Zuccotto Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 6)

23cm-round genoise sponge cake (see related recipe)
1/3 cup (80ml) amaretto liqueur
300ml thickened cream
250g ricotta
250g mascarpone
100g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
50g blanched almonds, toasted, chopped
25g mixed peel
150g dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbs cocoa powder, plus extra to dust

Method of recipe


1.Line a 1.2-litre pudding basin with plastic wrap, leaving enough hanging over the edges to fold over the top of the pudding and cover securely.

2.Slice the cake horizontally into 3 layers and set aside 1 layer, then cut both of the remaining layers into 8 triangular slices.

3.Line the pudding basin with the cake slices, with the pointed ends at the bottom of the basin. Patch any holes with spare pieces of cake (you may not need all the slices) so the whole basin is lined with cake. Use a pastry brush to brush the cake with 2 tablespoons of the amaretto.

4.Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Place the ricotta in a food processor with the mascarpone and icing sugar, and process until smooth. Add the ricotta mixture to the cream, then stir in 1 tablespoon amaretto. Transfer half the mixture to another bowl, and stir in the almonds, mixed peel and half the dark chocolate, then set aside.

5.Place the remaining dark chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure that the bowl does not touch the water.

6.Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir into the other half of the ricotta mixture. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir until smooth, then cool completely.

7.Spread the melted chocolate and ricotta mixture over the sides of the sponge cake in a thick layer, then fill the centre with the almond and ricotta mixture. Cover with the reserved round of sponge, trimming the edges to fit the basin. Brush the top with the remaining tablespoon of amaretto. Fold over the plastic wrap and cover tightly, then weigh down and refrigerate overnight.

8.When ready to serve, carefully turn out zuccotto onto a plate. Cut out 2 triangular templates from baking paper, then dust the zuccotto with alternate triangles of cocoa powder and icing sugar, covering the dusted areas with the template as you go. Serve zuccotto in slices.

Notes
Begin this recipe a day ahead. This recipe makes a larger cake than you will need, but zuccotto will keep for up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator.

Apple and blackberry crumble Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 6)

Melted butter, to grease
6 (about 1kg) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thickly sliced
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
60ml (1/4 cup) water
1 cinnamon stick
150g frozen blackberries, thawed according to packet directions, drained on paper towel
Vanilla ice-cream (optional), to serve

Crumble topping
55g (1/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbs plain flour
5 granita biscuits (Arnott's brand), crushed
2 tbs rolled oats
2 tbs cornflakes
1 1/2 tbs shredded coconut

Method of recipe


1.Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 1.25-litre (5-cup) ovenproof dish with melted butter to grease.

2.Place the apples, sugar, water and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until apple slices are tender but retain their shape.

3.Meanwhile to make the crumble topping, place the sugar, butter and flour in a medium bowl. Use your fingertips to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the biscuits, oats, cornflakes and coconut.

4.Drain apple mixture and discard cinnamon stick. Spread half the apple mixture over the base of the greased dish. Scatter half the blackberries over the apple mixture. Repeat with another layer of apple mixture and blackberries.

5.Spoon crumble mixture evenly over top and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice-cream, if using.

Apple & cherry strudel Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 6)

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
680g btl morello cherries, drained
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs kirsch (optional)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Melted butter, to grease
10 sheets filo pastry
60g butter, melted
100g pkt almond meal
Pure icing sugar, to dust
Whipped cream, to serve

Method of recipe


1.Combine the apple, cherries, sugar, lemon juice, kirsch and cinnamon in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Set aside for 2 hours to macerate. Drain.

2.Preheat oven to 180ºC. Lightly brush a baking tray with butter. Place the filo on a clean work surface. Cover with a dry tea towel, then a damp tea towel (this prevents it drying out). Brush 1 filo sheet with melted butter. Top with another filo sheet. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with melted butter and remaining filo. Sprinkle with the almond meal. Place the filling along 1 long side, leaving a 6cm-wide border at each end. Fold in the ends and roll up firmly to enclose. Place, seam-side-down, on the prepared tray. Brush with remaining butter.

3.Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

Amaretto cheesecake Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 8)

2 cups crushed digestive biscuits
1 tbs good-quality cocoa powder, sifted
90g unsalted butter, melted
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
675g ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (125ml) sour cream
1/4 cup (60ml) amaretto (see note)
1/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream, whipped
3 eggwhites
200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped

Method of recipe


1.Preheat the oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a 23cm springform pan. Cover the outer base and sides of the pan with a double layer of foil. Combine the biscuit crumbs, cocoa and butter, then spread the mixture over the base and 2cm up the sides of the prepared pan.

2.Process the egg yolks, vanilla and sugar in a food processor. Add the ricotta, sour cream, amaretto and flour, and process until smooth. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl and fold through the whipped cream. Beat the eggwhites until soft peaks form, then fold into mixture, making sure it's well combined. Finally, fold in half the chocolate. Place in prepared pan, then sit in a deep baking dish. Pour boiling water into baking dish so it comes halfway up sides of pan. Bake for 1 hour, turn the oven off and leave to cool completely, then refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.

3.To serve, place the remaining chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (making sure the bowl doesn't touch water) and stir until chocolate melts. Cool slightly, then serve slices of cheesecake drizzled with the melted chocolate.

Amaretto brulee Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 6)
625ml (2 1/2 cups) thin cream
1 vanilla bean, split
7 egg yolks
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
60ml (1/4 cup) amaretto liqueur
2 tbs brown sugar

Method of recipe


1.Preheat oven to 150°C. Place six 185ml (3/4-cup) capacity ovenproof ramekins in a large roasting pan.

2.Place the cream and vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture comes to a simmer (do not boil). Strain through a sieve into a heatproof jug. Use a small knife to scrape vanilla seeds from the bean into cream. Discard bean.

3.Meanwhile, use a balloon whisk to whisk together the egg yolks, caster sugar and amaretto in a bowl until well combined.

4.Whisk the hot cream mixture into the egg-yolk mixture. Pour evenly among ramekins. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

5.Cook in oven for 30 minutes or until just set. Remove ramekins from roasting pan and set aside for 2 hours to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 6 hours to set.

6.Preheat grill on high. Sprinkle brulees with brown sugar. Cook under preheated grill, about 6cm from heat source, for 2-3 minutes or until sugar bubbles and caramelises. Serve immediately.

Amaretto apples with white chocolate risotto Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 4)

60g butter
2 tbs brown sugar
2 Royal Gala apples, unpeeled, cut into 5mm-thick slices
60ml (1/4 cup) Amaretto liqueur

White chocolate risotto
1.25L (5 cups) milk
1 x 6cm cinnamon stick
Pinch of ground nutmeg
40g butter, chopped
220g (1 cup) arborio rice
100g white chocolate, finely chopped
55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar

Method of recipe


1.To make the white chocolate risotto, bring the milk, cinnamon and nutmeg just to the boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low and hold at a gentle simmer.

2.Heat the butter in a medium heavy-based saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the grains appear slightly glassy.

3.Reduce heat to medium-low. Add a ladleful (about 125ml/1/2 cup) of the simmering milk mixture to the rice and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add the milk mixture, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful, for 35 minutes or until the rice is tender yet firm to the bite and the risotto is creamy.

4.Add chocolate and sugar and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until chocolate melts and the mixture is well combined.

5.Meanwhile, melt butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar. Add apple and half the Amaretto. Cook, turning once, for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the remaining Amaretto.

6.Divide the risotto among serving bowls. Top with the apple slices and drizzle over the sauce to serve.

Amaretti cheesecakes with morello cherries and strawberries Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 6)

75g amaretti biscuits
140g unsalted butter (40g melted, 100g softened)
185g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp finely grated melon rind
2 eggs
125g self-raising flour
1/2 cup (100g) pitted morello cherries in syrup, plus 1 cup reserved syrup
250g strawberries, sliced widthways

Filling
150g goat's curd, mascarpone or softened cream cheese
125g creme fraiche
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk

Method of recipe


1.Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 6-hole (3/4 capacity) Texas muffin tin, then line bases with baking paper. Process amaretti in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add 40g melted butter and process until larger clumps form. Press crumb mixture firmly into bases of prepared muffin holes. Refrigerate while making filling.

2.For the filling: whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl, then set aside.

3.Using an electric mixer, beat remaining 100g softened butter, 75g sugar, vanilla and melon rind in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until incorporated, then add flour and beat until combined. Pour mixture over crumbs in muffin tin, then spread halfway up side of holes. Spoon filling into centres - don't worry about being too precise. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside in tin to cool completely (cheesecake will sink slightly on standing).

4.Combine remaining 110g sugar and morello syrup in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to about 3/4 cup and slightly syrupy. Set aside to cool completely. Top cheesecakes with cherries and strawberries, then drizzle with syrup to serve.

Almond tuiles Dessert

Ingredients recipe

2 eggwhites
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
1/3 cup (50g) plain flour, sifted
50g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
2/3 cup (50g) flaked almonds

Method of recipe


1.Preheat oven to 190°C. Lightly grease the outside of 2 dariole moulds with a little oil. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2.Combine eggwhites and caster sugar in a bowl. Add the flour and the cooled melted butter, and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir in nuts. Using 2 tablespoons of batter for each, spread two 12cm circles on the prepared tray. Bake the tuiles for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Working quickly, lift the tuiles off the tray using a palette knife and press over the outside of the greased dariole moulds to form dish shapes, then allow to cool on the mould for 30 seconds until hardened. Repeat twice more with the remaining batter.

Almond strawberry roulade Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 8)

3 eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons plain flour, sifted
250g strawberries, hulled, chopped
1/4 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
250g mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted
Pure icing sugar, to serve

Method of recipe


1.Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 25cm x 30cm Swiss roll pan. Line with baking paper. Dust lightly with flour.

2.Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes or until thick and creamy. Using a large metal spoon, fold flour into egg mixture until just combined. Spread mixture over prepared pan. Smooth surface. Bake for 5 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

3.Turn sponge onto a sheet of baking paper. Carefully peel away baking paper lining. Allow to cool. Mash strawberries roughly with a fork. Add icing sugar and stir to combine. Fold strawberry mixture into mascarpone. Spread mixture over sponge, leaving a 1cm border. Using baking paper as a guide, roll up sponge from short end to enclose filling.

4.Place sponge, seam side down, on a plate. Top with almonds. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

Almond meringue peach cake Dessert

Ingredients recipe (serves 8)

3 cups (660g) caster sugar
1 vanilla bean
12 peaches, halved, stoned

Almond meringue
300g caster sugar
300g flaked almonds, lightly roasted
1 tbs cornflour
8 eggwhites

Filling
3 eggs, separated
125g caster sugar
750g mascarpone

Method of recipe


1.Preheat oven to 180C. For meringue, process 1/4 cup (55g) sugar, 250g almonds and cornflour until finely ground. Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. Fold in almond mixture. Spread over two, 1.5cm deep, 26 x 32cm baking paper-lined oven trays. Press remaining almonds over top of 1 meringue. Bake for 30 minutes, swapping trays halfway through, or until firm to the touch and light golden. Cool in trays.

2.For filling, using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 1/2 the sugar and mascarpone until thick. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat eggwhites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, continuing to beat until dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. Fold eggwhite mixture into mascarpone mixture.

3.Place sugar, vanilla bean and 3 cups water in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Add peaches. Reduce heat to low. Cover peaches with baking paper and cook, for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove pan from heat and cool peaches.

4.Turn meringues out and peel off paper. Using a 24cm springform tin as a guide, cut 2 rounds of meringue, reserving scraps for middle of cake. Line base and side of a 24cm springform tin with baking paper. Place a round into base. Drain 8 peach halves. Cut each into 4 slices. Place 1/2 the slices over meringue. Top with 1/2 the mascarpone filling. Cut meringue scraps into pieces and place over mascarpone. Top with remaining peach slices and filling then finish with almond-topped meringue round. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve slices with remaining peach halves.