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A hot or cold dessert rounds off a meal nicely. Whatever level of skill you possess, and however much time you have to prepare, it is always possible to make a delicious dessert that will bring the meal to a satisfying end.
Baking Pies And Tarts
There is no more memorable way of enjoying Alternatively, dairy products or many pantries an abundance of ripe fruits in the season than by ingredients can be used to produce a quick, baking them in a golden, homemade pastry case, convenient filling for a delicious dessert.
Preparing Fillings
• Dicing cheese: Add tiny cubes of a tangy, mature cheese to complement a sweet apple filling in a pie.
• Creating a quick filling: Make a festive dessert by mixing fresh seedless grapes with a few spoonfuls of store-bought mincemeat. Spoon into a pastry shell, and bake until hot. Serve with whipped cream.
• Glazing fruits: To glaze and sweeten fresh fruits for a colorful tart or pie filling, warm a few spoonfuls of seedless raspberry jelly with a squeeze of lemon or orange juice in a pan. Brush the glaze over the fruits.
Making Toppings
Using phyllo dough: Instead of laying sheets of pastry or phyllo flat on top of a fruit filling, crumple them slightly for a “chiffon” effect. Brush with butter, bake as usual and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Sprinkling Coconut
To add extra flavor to a fruit tart or pie, sprinkle a layer of dried coconut over the base before adding the filling. This will also help prevent the base from becoming soggy.
Fruit Tart Toppings
• Marshmallows: Arrange marsh ma Hows to cover the fruits. Grill until golden.
• Marzipan: Cut marzipan into dice, and scatter over the tart. Bake or grill until golden.
• Almond crumble: Mix equal amounts of ground almonds, brown or raw sugar, and flaked almonds. Sprinkle the mixture over the fruits before baking to form a golden crust.
• Meringue: Whip one egg white until stiff, then whip in ‘A cup (55 g) superfine sugar. Pipe a meringue lattice over the fruits, and bake for a delicious, decorative topping.
Adding Variety
Baking upside-down tarts;
• Use a cake pan to make an upside-down fruit tart. Butter and sugar the base, add the fruits and top with rolled-out pastry. Bake and invert.
• Making sweet pizza: Roll out puff pastry or bread dough, and top with slices of fruits such as apples, pears, or plums. Sprinkle with brown sugar and spices, dot with butter, and bake in a hot oven until bubbling and golden.
• Latticing phyllo strips: Cut phyllo dough into long strips with scissors to make a quick lattice for a pie or tart. Use two sheets together, brushed with butter, for the best effect.
