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 :)

Pastry - Dessert

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Custard and Pineapple Filo-Pastry

October 28th 2008 06:00

Custard and Pineapple Filo-Pastry

About filo-pastry

Filo- / fillo- / or phyllo-pastry is paper-thin sheets of raw, unleavened flour dough used for making pastries in Greek and Middle Eastern Cookery. Filo-pastry is made with flour, water, and a small amount of oil. It is almost used in multiple layers separated by melted butter. When these are baked, they become crispy and the result resembles puff pastry, though the method is very different, and they are generally not substituted for one another.

Homemade filo-pastry takes time and skill. It requires progressive rolling and stretching of the dough to a single, thin and very big sheet, with continual flouring of its surface, which tends to break apart. A very big table and a long roller are used. Once finished, the filo is floured, folded, then used as desired. Most filo is made with wheat flour and water, but some dessert recipes call for egg yolks in addition.
Machines for producing filo pastry were perfected in 1971. Nowadays filo is produced mostly by machine. Filo for domestic use is widely available from supermarkets, fresh or frozen.
Filo pastry is actually the healthiest option when it comes to pastry. Filo uses the least fat compared with other pastries. Working with filo can be a little tricky as it is apt to dry out and become brittle so always cover pieces nto being worked under a damp, clean tea-towel. Cutting the pastry is easy with a sharp pair of kitchen scissors but it doesn’t matter if pastry does rip or tear as this is quite usual to its appearance. Before cooking brush pastry very lightly with oil, but use sparingly or you will be adding calories.

INGREDIENTS

100 gm filo-pastry
50 gm custard
50gm pineapple
50gm raisins
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease baking tray.

2. Melt custard in warm water.

3. Cut filo-pastry into half. Spread custard in the middle.

4. Add pineapple and raisins.

5. Roll up filo-pastry.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

**From “Next Magazine”, “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia” and “Food For Though”**

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Fruit Cornucopia

January 6th 2008 16:00

Fruit Cornucopia

About Cornucopia

The cornucopia (Latin Cornu Copiae), also known as the Horn of Plenty or Harvest Cone, is a symbol of food and plenty dating back to the 5th century BC.
In Greek mythology, Amalthea raised Zeus on the milk of a goat. In return Zeus gave Amalthea the goat’s horn. It had the power to give to the person in possession of it whatever he or she wished for. This gave rise to the legend of the cornucopia. The original depictions were of the goat’s horn filled with fruits and flowers: deities, especially Fortuna, would be depicted with the horn of plenty.
In modern depiction, the cornucopia is typically a hollow, horn-shaped wicker basket typically filled with various kinds of festive fruit and vegetables. The cornucopia has come to be associated with Thanksgiving and the harvest.
The cornucopia is also a favourite design for corn dolly making.
The sampo of Finnish mythology is also a source of plenty.
In science fiction the term cornucopia (machine) is sometimes used for molecular assemblers.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 10 – 12 servings

For the pastry

3 cups flour
½ tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups cold sweet butter, cut into pieces

For the filling

Seasonal fruits and berries

To glaze

2 eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream

To serve

whipped cream

1. To prepare the pastry, in a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

2. Cut in butter with a fork or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Add just enough cold water to moisten dough and make it stick together (3 – 5 tablespoons). Divide in half and form into 2 flat balls. Chill for 30 minutes.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball out into a ¼-inch thick rectangle 12 by 14 inches.

5. On a baking sheet, stack pastry sheets one on top of the other, each separated by a sheet of waxed paper. Cover top with waxed paper and chill for 15 minutes.

6. To form cornucopia mold, cut a 12-by-22-inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Roll into a cone shape 12 inches long by about 6 inches in diameter at the open end.

7. Cut 4 or 5 pieces of foil, 12 by 24 inches, crumple, and stuff them into the cone to help it hold its shape.

8. Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut each pastry sheet into 14-inch long strips, ⅜ to ½ inch wide. Each rectangle should yield about 24 strips.

9. Place 22 of the pastry strips side by side on a piece of waxed paper on a flat work surface.

10. Carefully weave remaining pastry strips across first strips, working them over and under bottom layer to form a tight lattice work with as little space as possible between strips. Cover with waxed paper and chill for 15 minutes.

11. Lay the chilled pastry lattice on a flat surface and remover top sheet of waxed paper.

12. Lay foil cornucopia mold diagonally across lattice with its open end pointing toward the bottom left-hand corner of lattice. Gently fold the top left corner of lattice over the cornucopia mold, toward bottom right corner. Continue to roll cornucopia toward bottom right corner, tucking in ends of pastry as you roll.

13. With moistened fingers, firmly tuck in any loose pastry ends at tip or seam of cone.

14. At open edge, fold loose ends back on top of themselves and crimp to make secure. Braid remaining 2 strips and use as a decorative edge, moistening it with cold water to affix. Place seam-side down on a large baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes.

15. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

16. To make the glaze, in a small bowl, beat the eggs and cream together until well blended and brush generously over cornucopia.

17. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

18. Let cool completely.

19. Carefully pull out foil stuffing from center of mold.

20. Loosen mold from sides of pastry, being very careful not to break pastry.

21. Gently collapse and remove foil.

22. Fill cornucopia with seasonal fruits and berries.

23. Serve with generous amounts of softly whipped cream. Pieces of the cornucopia are served with each portion of fruit.

**From “Outdoor Entertaining”, “Blue Sky Studios Challenge”, and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**

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