Desserts for buffet dinners

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33426, 7 January 1974, Page 6

Desserts for buffet dinners

(Bn CELIA TIMMS)

Though the festive season is over, buffet dinner parties go on throughout the year, and are very popular during the summer months. Desserts are usually the centre-piece on the table — and few will surpass the Croquembouche.

This is an easy dessert to make, but it requires both time and effort. You will need: J lb flaky pastry. J cup butter. I teaspoon salt. I cup plain flour. 4 eggs. II cups sugar. Icing sugar. Whipped cream. Strawberries.

Method.— Roll pastry into a circle a quarter; lofIof an inch thick and' i roughly 8-9 inches in; ; diameter. Bake on a greased baking tray at 400 until ; lightly browned. Place 1 cup iof boiling water in saucepan ’and add the butter and salt. When butter is melted add the flour all at once and stir briskly until the paste leaves I the sides of the saucepan and| I forms a ball. Remove from : I heat and allow to cool a I i little then beat in the eggs, :one at a time, beating very; I well after each addition. Force this dough through a pastry bag to form very small 1 cream puffs, about an inch ; across, and bake on buttered j baking sheet at 375 until well puffed and lightly coloured. Fill the cooled puffs with I

flavoured whipped cream. Melt the sugar with 1 cup of water in a large saucepan and cook, stirring constantly until the syrup is thick and caramelised. Dip the filled cream puffs into the hot caramel and lay them around the edge of the pastry circle. Continue this, forming a pyramid shape until all puffs are used. Place a whole strawberry between each puff on the outside edge. Sprinkle with sieved icing sugar just before serving.

American Strawberry Shortcake

American strawberry shortcake is another eye-catcher for the buffet dinner table. You will need for the shortcake: Boz flour. 3 level teaspoons baking powder. 1- teaspoon salt. 2 tablespoons sugar. 5 tablespoons butter. 2 egg-yolks. | cup milk. You will need for the filling: Fresh strawberries. Castor Sugar. Juice of half-lemon. Softened butter. 1 cup cream. Method.— Sift flour with baking powder, salt and sugar. Rub in the 5 tablespoons butter then add milk and lightly beaten egg yolks a little at a time until the mixture holds together but is still soft. Roll out on a lightly-floured board into four rounds and cook 'on greased baking tray at 425 for

10-15 minutes. Split each round of shortcake very carefully while just warm and spread with softened butter. Halve the strawberries and cover with castor sugar to taste and lemon juice. Spoon these on to each round and top with another split round of shortcake reserving some strawberry mixture for the topping. Decorate with sieved icing sugar and whipped cream. Lemon Posset This recipe for lemon posset is rich in ingredients but

i very easy to make, and yields - enough for six servings. 1 You will need: ,■ 1 pint cream. 1 Grated rind and juice of two 3 lemons. I |-pint dry white wine. i 3 egg whites. J Sugar to taste. I j Method.— Add the grated ? lemon rind to the cream and! 1 beat until stiff. Carefully! stir in the lemon juice and the wine. Add sugar to taste. Beat egg whites until they! -lare stiff to form peaks, and t.ifold into the mixture. Chill.]