Clementine Tarts with Chocolate & Physalis

I don't make dessert very often, so when I do, I like it to be special. Something that's worth the effort and calories.  And today's dessert is just that, only it's lacking in effort and calories.  Score!

Here's what we have: A rich and creamy filling consisting of quark, creme fraiche and sweetened condensed milk, flavored with the juice and zest of seasonal Clementines, nestled in a buttery biscuit (cookie) style crust. Sort of like a cheesecake, if you will.

Quark is a soft cheese, slightly tangy in flavour with a texture that is somewhere between thick yogurt and cream cheese.  It is very popular in Germany and Eastern Europe and is used in everything from dips and pasta to cakes and crepes.  It naturally has a very low fat content, making it a healthy alternative to cream cheese.

The addition of sweetened condensed milk in this recipe adds extra creaminess as well as sweetness to the tarts, eliminating the need for additional sugar.  A rich, dark chocolate drizzle adds a touch of bitter sweet and a chocolate covered Physalis lends a wonderfully elegant touch.





Clementine Tarts with Chocolate & Physalis
Makes 4-6 (depending on the size of your tart pans)
Note: I used some oaty German biscuits for the tart crust, similar to Hobnobs, but really any plain biscuit will do.  For best results, chill tarts overnight.

200g biscuits (cookies) such as Graham crackers, Digestives or Hobnobs
50g butter, melted
250g quark
150g creme fraiche
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Finely grated zest and juice of one large Clementine
4-5 squares of good quality dark chocolate
6 Physalis (Cape Gooseberries)

Preheat oven to 350F/175C

Pulse the biscuits in a food processor until finely ground. Pour in melted butter and pulse to moisten.  Firmly press the biscuit mixture into the base and sides of individual loose-bottomed tart pans.  Bake in the oven for about 5 mins, then cool while you make the filling.

Clean the blade and bowl of the food processor.  Add the quark and blend for 5 seconds or so, add the sweetened condensed milk, clementine juice and zest and blend for a few seconds more.  Add the creme fraiche and blend until smooth and creamy. The mixture will be quite runny at this point, but it will set once it's baked.

Pour the cream mixture into the tart pans and bake in preheated oven at 350F/175C for 5-7 minutes. Be sure NOT to brown.  Leave to cool.  Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Pour into a piping bag or small freezer bag and snip off the end.  Drizzle onto the tarts then top each with a chocolate dipped Physalis.  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Freaky Fingers

Boo! I've been a ghost lately but since it's Halloween I figured I should stop by and scare up some fun with these creepy cookies. These delectable digits may look ghastly, but they really are freakishly good! Go ahead and give your guests the finger this Halloween! You won't regret it! ; )

Freaky Fingers
Makes 20-30 fingers

200g all purpose flour
100g caster sugar (superfine)
100g butter
1 egg yolk (maybe 2)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
20-30 blanched almonds
Red food colouring (paste is best)
Small clean paintbrush

A few notes: The fingers will spread in the oven so be sure to roll them quite thin.  Also, if a few of the almonds fall off after baking, try gluing them them back on with the red colouring paste. 

Place the first 5 ingredients in a food processor with a pinch of salt and whiz until a ball of dough forms.  If the dough isn't coming together, add another egg yolk. Tear off a piece of dough, slightly smaller than a golf ball, and roll into skinny cylinders.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper - not too close together as they will spread during baking. Place an almond on the end of each finger and trim away any excess dough to neaten.  Use a knife to make a few lines for the knuckles.  Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Heat oven to 180C/350F then bake until just firm, about 10-12 minutes, maybe less if you're fingers are thin.  Just be sure to keep a close eye.  Leave to cool a little, then paint each almond with red food colouring.

Recipe from BBC Good Food

Christmas Trees with Chocolate Orange Cream

If you're looking to add an unforgettable dessert to your holiday feast this year, I urge you to give these delightful little Christmas Trees a go!

With their colourful appearance and festive charm, these desserts are sure to be a memorable addition to any holiday table.

The glasses are filled with a rich, velvety chocolate orange cream and are topped with dark chocolate covered sugar cones and crushed Smarties.

Feel free to dress the cones in whatever style, colour or flavour you please.  White chocolate and crushed peppermint candies would make for a deliciously festive tree! Or how about milk chocolate and crushed hazelnuts, almonds or pistachios?


The chocolate cream is versatile too.  I love the subtle hint of orange zest,  but mint extract, coffee liqueur or a pinch or two of cayenne pepper are all wonderful additions.

Onto a slightly different note: A few months ago, I told you I was working on a 'special creation'. Well it turns out that it might be ready a little earlier than expected.  I have been informed by my doctor that the timer could go off at any moment! I am tired, anxious, excited, curious but more importantly; I am ready.  It has been almost nine months after all!  ; )

Have fun, stay warm and happy baking!


Christmas Trees with Chocolate Orange Cream

Adapted from Verrines by Jose Marechal

Chocolate Orange Cream:
Fills approximately 10-12 small glasses

300ml heavy pouring cream
200ml milk
70g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
200g good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Finley grated zest of one orange

Heat the milk and cream together in a saucepan over a low heat to just below boiling point. Remove from the heat.

Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl and then add to the hot cream, stirring constantly. Return the pan to a low heat and stir until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and add the dark chocolate and orange zest.  Stir until smooth.  Fill the glasses with the cream and refrigerate for at least two hours or preferably overnight.

Chocolate Trees:
8-12 ice cream cones
200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Crushed Smarties to decorate

Place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth.

Starting with one at a time, paint the cones with the melted chocolate using a pastry brush and leave for 30 seconds or so before sticking on the Smarties. Repeat with remaining cones and refrigerate for 10 minutes or for up to 24 hours.

Chocolate Fondant Puddings

Have you ever had one of those days where you'll do just about anything to satisfy a craving? Not just any craving but a ridiculously chocolaty one.

For me, that day was yesterday. I wanted the tastiest, gooiest, chocolatiest thing I could think of. And Chocolate Fondant Puddings seemed like the right way to go.

These decadent desserts go by several different names. Some of you may know them as Chocolate Lava Cakes or Molten Chocolate Cakes. They are easy to make and versatile. A splash of Bailey's Irish Cream, Cointreau or some finely grated orange zest are all wonderful additions. They are great for dinner parties and celebrations. And they would certainly sweeten up that special someone. Your Valentine perhaps?!


So go on, let your hair down. Indulge your taste buds in the chocolatiest way possible!



Chocolate Fondant Puddings
Serves 8, Makes 9

Note: This recipe yields an extra serving to allow for errors and to determine cooking time. They can be made and frozen up to 1 month in advance. Allow an extra 5 minutes of cooking time if baking from frozen. Halve the recipe if you wish, or keep the extras for another time.

200g good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into pieces
200g butter, cut into pieces
200g caster sugar (superfine)
200g plain flour
4 eggs plus 4 yolks
50g melted butter for brushing
Cocoa powder for dusting
9 small ramekins

First off prepare your ramekins. Brush the entire inside of each one generously with the melted butter and then refrigerate or freeze. Brush more melted butter over the chilled ramekins, then, with one ramekin at a time, add a spoonful of cocoa powder. Tilt and turn the ramekin so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap out any excess powder and repeat with the remaining ramekins.

Slowly melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a pan of gentle simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.



Using a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale. Sift in the flour and beat to combine.

Gradually pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, stirring thoroughly as you go. Keep mixing until you achieve a loose cake batter.

Divide the chocolate batter evenly between each ramekin. Chill for at least 30 minutes, or freeze for up to one month. Add an extra five minutes to the cooking time below if baking from frozen.

Preheat oven to 400F. Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes until the tops form a crust and the cakes begin to separate from the sides. Be careful not to overcook them as the runny chocolate center is essential. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for one minute. Gently tip the pudding out of the ramekin onto a plate. Serve with fresh berries and vanilla ice cream.

Recipe adapted ever so slightly from recipezaar.

White Chocolate, Cranberry & Orange Shortbread

Flour, sugar, butter and salt are ingredients that, in my opinion, produce the worlds tastiest biscuit. Shortbread. Simple and perfect. So why mess with the charming simplicity of this Scottish marvel by adding white chocolate, orange zest and cranberries? Well, because simplicity goes hand in hand with versatility, which is why shortbread is so special. Mixed fruits and herbs, such as dried Apricots, Lavender, Rosemary and Thyme are great additions to shortbread, as is Parmesan cheese.

There are dozens of combinations that take shortbread to a whole new level and this is one of them.

The idea came after making a variety of chocolate truffles that included a white chocolate, cranberry and shortbread combination. I quickly realized that these festive flavours would be delicious in biscuit form.

This shortbread would make a lovely addition to your Christmas dessert table. It would also be delightful on Christmas Eve with an ice cold glass of milk. Something I'm sure, a white bearded man in a big red suit could attest to!

For us, Christmas this year will be a large affair. We have friends and family coming from all over. We will also be doing some traveling here and there. So, if I don't see you again before the holiday, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Makes about 30 biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
2/3 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar) sifted
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
Finely grated zest of 1 orange

No need to cream the butter and sugar and all that other faff. Just put the flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and orange zest into a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined. I find it easier to use my hands. Be sure not to overwork the dough. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Divide the dough in half and shape into two logs, each about 1 1/2-inch-diameter. Wrap in cling film (plastic wrap) and refrigerate until firm, about 1-2 hours. You can also chill the dough in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

Once chilled, preheat oven to 350F. Slice the logs into 1/4 inch slices. You may have to pat each slice a little to secure any loose bits of chocolate. Place biscuit slices 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Note: I found that the shortbread was ever so slightly over baked at 15 minutes, but this happens to be the way I like it. Just something to keep in mind.

Assorted Chocolate Truffles

Chocoholics beware! These little balls of decadence are dangerously addictive!

Featured today are two of my favorite chocolate truffles, coated with a variety of ingredients.

A rich white chocolate truffle with crumbled shortbread, dried cranberries and a hint of orange zest, finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar. And a smooth dark chocolate truffle with a touch of amaretto, alternately rolled in cocoa powder, hazelnuts or pistachios.

Each are delicious and can easily be adjusted to your liking. For example: You could always substitute the amaretto for some cream liqueur, rum or even espresso? Throw in some raisins or dried cherries? Or keep it simple by adding just a teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract.

This is the perfect time of year to make up an assorted batch of truffles as they make delightful holiday gifts or party favours.



They are also great for dinner parties. A selection of each chocolate served with freshly made coffee is the perfect end to any meal.

Truffles can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to one month.

Recipes adapted from Bbc Good Food.

Makes approximately 50-60 truffles.

For the Dark Chocolate Truffles:
14 oz/400g good quality chocolate (60% cacao), chopped
150 ml double cream (heavy cream)
2 tbls amaretto liqueur (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract (if you aren't using amaretto)
50g pistachios, shelled and chopped
50g toasted hazelnuts, chopped
Cocoa powder as needed

Melt chocolate and cream together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Once the chocolate has almost melted, remove from the heat and stir in the amaretto or vanilla extract. Cool and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. If you chill the mixture overnight, be sure to remove it from the fridge 40 minutes or so before molding. Using a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out the chocolate and roll into balls.


Have three trays ready, each filled with the pistachios, hazelnuts and cocoa powder. Divide several truffles between each tray and shake to coat. Repeat with the remaining truffles. Chill until needed and bring to room temperature before serving.

For the White Chocolate Truffles:
14 oz good quality white chocolate, chopped
150 ml double cream (heavy cream)
2 tsp grated orange zest
3 walkers shortbread fingers, roughly crushed
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
Powdered sugar as needed

Melt chocolate and cream together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate has almost melted, remove from the heat and stir. Once cooled slightly, stir in the orange zest, shortbread and cranberries.
Once mixture has cooled, refrigerate until firm. Unlike the dark chocolate mixture, this one can be rolled into balls straight from the fridge after overnight refrigeration. Roll into balls using a teaspoon or melon baller and coat in powdered sugar. Chill until needed.

Caramel Apple Dumplings

Have you ever tasted Autumn? I have, and for me it is apples stuffed with cinnamon, pecans and caramel; baked until tender, in a light and buttery puff pastry!

This old fashioned dessert is simple, filling and tasty. The tart apples paired with the sweet caramel, offer just the right amount of sweetness, creating the perfect balance.

I know some people like to add some kind of sugar based sauce to their dumplings, but here, there simply is no need. The apples are stuffed with a rich caramel that produces a wonderfully creamy and slightly runny center, eliminating the need for any sauce. The only thing needed at this point is vanilla ice cream and an extra hour at the gym :)

The most time consuming part of this recipe is making the caramel (Dulce de leche). The rest is as simple as it gets. If you are short on time, you could always use a good quality store bought Dulce de leche. Stonewall Kitchen makes a good one.

For convenience and ease I have used ready made puff pastry. But if you prefer the painstaking process of making your own, I applaud you!

Makes 4 dumplings.

4 small granny smith apples
1/2 cup caramel
1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
2 sheets puff pastry
1 tsp cinnamon
A few tbls of brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
Vanilla ice cream to serve

Preheat oven to 375F.

Thin pastry out a little and cut into 4 squares. Reserve scraps for decoration.

Starting from the bottom, carefully core the apples to within 3/4 inch of the top. The aim here is to leave the stem intact for some rustic charm. Next, peel the apples.

Mix together the caramel, pecans and cinnamon. Spoon mixture into the apple cavities. Sprinkle the pastry squares with a little brown sugar. Carefully place each apple (stem side up) onto the center of each square. Moisten the pastry edges with a bit of water. Bring the edges of the pastry together pinching to seal around the stem. Decorate with leaves using leftover pastry.



Place dumplings on a baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until pastry is golden and the apples are just tender. Insert a toothpick to be sure. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Mini Banoffee Pies

Banoffee pie, (a combination of the words"Banana" and "Toffee") is a true classic. It also happens to be one of the easiest desserts to make! A little bit of boiling, crushing, slicing, whipping and voila, you have yourself a culinary delight!

Sweetened condensed milk plays an essential role in the making of banoffee pie. After boiling it for several hours the milk caramelizes and turns into a wonderfully rich Dulce de leche. This is the yummy toffee like filling that banoffee pie is known for.

Boiling an unopened can of milk may alarm some people; however, I can tell you that this is a safe and normal part of the banoffee making procedure. Having said that, do use extreme care when doing this. Make sure you completely submerge the can of milk in water. Never let the water evaporate below the can of milk. And keep topping up with water when necessary.

As delicious as this popular pie is, it is known for its "rich" reputation. It's sweetness can be somewhat overpowering. A lot of the time I struggle just to finish a small piece. So, I decided to make baby banoffees! A crisp buttery base with a gooey caramel filling, sliced banana and fresh whipped cream... all in one bite! Perfect!

Try these babies with some freshly brewed coffee. Delicious!

Makes about 15 mini pies, with plenty of leftover caramel for ice cream!

200g Walkers shortbread or any other good quality shortbread
50g butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1-2 bananas, sliced
Small carton of heavy whipping cream / Double cream
A good chunk of Cadburys milk chocolate, grated

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Peel the wrapper from the can of milk and add it (unopened) to the boiling water. Reduce heat slightly to a slow boil. Boil for 2 1/2 hours. Topping up with water when necessary.

Preheat oven to 325F
Crush the biscuits in a food processor into fine crumbs. Add butter and whiz again until well combined.
Press the biscuit mixture into greased mini muffin or tart pans. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and then chill until firm.

Whisk whipping cream until nice and thick and refrigerate until needed.

When the milk is ready, remove from the water and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, open and stir well.



Carefully remove tart shells from the muffin pan. Place a small spoonful of the caramelized milk into each tart shell. Top each one with a slice of banana.

Add a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate.
Serve immediately or chill for up to 24 hours.

Lemon, Shortbread And Raspberry Dessert Shots

The inspiration for these dessert shots came to me after dining out on numerous occasions and wanting just a "taste" of something sweet after my meal. Unless I'm feeling voracious or plan on running for 5 miles the following day, the last thing I want in front of me is an oversized portion of double chocolate fudge brownies with vanilla ice cream and lashings of caramel sauce! As tempting as that sounds, unless there are two or three desirous bellies sitting with me at the table, I almost always resist.

I'm sure there are some restaurants out there that give you the pleasure of choosing between a shot of tequila or a shot of creme brulee? I have yet to come across one but if you know of any I would love to hear about them!

These shots are perfect for people that enjoy dessert in "smaller" quantities. They are particularly fun to serve at dinner parties, or any kind of party for that matter!

Oh, and did I mention that they were incredibly easy to make!

Makes approximately 10, depending on the size of your glasses. I used these.

1/2 cup (4 oz ) whipping cream
1/2 cup sour cream, I used reduced fat
1/2 cup good quality lemon curd
6 oz raspberries, plus extra for garnishing
6 Walkers shortbread fingers, or any other good quality shortbread
Lemon slices to garnish

With an electric hand mixer, whisk whipping cream until thick and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. If you don't have an electric hand mixer, whisk until both arms start to ache :)
Add sour cream and whisk for another minute or so.
Add lemon curd and mix until thoroughly combined.

Rinse raspberries. Set aside 1 raspberry for every dessert shot you make. These will be your garnish.

Place the rest of the raspberries in a small bowl and crush lightly with the back of a spoon. Add enough sugar to take away the bitterness. I used 1/2 tsp for 6 0z.

Chill in the fridge along with the lemon cream for at least 2-3 hours. The longer the better.

Place the shortbread into a medium to large sized zip-lock bag. Using a rolling pin or meat pounder, crush the shortbread into coarse crumbs. Be sure to leave a few good chunks in there.

Note: All of the above can be done 24 hrs prior to serving.

Depending on how many shots you will be preparing and how fast you are, allow at least 15 minutes to prepare 10, as they can be a bit fiddly.



With a small spoon or piping bag, put a layer of the raspberry sauce into each glass.
Add a layer of lemon cream.
Then a layer of shortbread.
And then another layer of cream, etc..
Finish at the top with a layer of cream.
Garnish each glass with a raspberry and a small slice of lemon.