Jill Jones-Evans and Joe Gambacorta have created a beautiful High Tea at the Victoria Room cookbook. They have also shared one of the delicious recipes with us. A perfect autumn treat.
Spiced Apple Tea Cake
Archive for the 'Desserts' Category
Ingredients
- 2 sheets gelatine
- 2 limes, zested and juiced
- 200g cream cheese 200g
- 500g yoghurt Greek style
- 75g caster sugar
Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes.
Warm the lime juice in a small pan or in the microwave.
Do not let the lime juice get too hot otherwise the gelatine will not set.
Squeeze out the water from the gelatine and drop it into the lime juice, then stir until dissolved.
Beat the cream cheese, yoghurt, sugar and lime zest together until smooth.
Beat in lime juice and pour into 4 stemmed glasses, cover and chill for at least 1 hour or until set.
Cherry compote
- 150ml cherry juice
- 3 tablespoons caster sugar
- 450g fresh cherries, pitted
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 2 teaspoons corn flour
Cook juice and sugar in a saucepan on medium heat stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.
Put in cherries and spices and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Dissolve corn flour in 2 tablespoons of water and stir through cherries. Boil for another minute, and then let the compote cool completely.
Spoon the cherry compote on top of the cheesecake cream just before serving.
Serves four
4 ripe peaches blanched in boiling water for
30 seconds to remove their skins
1 punnet of mulberries stalks removed
1 punnet of strawberries stalks removed & cut in ½
1 punnet of blueberries
4 mint sprigs
8 small mint leaves
8 small basil leaves
3 tbsp of castor sugar
1 vanilla pod split & seeds scraped out
4 scoops vanilla gelato
Puree the 1 ½ peaches with the castor sugar & vanilla seeds.
Mix all the berries, the rest of the chopped up peaches,
basil leaves& mint leaves with the peach puree & divide between thechampagne glasses.
Top up with a little Prosecco, add a spoonful of Vanilla Gelato, evensome whipped cream & garnish with a mint sprig & mint sugar.
This dish shouts out “summer is coming” & is best enjoyed chilled; with the rest of the sparkling wine.
With or without the berries, this is your quintessential cheesecake recipe. Not only is it smooth, creamy and completely more-ish, it’s failsafe too. If you’re a berry fan, use the berry mix as a spread on the base and bake and bubble it into the cake, or, pour it into a jug and serve a freshly cut slice with a dollop on the side.
Berry compote
200g raspberries
55g caster sugar
zest of 1 orange
300g summer berries
Base
50-75g butter, melted
200g digestive biscuits, crushed
pinch of cinnamon
Cheesecake
500g cream cheese at room temperature
200g caster sugar
3 eggs at room temperature
2 tablespoons cornflour
300ml sour cream at room temperature
zest and juice of 1 lemon
Combine raspberries, sugar and zest in a bowl and crush with the back of a fork.
Push through a sieve to get rid of raspberry seeds and add to the rest of the berries.
Spread over biscuit base to be baked or pour into a jug and refrigerate
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease a 20cm springform cake tin or a tin with a removable base. Combine base ingredients and mix well. Pour into cake tin and press evenly over base, this can be done with the back of a spoon. Bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 150ºC. Beat cream cheese and sugar until just smooth.
Add eggs one at a time beating after adding each addition. Combine sour cream, zest and juice in a separate bowl. Add sour cream mix along with cornflour and combine with the cheesecake mixture. Pour cheesecake mix over berries (if using) and base.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. The cake should be wobbly in the centre and firm around the edges. Switch off oven and leave to cool completely in the oven with a wooden spoon holding the door slightly ajar. Serve with whipped cream and berry compote if not included in the cake.
Want to learn the secrets to sublime cheesecakes? Click here now for tips and tricks from our Baker!
Old school but a classic, sponge cake pairs beautifully with meringue. Top with a wonderfully thick passion fruit curd and freshly whipped cream and you have a classic taken to new heights. What’s more, it’s so easy to make. The recipe looks long put the steps are simple. And best yet, its rustic charm ensures you can never go wrong…
Sponge
110g butter + extra for basting tin
110g sugar
1tbsp grated lemon rind
4 egg yolks
100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
85ml milk
Preheat oven to 175˚C. Cover the bases of 2 x 20cm round cake tins with greaseproof paper. Melt the extra butter and brush over base and sides of the tins, then cover the sides with strips of greaseproof paper as well. Beat the butter and sugar with rind until sugar dissolves into butter. Add the yolks, beating after each addition. Add the flour and baking powder alternately with the milk, ending with flour. Beat until just combined. Divide the mix between the two tins and set aside.
Meringue
4 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
200g sugar
Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. While whisking, gradually and slowly add the sugar. Continue to whisk until sugar dissolves and mix is thick and glossy. Divide the meringue between the two tins, spreading the mix evenly over cake batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Curd
230g sugar
115g butter
90g passionfruit
3 eggs, whisked
In a medium saucepan to be used as a double boiler, bring some water to the boil then lower heat to medium. Put butter and sugar in a large bowl and place over the boiling water, stirring until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Stir in the passionfruit. Whisk the eggs with a fork and gradually add to the mixture, whisking until incorporated. Continue to whisk occasionally until mixture thickens, about 10-20 minutes. When the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat and allow to cool.
To assemble, when cakes are cool, remove from their tins, along with the baking paper. Place one cake on a serving platter. Whip up some cream or spread double cream over the top of the cake. Cover the cream with a thick layer of cooled passionfruit curd. Top the curd with the second cake. Serve with additional cream if desired.
Want to learn the secrets to Meringue Magic? Click here now for tips and secrets from our Baker!
1 tablespoon butter
1½ cups aborio rice
2 cups warm milk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste, or 1 vanilla pod
5 tablespoons sugar
1 cup pistachios, chopped
100g dark chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
vanilla ice cream to serve
extra dark chocolate for garnish
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add aborio rice and stir to coat. Add the warm milk in batches, stirring occasionally until all the liquid is absorbed. This should take approx. 10 minutes. To check, taste the rice; it should be al dente. If it needs further cooking, top up with water and continue to stir. Take off the heat and add the vanilla and sugar. Set aside and allow to cool. Once room temperature, add the pistachios and chocolate and stir to combine. Mix in the two eggs. Heat a non-stick saucepan on medium heat and spoon in dollops of the rice mix. Cook till crispy on both sides. Serve warm with shaved chocolate and vanilla ice ream. Serves 6
Other delicious rice inspired recipes:
Want to learn more about rice? Click here to read our fascinating article How to Cook: Rice!
A deliciously light and silky smooth dessert, panna cotta (Italian for ‘cooked cream’) is the perfect way to end a meal if you’re after something impressive, yet not too rich. And, with similarly delicate flavours, panna cotta makes the perfect partner to the subtlety of tea. Just don’t be fooled by it’s good looks, it is quick and easy to prepare too.
1½ cup double cream
1½ cup milk
½ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon rooibos tea leaves or 1 tea bag
4 teaspoons unflavoured gelatine powder
½ teaspoon vanilla paste or ½ a vanilla pod
Mango and Cardamom Coulis
1 large ripe mango
4 tablespoons water
2 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 lime, zested and juiced
extra diced mango to serve
Spray 6 ramekin moulds with vegetable oil spray and place on a flat tray. In a small saucepan bring the cream, 1 cup of the milk and the sugar to the boil. Add the rooibos tea and infuse in the hot mixture till flavoured, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into a clean saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatine powder into the extra ½ cup of milk to soften for a few minutes. Mix the gelatine and cold milk into the hot cream and stir until well combined and the gelatine is melted. Reheat gently if required to melt any lumps. Add the vanilla paste or vanilla seeds scraped out of the vanilla pod. Stir well. Pour the mixture into the ramekins. Allow to cool before refrigerating overnight or for at least 4 hours.
To make coulis: Peel the mango, reserve a quarter to be finely diced. Roughly chop the remaining fruit. In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar and cracked cardamom pods and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes till a syrup texture forms. Strain to remove the cardoman pods. Place the fruit and syrup in a blender and puree till smooth. Before serving add the lime zest and juice. Serve the panna cotta with cubed mango and mango coulis. Serves 6
Tip: Any tea or herb mixture can be used to flavour the panna cotta. Simply substitute the rooibos when infusing the milk and cream. Be creative and have fun with your favourite flavoured teas. Serving with fruit also helps to cut the richness of the cream.
Neither sweet nor savoury, the pumpkin pie, or grammar pie as it was once know here, is making a modern day comeback with its subtle flavours and creamy texture. Try this classic version and be swept away in the pumpkin’s moreish powers…
500g pumpkin, cubed (we used butternut)
store bought sweet short crust pastry
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
75g dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
275ml double cream
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out the pastry so that it is large enough to line a 23cm tart tin and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To make the filling steam the pumpkin till soft. Puree the pumpkin and set aside. In separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and yolk and set aside. Place the sugar, spices and cream in a pan and bring to a simmer, giving it a stir to mix. Take off the heat and pour over the egg mixture. Whisk, then add the pumpkin puree and whisk till combined. Pour the mixture into the pastry tin and bake for 30-40 minutes. It should be slightly wobbly in the centre. Serve with whipped cream or crème fraiche. It is best served warm or at room temperature. Serves 8
Tip: For a firmer pie, refrigerate and reheat before serving. You can also use a biscuit base by mixing 1 packet of crushed ginger crust biscuits with 125g melted butter. Or, for a richer, more decadent version, add chopped pecan nuts to either the pastry or biscuits base.
Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen
Other delicious pumpkin recipes
* Cinnamon Pumpkin Fritters
* Coriander and Feta Pumpkin Fritters
Winter is all about puddings. So why not give tradition a little twist with this aromatic pudding from Syria.
¼ cup rice flour 
3 cups full-cream milk
125g caster sugar
80g / ¾ cup ground almonds
1 tablespoon rosewater
pistachio nuts, to garnish
pomegranate seeds, to garnish
Mix the rice flour with ¼ cup of the milk and set aside. Put the remaining milk in a saucepan over medium–high heat and bring to the boil. Add the rice flour and milk mixture, sugar and a pinch of salt and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the ground almonds and rosewater, remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 1 hour. (The mixture will thicken further to a soft rice
pudding consistency.) Pour the muhallabia into individual bowls and garnish with the pistachios and pomegranate seeds to serve. Serves 6
Recipe taken from Feast Bazaar by Barry Véra. Photography by Greg Elms. Published by Murdoch Books, RRP $39.95
Other recipes by Barry Vera:
* Tagine of Chicken with Artichokes, Preserved Lemon and Olives
3 medium eggs
130g caster sugar, extra for sprinkling
60g plain flour, sifted
100g unsalted butter, melted and extra for greasing
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
100g ripe raspberries
300g ripe blackberries
Vin Santo or a good sticky wine
Crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream to serve
Preheat oven to 200°C. Using a little softened butter, grease a 10 x 15 x 5cm baking dish. Beat eggs till light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat till pale and thick, 3-5 minutes. Using a large spoon gently fold in the flour, butter and baking powder. Pour mix in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the berries over the top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the centre of the cake is solid and not runny. Splash some Vin Santo over the top as soon as it comes out from the oven. Sprinkle the extra sugar on top. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or crème fraiche. Serves 4
Created by Ruben Martinez, Head Chef, La Sala
Want to learn more about Ruben Martinez and La Sala? Click here!
