Recipes
Berries with Mascarpone Cheese
The mascarpone cheese in this dish is rich in Vitamin D, a nutrient that plays an essential role in assisting calcium to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D in the body is mainly generated by sunlight, so this dessert will help to top up your intake of this vitamin if you haven't been able to go outside for some time.
Ingredients
450 g/1 lb raspberries
225 g/8 oz blueberries
900 g/2 lb strawberries, hulled and cut in half lengthwise
225 g/8 oz mascarpone cheese
170 ml/6 fl oz natural yoghurt
75 g/3 oz icing sugar
Method
- Set half of the raspberries to one side. Combine the remaining raspberries, blueberries and strawberries in a large mixing bowl. Mix the mascarpone cheese and yoghurt in a small mixing bowl until smooth.
- In a blender, purée the reserved raspberries with the icing sugar until the raspberries are smooth and the icing sugar has completely dissolved.
- To serve, place a little raspberry sauce on to each plate and arrange a pile of berries in the centre. Top with a spoonful of the mascarpone mixture.
Fresh Fruit and Yoghurt Layers
This attractive-looking dish is both easy to make and nutritious. The yoghurt in it contains high levels of Calcium, the bone-building and maintaining nutrient. For their part, the berries are rich in Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps the body defend itself against colds.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
225 g/8 oz strawberries, washed and sliced
225 g/8 oz raspberries, washed
225 g/8 oz blackberries, washed
1 large pot natural Greek-style yoghurt
Method
- Cover the bottom of a glass bowl with a layer of mixed fruit and then add a couple of tablespoonfuls of yoghurt.
- Carry on building up layers of fruit and yoghurt until the bowl is full, placing a single piece of fruit in the centre of the final layer of yoghurt.
- Chill the dish in the fridge before serving.
Raspberry Sorbet
Raspberries are rich in Zinc, a libido-boosting nutrient that also raises sperm counts in men. In addition, the sensual feel of this delicious sorbet in the mouth is highly suggestive.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
900 g/2 lb fresh or frozen raspberries
275 ml/½ pint water
110 g/4 oz caster sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 egg whites
Method
- Blend the raspberries in a food processor for a couple of minutes to make a purée. Boil the water with the caster sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the sugar water into the purée, whisk well and allow to cool.
- Add the lemon juice to the purée and pour the mixture into ice-cube trays or a shallow freezer container and freeze until it is nearly firm.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff, but not dry. Transfer the raspberry mixture to a bowl and mash it up a little with a fork until it has become a thick, icy mush. Carefully fold in the egg whites, return the mixture to the freezer container and freeze until firm.
Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble
Strawberries are rich in the antioxidant Vitamin C, making this dish an irresistible way in which to protect children against developing diseases, as well as providing their bodies with the nutrients they need for growth.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
Filling
900 g/2 lb rhubarb, peeled and cut into thick chunks
juice of 1 orange
110 g/4 oz strawberries
75 g/3 oz Demerara sugar
Crumble topping
50 g/2 oz Demerara sugar
110 g/4 oz oats
50 g/2 oz wholewheat flour
50 g/2 oz butter, cut into small cubes
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6.
- Place the rhubarb and orange juice in a large saucepan and cook until the rhubarb is tender. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and add the strawberries and Demerara sugar.
- To make the crumble topping, mix together the sugar, oats and flour in a bowl. Using the tips of your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles crumbs.
- Top the fruit mixture with the crumble and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown.
Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar
Strawberries are packed with Vitamin C, a powerful tissue-repairing nutrient that can also help to clear up spotty skin. Balsamic vinegar and strawberries is an unusual but delectable combination.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
1.5 kg/3 lb strawberries, hulled and cut in half lengthwise
50 g/2 oz icing sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Method
- Place the strawberries in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle the icing sugar over the strawberries and pour the vinegar over the top.
- Toss well and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Toss again lightly just before serving.
Strawberry and Banana Smoothie
Bananas contain fructose (fruit sugar), which means that either eating them or drinking them in a smoothie like this one gives your body a slow, but long-lasting energy boost. If you want, you could add a couple of tablespoons of natural yoghurt, milk or fromage frais to the smoothie after the strawberries and bananas have been puréed. Drink the smoothie immediately if possible, otherwise the bananas will turn it brown.
Ingredients (Serves 1)
1 small punnet strawberries, washed and hulled
2 large bananas, peeled
Method
Place the strawberries and bananas in a blender or liquidiser and blend until smooth. Drink immediately.
Tray-baked Pears with Roasted Hazelnuts
Fruits contain slow release sugars which help ease fatigue and since sometimes a tired gut can be overly sensitive to raw fruits, I’ve cooked these pears to make them easy to digest and more satisfying. Cooked pears make a fantastic dessert all year round, be they soft, ripe peaches popped onto a barbie in the summer or baked in the oven and sprinkled with roasted nuts in the autumn. This recipe makes enough for two.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
2 evenly sized pears
1 tablespoon of light muscovado sugar
Splash of your favourite alcohol
25g hazelnuts
Greek Youghurt or crème fraîche
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220˚C/425˚F/GM 7.
- Cut two evenly sized pears, such as Williams or Red Barlett, into quarters, also cutting off the stalks and removing the cores.
- Scatter the pear pieces over a roasting tray and sprinkle over 1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar and a splash of your favourite alcohol, perhaps brandy or Calvados.
- Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the pears are tender and light golden in colour.
- Meanwhile, place about 25g hazelnuts in another small baking tray and pop it into the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the hazelnuts are lightly roasted.
- When you are ready to serve the pears, simply sprinkle over some of the cracked, roasted hazelnuts and perhaps serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche.
Fruit Pudding
This pudding can be served hot or cold. If you include plums, they’ll provide a beautiful red colour where they touch the surface.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
175g wholemeal bread
600ml milk
65g butter
3 egg yolks, 3 egg whites
65g almonds, finely chopped
125g caster sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 2 lemons
1kg of fruit
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/GM 4.
- Remove the crusts from 175g wholemeal bread, then break up the bread and transfer the pieces to a bowl. Pour in 600ml milk and work it into the bread with your hands, breaking the bread into crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, beat 65g softened butter with 3 eggs yolks, then add 65g finely chopped almonds, 125g caster sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the grated zest of 2 lemons. Now beat the egg mixture into the soaked bread.
- In another bowl, beat 3 egg whites until they are stiff and then fold them into the bread mixture.
- Finally, fold in 1kg pieces of fruit, such as peeled and cubed apples and pears, seedless grapes and plums.
- Pour the fruit mixture into a wide baking dish and bake in the oven for 1 hour or longer, until the pudding is firm and golden on top.
Banana and Walnut Loaf
Ingedients
4 medium bananas
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
110g plain white flour
110g wholemeal flour
grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
110g butter, cut into cubes
175g soft dark brown sugar
2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten
175g walnut pieces, roughly chopped
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
- Peel the bananas and put them in a small bowl, then mash to a purée with a fork.
- Put the baking powder and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and sieve both the flours on top, finally tipping in the bran that’s left over in the sieve.
- Add the remaining ingredients, apart from the walnuts, and mix everything together thoroughly using an electric hand whisk.
- When the mixture is smooth, add the walnuts and stir them through.
- Pop the mixture into a 900g lightly buttered loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for about 1½ hours, or until a knife inserted into the loaf comes out clean.
- Allow to cool before slicing and, if you like, spreading with a little butter.