drain the soft gelatine, melt in a pan over low heat and add to the Italian meringue.
  7. Continue whisking the meringue until it has cooled down to room temperature. It should be shiny and stiff.
  8. Pour the meringue in the prepared tray and dust the top with the combined icing sugar and corn flour
  9. Allow to set at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
  10. Dust your work surface with the combined icing sugar and corn flour, remove the set marshmallow from the tin, remove the baking paper and cut into squares. Dust the squares liberally with the combined icing sugar and corn flour to keep them from sticking.
Stuff to know
This quantity will fill a tray measuring 25 x 35 cm.
Only whip up egg whites in a perfectly clean and grease free bowl.
Allow the marshmallow ample time to set.
Contrary to crunchy and dry meringues that are baked in the oven, Italian meringue is cooked when the hot sugar syrup is added, making it safe to eat while still soft.
Use beetroot juice to create pink marshmallows.
Cook the sugar syrup to precisely the right temperature or the marshmallows won’t set.

 

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Fruit jellies

Fruit jellies
 
Author:
Makes: 36 cubes
Prep time:
Cook time:
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Ingredients
  • 500 gr frozen mixed berries
  • 1 granny Smith apple
  • 150 gr water
  • 30 gr lemon juice
  • 500 gr granulated sugar
  • 125 gr liquid pectin
Instructions
  1. Line the tin with non-stick baking paper and sprinkle some sugar on the paper.
  2. In a pan, bring the berries, cored and chopped apple and water to the boil. Bubble for 10 minutes, or until the fruit is tender. Remove from the heat and purée using a stick blender. Sieve to remove the pips.
  3. Return the purée to the clean pan with the lemon and sugar. Heat gently, until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and boil for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 104°C on a sugar thermometer.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the pectin. Return to the heat , boil and stir for 10 minutes until the mixture reaches 106°C, then carefully pour it into the prepared tin.
  5. Scatter with a little more sugar and set aside for 2 hours, or until set.
  6. Turn out the jelly onto a sheet of non stick baking paper. Using an oiled knife, cut the jelly into 36 even cubes.
  7. Toss the jellies with a little more sugar, until coated all around. Leave to dry (overnight, if possible).
Stuff to know
This quantity will fill a shallow tray measuring 20x20 cm.
Replace the berries by a different kind of fruit.
Stir frequently to prevent the puree from catching due to its high sugar content.
Carefully respect the mentioned temperatures. The mixture needs a certain viscosity to set.

 

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Coconut meringues

Coconut meringues
 
Author:
Makes: 20
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 4 egg whites
  • 125 gr granulated sugar
  • 125 gr icing sugar
  • 125 gr grated coconut
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C and line the baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Start whisking the egg whites in a perfectly clean bowl.
  3. Gradually and carefully –one tablespoon at the time – add the granulated sugar to the bowl while whisking.
  4. When the eggs whites are stiff, carefully fold in by hand all the icing sugar by using a metal spoon.
  5. Carefully fold in by hand the grated coconut powder to the meringues by using a metal spoon.
  6. Spoon or pipe little meringues on the baking.
  7. Bake in the oven for 25 min or until the meringues are dry on the outside and come off the baking paper.
  8. Let them cool a few minutes on the tray before you remove them. Store in an airtight container.
Stuff to know
You will get more volume when beating egg whites if you first bring them to room temperature by setting the eggs out on your counter at least 30 minutes.
The bowl has to be perfetly clean with no no greese or soap residus.
Do not incorporate all the granulated sugar at once but a tablesppon at the time and whisk well in between.
Stop when your egg whites have stiff peaks. If you overbeat them, they will liquify again.
Use whipped egg whites right away. Do not let them sit or they will collapse.

 

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Apple crisp

Apple crisp
 
Author:
Makes: 10 slices
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 1 Granny smith apple
  • 50 gr water
  • 50 gr white sugar
  • ½ tspn lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 90°C, preferably on a fan setting.
  2. Boil the water and pour this in a shallow bowl. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir to dissolve. Let this cool down until lukewarm.
  3. Wash the apple, do not peel it and slice it thinly, even through the core.
  4. Dip the apple slices in the sugar syrup to coat both sides.
  5. Place the apple slices on a wire rack (not on a tray) and transfer to the oven.
  6. Leaving the oven door ajar, dry the apples for 30 min or until completely dry and crispy.
  7. Remove from the oven and let the apple crisps cool down to room temperature.
  8. Store in an airtight container with some kitchen paper for a maximum of two days.
Stuff to know
Do not bake the apple but rather dry them out in the oven.
Leaving the door ajar will allow the steam the escape, helping the apple crisps to dry out and crisp up.
Use a really tart apple for this recipe, like a granny smith.

 

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Honeycomb

Honeycomb
 
Author:
Makes: 6 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 100 gr sugar
  • 40 gr golden syrup
  • 5 gr baking soda
Instructions
  1. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Mix the caster sugar and syrup in a deep saucepan with a splash of water and simmer over a gentle heat until the sugar has melted.
  3. Once completely melted, turn up the heat and boil until you have an amber coloured caramel.
  4. Then, as quickly as you can, turn off the heat, tip in the bicarbonate and beat in with a wooden spoon until it has all disappeared and the mixture is fluffy, foaming and bubbling. Pour on the baking paper immediately but be careful as the mixture will be very hot.
  5. Let the honeycomb rest until it is hard and ready to crumble or snap into chunks. Store in an airtight container for maximum a week.
Stuff to know
Do not overcook the caramel or it will be too bitter.
The easiest way to clean the saucepan is by boiling some water in it to dissolve any remaining caramel.
Add spices to the caramel, like ground cinnamon.

 

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