Fresh-fruit desserts for summer

Press, 18 February 1980, Page 12

Fresh-fruit desserts for summer

FOOD AND RECIPIE

By

Celia Timms

Probably the most enjoyable desserts are those made from fresh fruit and it is only at this time of the - year we have the abundance of fresh fruit from which to choose. I have selected these recipes’ for easily made, sweets from a variety of fruits now available. APRICOT SUEDOISE Apricot Suedoise is moulded in a sandwich, cake tin and served in wedges like a pie; for a 7in to Bin pan you need: 10 to 12 ripe apricots, dependent on size of fruit Blanched almonds Lemon juice Sugar Almond essence 4 teaspoons gelatine Method: Halve apricots and remove stones. Combine 1 cup water with | cup sugar and the juice of I lemon in pan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Add apricots and cook over low heat until fruit is soft but still whole. Lightly oil a sandwich cake tin and when the fruit is cool, select 7 to 3 apricot halves. Place a blanched almond in the centre of each and arrange open-side down, or almond side down, around the base of the pan. Soften gelatine in cold water and dissolve . in. 4 tablespoons hot. juice. Put remaining fruit and juice into blender or press through a sieve, flavour to taste with almond essence; blend in the dissolved gelatine and carefully pour over the apricot halves in pan with sufficient lemon-juice to sharpen the flavour. Chill until set. To turn out, dip sandwich pan in hot water and invert on serving dish. Serve with whiped, sweetened cream.

CHERRY MERINGUES Cherries with meringues is a glamour dessert that is very easily prepared. Serve with vanilla flavoured whipped cream. For 4 your need: 450 g black cherries | cup sugar j cup port wine ,& | cup canned unsweetened orange juice or | fresh orange juice -# .4. meringues | Whipped cream; vanilla £ For meringues you will need: 4 egg whites 225 g castor sugar Method: Place egg whites, in mixer bowl , and whip until. just stiff, sprinkle over • 50g. of the sugar and beat at full speed with electric mixer for about 3 minutes — if whipping by hand allow 5 minutes. Stop whipping and using a spatula pull the mixture away from side of bowl to make a hollow in centre. Add remaining sugar into this space, then draw in.gently until gradually the mixture is smoothly, blended. Using two oiled spoons or ■an. icing bag fitted with a plain nozzle, place mixture on a baking tray lined . with greaseproof paper. If using spoons, scoop up enough of the meringue to pile up on one spoon and smooth off with' the other spoon; slide off on to paper. Bake at 300 deg. F until you can- pick up - each meringue gently, without it sticking to the. paper. For the- cherries:: Stem and .wash; : Put 4•’cup sugar, Port. wine and orange jujce in . pan . and . simmer gently until the sugar is dissolved.. Xightly butter an ovenproof dish and place prepared cherries in. it; pour. over, the hot syrup and cook, covered,

at 350 deg. F for about 25 to 30 minutes. Chill, and serve in individual dishes with a meringue topped with whipped cream. CREAMED PLUMS Plum Mould or Cream can be made with any type of plums and can be flavoured with vanilla or almond according to the natural flavour of the

fruit used. It is a combination of pureed fruit and custard with gelatine. For. four servings you need:. 450 g plums . Sugar 1 cup milk 2 eggs Sugar to taste; , 2 dessertspoons gelatine Flavouring to taste | cup cream or chilled evaported milk Method: Cook plums in syrup made from cup sugar boiled with A cup water until dissolved. When fruit is soft, press through sieve to remove stones and puree by beating well. Soften gelatine in a' little cold water. Combine egg-yolks with a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in the top of a double saucepan and stir in milk. Cook over boiling water stirring continually, until mixture coats the back of . a metal spoon. Remove from heat and add softened gelatine and flavouring to taste, cool. Combine pureed fruit — approximately | to 1 cup with cooled, custard. Beat egg-whites until stiff, gradually add, 4 tablespoons of sugar until meringue consistency •is formed by continual beating and fold this meringue into fruit/custard mixture alternately with stiffly beaten chilled evaporated milk, or cream. Fill into a mould moistened with water or into individual sweets dishes. Decorate as desired. PEACH COEUR A LA CREME Peach Coeur a la Creme is a moulded dessert which can be set in small individual moulds or one large mould; it is a combination of cream cheese, fresh peaches and- cream with gelatine and is quick-

ly made in an electric blender or failing that, pressed through a sieveand beaten by hand. For six servings you need: 250 g carton cream cheese or cottage cheese | cup cream or chilled evaporated milk J cup sugar 4 fresh peaches Red and yellow food colouring 4 teaspoons gelatine Method: Soften gelatine in a third of a cup of cold water. Remove skin from peaches and slice or chop roughly. Dependent upon richness desired, either cream cheese (which is richer) or cottage cheese can be used. If cottage cheese is used place this in blender and buzz for a minute or two or press through a sieve and beat well for two or three minutes to obtain smooth consistency. Put prepared peaches, evaporated milk, sugar, cream cheese (or cottage cheese already reduced to a smooth consistency) in blender with a few drops of both red and yellow food colouring, enough to produce a pale peach colouring, and buzz for 3 to 4 minutes until a smooth puree. Dissolve softened gelatine by standing in boiling water and add to mixture in blender: buzz for additional minute. Pour into wetted moulds or mould. Chill. Serve with whipped cream garnished with small sprigs of fresh mint. ORANGE STRAWBERRIES Orange juice enhances the. flavour of strawberries as this very easily prepared dessert proves. Served with' whipped cream and/or vanilla ice-cream it is delicious. For four you need: I punnet of fresh strawberries 1 cup sugar II cup unsweetened orange juice Cream Icecream Method: Make a syrup by boiling together 1 cup sugar with | cup water for 5 minutes; cool slightly and add orange juice. Wash and hull strawberries and place in deep bowl. Pour over or-ange-syrup and chill for two ; to three hours. Serve withwhipped cream and ice-cream if desired. RHUBARB FOOL Rhubarb is also complimented by. the flavour of orange and this Rhubarb Fool combines these

flavours. To serve four you need: 5 cups diced rhubarb 1 cup sugar . 2 tablespoons fresh orange'juice 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1 cup cream 2 tablespoons butter Method: Combine rhubarb, sugar, butter, orange juice and rind in pan and bring gently to the boil, stirring continually. Lower heat and simmer, still stirring. for five minutes or until rhubarb is very soft. It is important to keep stirring otherwise the mixture can burn. It CAN be cooked in a covered dish in a 300 F oven. This will take longer but it does not require the continual stirring. When rhubarb is soft, remove from heat and . beat with a wooden spoon or buzz in blender until a smooth puree is formed; chill. Just before serving combine . with stiffly whipped cream, tasting for sweetness and adding more sugar or orange juice as required. Serve well chilled topped with. . additional whipped cream. RASPBERRY FLUFF An unexpected delicious combination is raspberries and chocolate/peppermint. It is called Raspberry Fluff and for four servings you need: 1 cup fresh raspberries 1 cup chopped marshmallows F J cup evaporated milk £ or cream 1 225 g chocolate peppermint creams (After Dinner Mints) • F 3 tablespoons cream OR $ evaporated milk •i Whipped cream Method: Combine raspberries, marshmallows, evaporated milk in the top of a double saucepan and over boiling water .heat until marshmallows have melted. Leave to cool then

beat lightly. Spoon . into individual dishes and pour over small quantity of chocolate peppermint sauce; top with whipped cream and serve well chilled. _ To make Chocolate Peppermint Sauce: Break or chop peppermint creams into small pieces and place over boiling water. Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in cream or evaporated milk and spoon over the sweet.