Rhubarb is currently in season in Australia, and whilst most people think rhubarb is a fruit it is actually a vegetable. Known for its tart, tangy and slightly sharp taste, rhubarb is a great filling for pies and crumbles, marries beautifully with cream and custards and also has its place in savoury dishes. I have wonderful childhood memories of my Mum’s delicious rhubarb crumble…

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Tarte Tatin is an upside-down tart, made most commonly with apples, where the fruit is caramelised in sugar and butter prior to baking. Because I like to incorporate local and seasonal produce into my cooking, I came up with this version, where pineapple and passionfruit replace the traditional apple. It’s a tropical twist on an old favourite, and it’s really good!

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Shapely pears standing upright in a puddle of deeply coloured syrup make an elegant dessert. These delicious Port Poached Pears taste even better made the day before and can be served either hot or cold.

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After lunch or dinner it’s nice to have something small and sweet after dessert. Traditional petit fours are an option, but for something a little different, and possibly a tad healthier, these Moroccan-inspired morsels are a lovely way to end a meal. Not only do they look pretty, but they taste great too.  Perfect for your Christmas table.

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Christmas Day in Queensland is generally a hot and steamy affair.  As much as I enjoy the traditional Christmas fayre of roast turkey and all the trimmings followed by steamed Christmas pudding, the thought of standing in a hot kitchen in the heat on Christmas Day does not jingle my bells! A cold spread is a much better way to go at this time of the year. And even better, a meal of which the majority can be prepared the day before, leaving you free to enjoy the fun and festivities of Christmas Day.

My Festive Tropical Trifle is the perfect warm weather Christmas Day dessert. The combination of panettone, coconut custard and mango makes this a really celebratory dish. If making this at other times of the year when pannettone is not so easily available, substitute madeira or sponge cake. You could replace the rum with extra pineapple juice to make it kid-friendly. To make a bigger trifle, just double the ingredients and use a large serving bowl. Enjoy!

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As my regular readers would know, I am a big advocate of seasonal cooking. There are so many great reasons for using fruits and vegetables that are in season – they’re at their best, they’re inexpensive and because they don’t to travel great distances it’s better for the environment. Being late Spring, we are currently enjoying a beautiful selection of fruits, including mangoes, strawberries and pineapples. [Read more →]

An oldy but a goodie, chocolate mousse never goes out of style. It is a perfect dessert for a dinner party as it can be made fully in advance. This adult version has the addition of  liqueur, which of course could be left out but why would you? Any liqueur can be used - use your favourite or experiment for different results. My favourite – Cointreau.

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Crème Brûlée originated in England and was known as “Burnt Cream” before it was given the more exotic-sounding French name most people know it by. For some reason, many people hold the belief that this is a really complicated dessert to prepare, but it is actually really simple.  [Read more →]

Limes are not only currently in season but are in abundance where I live on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. As I’m a big fan of seasonal cooking, I couldn’t go past sharing my recipe for Key Lime Pie.  [Read more →]

Although Easter has just passed us by and we are all chocolated out, I reckon you can never have too much chocolate in your diet. This decadent dessert cake is flavoured with hazelnut meal and Frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur. It’s gluten-free, which is welcome news for coeliacs and those who avoid gluten in their diet. This is a great dessert when entertaining, as it can be made way in advance and only needs slicing at serving time.  Serve it with fresh strawberries and cream and a glass of liqueur muscat.
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