Key Lime Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients

4 egg yolks
1 x 400 g (13 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
250 ml (8 fl oz) whipping or double cream, chilled
2 tbsp caster sugar
lime slices to decorate

Pastry
175 g (6 oz) plain flour
90 g (3 oz) chilled butter, cut into cubes
2 tbsp cold water
* 23 cm (9 in) loose-bottomed fluted flan tin
*baking beans

Method

1. Make the pastry: put the flour into a large bowl, add the butter, and rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough cold water to make a soft pliable dough.

2. Wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes.

3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use to line the flan tin.

4. Bake the pastry shell blind (see below) in a preheated oven at 200 C (400 F, Gas 6) for about 10 minutes. Remove the baking beans and foil and return the shell to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool slightly.

5. Mix together the egg yolks, condensed milk, and lime zest. Slowly stir in the lime juice. Pour the filling into the shell and bake for 15-20 minutes until the filling has set and the pastry edge is a golden brown color.

6. Leave to cool, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

7. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, and fold in the sugar. Spread decoratively over the pie. Serve chilled, decorated with lime slices.

Friendly Tip: If you are unsure about your pastry making skills, by all means buy a ready made flan.


Baking the Pastry Blind

*Prick the pastry shell all over with a fork. Press a piece of foil or greaseproof paper into the pastry shell. smoothing it over the bottom and up the side of the shell.

*Fill the Shell with ceramic baking beans, dried pulses, or uncooked rice, and bake in a preheated oven at 200 C ( 400 F, Gas 6) for 10-15 minutes or until browning at the edges.

*Remove the beans and foil and bake for 5 minutes for a part-bake shell, or 15 minutes for a fully baked shell. If the pstry rises during baking, gently press it down with your hand.

Orange and Passion Fruit Sorbet

Serves 6-8

250 g (8 oz) granulated sugar
600 ml (1 pint) water
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
3 Passion fruits
3 egg whites
strips of orange zest to decorate

Method

1 Put the sugar and measured water into a sauce pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat add the orange zest and passion fruits and leave to cool completely. Stir in the orange juice.

2. Strain the Orange and Passion fruit syrup into a shallow freezerproof container and freeze for about 2 hours until just mushy. Turn the mixture into a bowl and whisk gently to break down any large crystals.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry, then fold into the orange and passion fruit mixture. Return to the freezer and freeze until firm. Transfer to a the refrigerator to soften for about 30 minutes. Decorate before serving.

Friendly Tip: sadly no tips for this recipe; know however, that you can chose to mix and match any fruit of your choice for your sorbet.

Frozen Lemon Flummery

Serves 4


Ingredients:

150 ml (1/4 Pint)
double cream grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
175 g (6 oz) caster sugar
300 ml (1/2 pint) milk
Pared zest of lemon, cut into strips to decorate

Method:

1. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the lemon zest and juice, caster sugar, milk, and mix until evenly blended.

2. Pour into a shallow freezerproof container, cover, and freeze for at least 6 hours until firm.

3. Cut the mixture into chunks, then transfer to a food processor and work until smooth and creamy. Pour into 4 individual freezer proof dishes and freeze for about 8 hours.

4. Blanch the strips of lemon zest in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, rinse, and pat dry.

5. Decorate the flummery with the strips of lemon zest to serve.

Friendly Tip: You may choose to serve your flummery with a dollop of whipped cream as I did. Also rather than serving as decorative pieces only; the parred lemon zest can be caramelized as opposed to blanching. Should a Lemon flummery not be to your liking other options are Orange, or even orange, lemon, and passion fruit (I need to try this one someday soon).

Pineapple and Stem Ginger Pavlova

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

250 g (8 oz) caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp corn flour

1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

Topping

375 ml (13 oz) double cream

60 g (2 oz) stem ginger in syrup, cut into matchstick strips

1 x 400 g (13oz) can pineapple rings, drained

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 °C (325 °F, Gas 3). Mark a 23 cm (9 in) circle on a sheet of non-stick baking parchment, turn the paper over, and line a baking tray.

2. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, and then add the sugar 1 tsp at a time, whisking the mixture constantly.

3. Blend the corn flour and vinegar and whisk into the egg white mixture.

4. Spread the mixture inside the circle on the baking parchment, building up the side so that it is higher than the middle. Place in the oven, then immediately reduce the heat to 150 °C (300 °F, Gas2).

5. Bake the meringue for 1 hour or until firm to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside for another hour.

6. Peel the lining paper from the meringue and transfer the meringue, and transfer the meringue to a serving plate. Leave to cool.

7. Before serving, whip the double cream until stiff, and stir in half of the stem ginger strips. Spoon the mixture into the middle of the meringue. Top with the pineapple rings and the remaining stem ginger strips.

Friendly Tip: The meringue based can be made a day in advance and kept in an air tight container in a cool place until needed. Should you require a bit of flavor in your whipped cream, add a drop or two of vanilla essence.