Dessert - by Scarlett

From soufflé to parfait, you'll find my personal selection of yummy dessert recipes here and more!! So for home-made goodness or sweet treats around Sydney, be sure to check here - oh, and bon appétit!! Scarlett :)

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Dessert - March 2008

Frittelle Dolci Di Ricotta (Sweet Ricotta Fritters)

March 28th 2008 13:26

Frittelle Dolci Di Ricotta (Sweet Ricotta Fritters)

About Fritter

A fritter is any kind of food coated in batter and deep fried. The word comes from the Latin frictura (‘frying”) by way of Old French and Middle English. It can refer to a dessert a side dish or a main course food.

In British fish and chip shops, the fish and chips can be accompanied by fritters, which means a food item (such as a slice of potato, a pineapple ring, an apple ring or some mushy peas) fried in batter. Hence: potato fritter, pineapple fritter, apple fritter, pea fritter, etc.
Small cakes made with a primary ingredient, mixed with batter and fried, are found in many American cuisines. “Corn fritters” and “apple fritters” are well known, although the American apple fritter is unlike the British one. Fritters may use regular flour, cornmeal, or a mix. New England clam cakes and Maryland Boardwalk-style crab cakes are essentially varieties of fritter.
In most Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, it is common for a variety of fritters (such as yam, sweet potato and banana) to be fried by the roadside in a large wok and sold as snacks.
There is some debate as to how to properly classify a fritter. Some consider it a doughnut, while others consider it to belong, more generally, to the pastry family.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 6

14 oz Ricotta cheese
3 eggs
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 orange, grated zest
pinch of salt
pinch of baking soda
¼ cup raisins, soaked in rum overnight
1½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups oil, for frying
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

1. Sieve the Ricotta into a mixing bowl.

2. Add the eggs, sugar, orange zest, salt, baking soda, and drained raisins. Lastly, stir in the sifted flour.

3. Mix until smooth. Leave to rest for 1 hour.

4. Heat the oil to very hot in a large skillet.

5. Scoop out tablespoonfuls of the batter and fry in batches of 6 – 8 until golden brown.

6. Drain on paper towels.

7. Sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar.

8. Serve hot.

**From “The Encyclopedia of Italian Cooking” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**

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Posted By: Scarlett - Category: Other

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Cinnamon Flavoured Apple and Sultana Clafoutis

March 26th 2008 13:49

Cinnamon Flavoured Apple and Sultana Clafoutis

About Clafoutis

Clafoutis, sometimes spelled clafouti, is a custard-like baked French dessert that is typically made by baking fresh fruit (traditionally cherries) and a batter, somewhat similar to pancake batter, in a baking dish.
Originally from Limousin, the dish’s name comes from Occitan clafotís, from the verb clafir, meaning “to fill up” (implied: “the batter with cherries”). Clafoutis apparently spread throughout France during the 19th century.
When other kinds of fruit, such as plums, prunes, apples or blackberries are used instead of cherries, the dish is called a “flognarde” (sometime spelled “flaugnarde”).
Some purists strongly advise against de-pitting the cherries used in a clafouotis. According to them, the pits release a wonderful flavour when the dish is cooked. A traditional Limousin clafoutis contains pits. – The Concise Larousse Gastronomique, Hamlyn. If the pits are removed, teh clafoutis will be milder.
This scrumptious low-fat version combines apples with juicy sultanas.

About Calvados

Calvados is an apple brandy from the French region of Basse-Normandie or Lower Normandy. Calvados is the basis of the tradition of le trou Normand, or “the Norman hole”. This is a small drink of Calvados taken between courses in a very long meal, sometimes with apple sorbet, supposed to re-awaken the appetite. Calvados can be served as aperitif, blended in drinks, between meals, as digestive or with coffee. Well-made calvados should naturally be reminiscent of apples and pears, balanced with flavours of ageing. The less aged calvados distinguishes itself with its fresh apple and pear aromas. The longer the calvados is aged, the more the taste resembles that of any other aged brandy. As calvados ages, it may become golden or darker brown with orange elements and red mahogany. The nose and palate are delicate with concentration of aged apples and dried apricots balanced with butterscotch, nut and chocolate aromas.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4

75 gm / 2¾ oz plain white flour, sifted
75 gm / 2¾ oz caster sugar
3 eggs
300 ml / 10 fl oz skimmed milk
1 tablespoon Calvados or other fruit brandy, optional
450 gm / 1 lb cooking apples, peeled, cut into quarters, cored and thickly sliced
50 gm / 1¾ oz sultanas or raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, allspice or mixed spice

1. Heat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF.

2. Place the flour and half the sugar in a bowl, add the eggs and half the milk then blend the ingredients together using a wire whisk or wooden spoon. Alternately, blend them in a food processor or with a hand-held mixer for 1 minute.

3. Stir in the remaining milk and fruit brandy, if using, and blend to form a smooth batter.

4. Put the apples and sultanas in the base of a shallow, non-stick 1.5 litre / 2 pint 15 fl oz ovenproof pan or dish.

5. Sprinkle with the spice and all but 1 tablespoon of the remaining sugar, then pour the batter over the top.

6. Bake for 30-40 minutes until well risen and golden brown.

7. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and serve hot.

Tips:

1. If you do not have a nonstick pan or dish, use an ordinary one, lightly greased with ¼ teaspoon vegetable oil.

2. you can replace the apples with 450 gm / 1 lb of apricots or dessert plums, halved and stoned.

**From “Low Fat No Fat Cookbook” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia” **

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Posted By: Scarlett - Category: Fruit-based desserts

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