Raspberry Biscuit Creams Food

CRUSHED RASPBERRY CREAMS

Steps:

• In a small bowl stir a sprinkling of the sugar in with the raspberries, crushing them very slightly as you stir, but still leaving them more or less whole. In a separate bowl fold the crème fraîche and yogurt together with the remaining sugar and the meringue pieces.
• Divide the raspberries among four small glasses, top with the creamy meringue mixture. The raspberry pots can be eaten straight away or will keep in the fridge for up to 4 hours.

RASPBERRY & AMARETTI CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/gas 3. Butter and base line a loose-bottomed 20cm round cake tin. Put the butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour and ground almonds into a large bowl. Beat using an electric hand whisk until all the ingredients are well blended.
• Spread half the cake mixture in the lined tin. Scatter over half of the amaretti biscuits then a third of the raspberries. Very lightly press into the cake mixture.
• Dollop dessertspoonfuls of the remaining cake mixture over the amaretti and raspberries and spread evenly. Scatter the remaining amaretti and half the remaining raspberries over the top. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Cool for 15 minutes in the tin. Run a knife round the edge and turn out. It will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• To serve, remove from the fridge an hour before serving and lightly dust with icing sugar before bringing to the table. Serve with the remaining raspberries and a little single cream.

RHUBARB & CUSTARD SANDWICH BISCUITS

Steps:

• To make the jam, put the rhubarb, sugar and lemon juice in a pan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 mins, or until the rhubarb has broken down and released its liquid. Blitz using a hand blender until smooth, then simmer for another 5-10 mins until thick and jammy. To test it's ready, run a wooden spoon over the base of the pan - it should leave a trail rather than filling in straightaway. Leave to cool (it will set more as it does), then chill until ready to use. Will keep in a sealed container or jar in the fridge for up to one week.
• To make the biscuit dough, put the butter, both sugars and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to a coarse paste. Scrape down the sides, then add the flour and custard powder and pulse again to a damp, sandy consistency. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and pulse again until the dough comes together into a ball. Add ½-1 tbsp water to bring it together, if needed. Tip the dough out, then wrap and put in the fridge to chill for at least 30 mins.
• Roll the dough out on a floured surface to a 5mm thickness. Stamp out as many biscuits as you can using a 6mm round cutter - you should get about 32 in total.
• Cut circles or hearts out of the centres of half the biscuits using the wide end of a plain piping nozzle (about 1.5cm), or a small heart cutter. Transfer all the biscuits to lined baking sheets, then transfer to the fridge and chill for 15 mins. You can also cook the cut-out shapes to make mini biscuits - if doing so, put these on their own baking sheet.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6, then bake the biscuits for 8-10 mins until golden (5-6 mins for the mini biscuits). Put on a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Transfer the jam to a piping bag, snip off the end, and pipe a small layer of jam onto the plain biscuits (those without the centres cut out). Or, use a teaspoon. Spread the jam out - it may squidge out of the sides when sandwiching the biscuits, so don't go too far to the edge.
• Sandwich the remaining biscuits over the jam (don't press down too firmly), then transfer to an airtight container in a single layer and leave to set overnight. This ensures the jam won't leak when you bite into them, but they can be eaten straightaway if you can't resist. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days, but the biscuits will start to soften over time.