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Mark Doe of Just Cooking cookery school in Firies has some amazing dessert recipes ideal for the summer…
Summer is a time for light desserts. Seasonal berries, rhubarb, lemon and orange based desserts go down a treat this time of year.
Kerry strawberries from a strawberry farm just up the road from the Just Cooking school are amazing when served with just a little cream.
When I have a punnet of them in the boot of the car, the whole car smells of sweet strawberries, something you don’t get from the imported varieties.
Here are some simple Summer dessert recipes for you to try this Summer. Enjoy them whilst the sunshine lasts.
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Peach and almond tart
INGREDIENTS
plain flour, for dusting
500g block all-butter puff pastry
6 just-ripe peaches
140g butter, at room temperature
100g golden caster sugar, plus 1 tsp extra for sprinkling
140g ground almonds
1 large egg
finely grated zest 1 lemon
½ tsp almond extract
2 tbsp sweet sherry (optional)
25g flaked almonds
METHOD
1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 3mm thickness. Cut a circle about 33cm in diameter with a sharp knife, using a plate or anything round as a guide. Using the rolling pin, transfer to the baking tray and score a circle 1cm in from the edge.
2/ Bake in the oven for 12-15 mins until lightly puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and gently push the centre down with the back of a large spoon so that you have a flat base with a raised border.
3.Meanwhile, halve and stone the peaches, then slice thinly. In a bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, ground almonds, egg, lemon zest, almond extract and sherry, if using. Spread the frangipane evenly over the pastry, leaving the border free. Top with the peach slices, neatly overlapping them in circles. Sprinkle over the remaining sugar and the flaked almonds.
4.Bake for 30 mins, then turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, cover the tart lightly with foil and cook for a further 30-40 mins. The frangipane should puff up between the peaches and be golden brown and set in the centre. Cool on a wire rack, then slice and serve
Lemon curd and yogurt fool
INGREDIENTS
300g jar lemon curd (we used Duchy Originals Traditional Lemon Curd)
500g tub Greek yogurt
200g punnet raspberry
1 tbsp icing sugar
shortbread, to serve
METHOD
Put the lemon curd and yogurt into a bowl. Fold together for a rippled effect. Divide the mixture between four glasses and chill.
Mix raspberries and icing sugar together and gently crush, then spoon with their juices over the chilled mix and serve.
Strawberry and prosecco iced lollies
INGREDIENTS
400g ripe strawberries, stalks removed
2 tbsp caster sugar
4 tsp elderflower cordial
tsp lemon juice
200ml prosecco
7g tub freeze-dried strawberries (optional)
METHOD
Whizz the strawberries in a food processor with the caster sugar, elderflower and lemon juice.
Pass through sieve into a jug and stir in the prosecco. Pour into the lolly moulds leaving a 1/2 cm gap at the top to allow for expansion. Sprinkle the freeze-dried strawberries over the base if using.
Put the lollies in the freezer for 1 hr until the mixture is solid enough to support a lolly stick. Push a lolly stick 3/4 of the way into each lolly mould and freeze for another 6-8 hrs until solid.
To serve, pull each lolly out of the mould by the stick. If it doesn’t come free dip the mould in hot water for 10 secs and try again.
Alcoholic lollies melt quickly so serve straight away with a bowl or paper napkin to catch any drips.
To keep unmoulded lollies in the freezer, wrap each lolly in baking parchment and store in individual airtight freezer bags.
Strawberries with champagne sabayon- serves 4
You can also use any kind of sweet wine or a cheap sparkling wine for this recipe.
I also sometimes use an Elderflower cordial or sparkling grape juice for a none alcoholic version. Serve the glazed strawberries with some delicate shortbread biscuits
INGREDIENTS
60ml champagne
65 g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
4 tbsp softly whipped cream
METHOD
1. In a large, heatproof bowl, whisk together the wine and sugar. Then whisk in the egg yolks.
2. Set to bowl over a pan of gently boiling water (the bottom of the bowl shouldn’t touch the water) and whisk vigorously until the mixture becomes frothy and stiff.
3. The sabayon is ready when the mixture is thick and holds its shape when you lift the whisk and let some of the mixture drop back into the bowl.
4. Once cooked fold through the whipped cream. Pile the berries and onto serving plates and top each with warm sabayon. If you like glaze the sabayon with a blow torch.
Lemon polenta cake with mascarpone cheese and lime
One of my favourite desserts and it really is very simple. Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
220g butter, cut into pieces 250g caster sugar
4 eggs 3 lemons
125g polenta 125g self raising flour
1 small tub of mascarpone cheese Icing sugar
1 lime
1 x 20cm diameter baking tin, lightly buttered
METHOD
Have the butter at room temperature before starting.
Put the butter in a mixing bowl, add the sugar and beat until creamy and smooth.
Beat the eggs and beat into the mixture a little at a time. The mixture may separate at this stage, but don’t worry.
Grate the zest and squeeze the juice form 2 ½ of the lemons. Slice the remaining lemon half and set aside.
Add the lemon juice and zest to the cake mixture and mix well.
Add the polenta and flour and beat well until the cake mixture is smooth.
Spoon the mix into your prepared baking tin. Arrange the reserved lemon slices around the middle of the cake.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180c (350f) gas mark 4, for 25 minutes.
Reduce the oven to 160c (325f) gas 3 and cook for a further 10 minutes until the cake is coming away from the edges of the tin.
Remove from the oven.
For the lime mascarpone, beat the mascarpone in a bowl until smooth.
Grate the zest of the lime into the mascarpone and mix through. Juice ½ the lime and mix through the mascarpone.
Sweeten the mascarpone to taste with some icing sugar.
Serve the cake hot or at room temperature with a spoon of the mascarpone
thank you for recipes!!