SWEET recipes
Three of the best baked desserts you won’t be able to resist.
Archie’s TwixTart
A surprisingly easy and elegant tart based on the popular caramel, chocolate and shortbread bar Twix
Ingredients:
BASE:
225g plain biscuits (we used Krispie)
75g butter, melted
FILLING:
450g jar dulce de leche or 397g tin ready-made caramel condensed milk, whisked until very smooth
CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
150ml cream
75g milk chocolate (33% cocoa), chopped
75g dark chocolate (72% cocoa), chopped
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
Method:
Lightly grease a 35cm x 12cm loose-based rectangular tart tin. Preheat the oven to 150°C fan bake.
Base: Blitz the biscuits in a food processor, add the melted butter and pulse to make fine, damp crumbs. Tip into the tin and press to make an even shell. Pop in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up. Bake for 20 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes.
Filling: Carefully spoon the dulce de leche or caramel condensed milk onto the base and smooth the top. Bake for a further 8 minutes. Cool, then chill in the fridge.
Chocolate ganache: Heat the cream in a small saucepan until hot. Remove from the heat and add both chocolates. Leave for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth and stir in the salt. Cool to a thick pouring consistency, then pour over the caramel and smooth into gentle peaks using the back of a teaspoon. Chill for at least 2 hours, until the ganache is firm. The tart can be made 3 days ahead, covered and chilled. Remove from the fridge and cut into small wedges or fingers to serve.
Serves 10-12
Blueberry Cheesecake and Oatmeal Streusel Slice
Treat yourself with this more-ish cheesecake slice. The streusel is used to make both the crunchy base and the topping.
Ingredients:
STREUSEL:
11⁄3 cups plain flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp each baking powder and ground mixed spice
1⁄2 tsp sea salt
150g butter, melted
CHEESECAKE:
500g cream cheese, at room temperature
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1 cup caster sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp custard powder
finely grated zest 1 large lemon
TOPPING:
1⁄4 cup dark seedless berry jam
11⁄2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
Method:
Grease a 28cm x 18cm slice tin and line with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Streusel: Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix to form damp crumbs (you can use your fingertips). Take out 23⁄4 cups of the mix and press firmly and evenly into the base of the slice tin. Set the remaining mixture aside. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and firm. Set aside. Change the oven from fan bake to 160°C regular bake.
Cheesecake: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Tip over the base and smooth the top.
Topping: Stir the jam and blueberries together, then spoon over the top of the cheesecake. Scatter over the remaining streusel.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the cheesecake is set. Cool, then refrigerate for several hours to firm up. Cut into the desired size for serving.
Banana and Rum Self-saucing Pudding
A tasty and filling dessert that’s super simple and decadent.
Ingredients:
175g self-raising flour
1⁄2 cup each caster sugar and sultanas
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
2 large very ripe bananas, mashed (you need 1 cup mashed)
finely grated zest 1 orange
80g butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
TOPPING:
1 cup boiling water
150g brown sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp rum, optional
2-3 small bananas, halved
Method:
Lightly grease a 6-cup capacity baking dish. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Combine all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and toss so the sultanas are not clumped together.
In a separate bowl, whisk the bananas, zest, butter, egg, milk and vanilla together. Add to the dry ingredients and stir together.
Pour into the baking dish, then place on a lipped baking tray.
Topping: Stir all the topping ingredients, except the bananas, together to dissolve the sugar.
Lay the sliced bananas on top of the pudding. Pour the hot topping mixture onto the pudding over the back of a large spoon.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown, the top is firm and risen and you can see the sauce bubbling up the side of the dish.
Serve hot with ice cream or softly whipped cream.
Serves 8.
These recipes from dish SWEET By Sarah Tuck and Claire Aldous
SCG Media
RRP $45
