Serves eight
The challenge is on. You’re invited to someone’s house for dinner but you’re in charge of dessert. This is the perfect recipe as it can all be prepared in advance, it travels well and it has the wow effect. Warm gently in the oven when ready to serve and top with a dollop of cream. You’ll definitely be invited back again.
Caramel & pecan tart. \ Philip Doyle
For the pastry:
- 225g plain flour
- 60g cornflour
- 170g butter (soft)
- 90g caster sugar
- 40g egg yolk
- 20g milk
For the caramel filling:
- 100g caster sugar
- 2tbsp golden syrup
- 100g butter
- 200g condensed milk
Caramel & pecan tart. \ Philip Doyle
For the pecan topping:
- 200g pecan halves, toasted
- 200g sugar
- 100g water
First, make the pastry. Put the flour and cornflour into a large bowl. Using the tips of your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until there are no more lumps. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolk, sugar and milk.Add the egg mix to the flour mix and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Wrap your pastry in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for one to two hours.Preheat your oven to 180°C.When the pastry is chilled, take it out of the fridge, roll it out and line the base of a tart tin.To blind bake the pastry, put a sheet of grease proof paper on top and fill it with rice or baking beans.Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, then take the paper with the rice off and bake for another 10 minutes until the pastry is lightly browned.Set your pastry base aside to cool.Meanwhile, prepare the caramel filling. Place all of the caramel ingredients into a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is a light golden brown colour.Pour the caramel on to the pastry base and leave to cool.Finally, prepare the pecan topping. Arrange the toasted pecans on top of the caramel while it is cooling and leave to set.Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil for a few minutes until the sugar has fully dissolved.Brush the sugar glaze over the pecans and leave to cool.White chocolate mandarin & hazelnut drizzle cake
White chocolate mandarin & hazelnut drizzle cake. \ Philip Doyle
Serves 12
We love a cake with a bit of height. This is a really fun dessert that kids can help decorate at the end because that’s the beauty of the dripping effect – it doesn’t have to look perfect. This cake has lots of beautiful winter flavours that make it perfect for Christmas Day.
White chocolate mandarin & hazelnut drizzle cake. \ Philip Doyle
For the hazelnut & orange cake:
- 175g self-raising flour
- 225g caster sugar
- 170g butter (soft)
- 4 eggs
- 2 orange zest
- 50g ground hazelnuts
For the mandarin glaze:
- 100g mandarin juice
- 50g caster sugar
For the buttercream:
- 60g butter (soft)
- 30g milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 250g icing sugar
- 6 tbsp cream
- 200g white chocolate
For the butterscotch drizzle:
- 150g butter
- 250g brown sugar
- 10g salt
- 250g cream
White chocolate mandarin & hazelnut drizzle cake. \ Philip Doyle
To make the cake, preheat oven to 180°C.First, make the cake by lining two eight-inch baking tins with greaseproof paper.Beat all of the cake ingredients together using the paddle attachment of a mixer or a handheld beater until the mix is light and fluffy.Divide the mix evenly into the prepared baking tins.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.While the cake is baking, make the mandarin glaze by heating the sugar and juice in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. As soon as the cakes comes out of the oven, brush some of the glaze on top and leave to cool.Meanwhile make the white chocolate buttercream by melting the white chocolate in a bowl over a pot of boiling water.When the chocolate is melted, take it off the heat and add in the cream.Using the paddle attachment of a mixer or a handheld beater, cream the butter, milk, vanilla and half of the icing sugar together until fully combined.Add the rest of the icing sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.Add the white chocolate and beat to combine. Set aside.Lastly, make the butterscotch drizzle. In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar and salt and heat over a medium heat until the butter has dissolved.Add the cream and bring the mixture to the boil.Take off the heat and set aside to cool slightly.To assemble your cake, place one of the sponges on to a plate or cake board.Spread a layer of buttercream on to the first sponge and sandwich the second one on top.Spread the remainder of the buttercream on top and around the edges of the cake.Spoon the butterscotch sauce over the top of the cake and let it drip down the edges.Blackberry, cherry & preserved raspberry trifle with pistachio
Blackberry, cherry & preserved raspberry trifle with pistachio. \ Philip Doyle
Serves eight
For the sponge:
- 225g self-raising flour
- 225g caster sugar
- 170g butter
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
For the custard:
- 500g milk
- 500g cream
- 1 vanilla pod
- 400g caster sugar
- 400g egg yolk
- 1 tbsp cornflour
For the fruit jelly:
- 100g raspberry puree
- 50g water
- 50g sugar
- 2 gelatine leaves
For assembling the trifle:
- 100g raspberries
- 100g cherries
- 100g blackberries
- 25ml sherry
- 100g chopped pistachios
- 250g whipped cream
Blackberry, cherry & preserved raspberry trifle with pistachio. \ Philip Doyle
Preheat oven to 180°C.First make your sponge. Line a flat baking tin with greaseproof paper.Beat all of the ingredients together using the paddle attachment of a mixer or a handheld beater until the mix is light and fluffy.Spread the mix evenly into the prepared baking tin.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.Meanwhile, make the custard. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until fluffy.Place the milk, cream and vanilla pod into a large saucepan and bring to the boil.Pour 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the egg and sugar mixture and whisk to combine.Pour this back into the milk pot and heat on low until the mixture just reaches a boil.Take off the heat and leave to cool. Then it’s time to make the fruit jelly. Bloom the gelatine leaves in cold water and set aside. In a saucepan, bring the raspberry puree, water and sugar to the boil.Take off the heat and add in the gelatine.Set aside to cool slightly.To assemble your trifle, cut your sponge into circles using a cookie cutter.Place a layer of sponge into the bottom of a dessert glass and brush with the sherry.Mix the raspberries, cherries and blackberries into the jelly and pour on to the sponge base and leave in the fridge to set.When the jelly is set, pour a layer of custard on top and then top with a layer of whipped cream and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.Chocolate cupcakes with chestnut
Chocolate cupcakes with chestnut. \ Philip Doyle
Makes 12
When guests come to call, it’s always lovely to have some baked goods to serve up with a cup of coffee. These are the perfect treats to keep in an airtight container in the days around Christmas – that is if you can resist them yourself!
For the cupcakes:
- 115g dark chocolate
- 85g butter
- 175g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 185g plain flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp bread soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 250ml milk
- 1tsp vanilla
- 50g chopped chestnuts
For the praline buttercream:
- 110g butter
- 2 tbsp milk
- 500g icing sugar
- 50g hazelnut praline
Chocolate cupcakes with chestnut. \ Philip Doyle
Preheat oven to 180°C.Line a muffin tin with cupcake cases.Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over a pot of boiling water and leave to cool slightly.Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Then beat the eggs into the butter and sugar mix, one at a time.Add in the melted chocolate and milk and beat until it is all combined.Add the flour, salt, baking powder and bread soda and mix gently to combine.Fold in the vanilla and chopped chestnuts then spoon the mixture into the prepared cupcake cases and bake for 25-30 minutes.While the cupcakes are cooling, make the icing.Cream the butter, milk, praline and half of the icing sugar until smooth. Then add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Pipe the buttercream on to the cooled cupcakes. Read more
Neven Maguire: sweeten up your Christmas
Serves eight
The challenge is on. You’re invited to someone’s house for dinner but you’re in charge of dessert. This is the perfect recipe as it can all be prepared in advance, it travels well and it has the wow effect. Warm gently in the oven when ready to serve and top with a dollop of cream. You’ll definitely be invited back again.
Caramel & pecan tart. \ Philip Doyle
For the pastry:
- 225g plain flour
- 60g cornflour
- 170g butter (soft)
- 90g caster sugar
- 40g egg yolk
- 20g milk
For the caramel filling:
- 100g caster sugar
- 2tbsp golden syrup
- 100g butter
- 200g condensed milk
Caramel & pecan tart. \ Philip Doyle
For the pecan topping:
- 200g pecan halves, toasted
- 200g sugar
- 100g water
First, make the pastry. Put the flour and cornflour into a large bowl. Using the tips of your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until there are no more lumps. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolk, sugar and milk.Add the egg mix to the flour mix and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Wrap your pastry in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for one to two hours.Preheat your oven to 180°C.When the pastry is chilled, take it out of the fridge, roll it out and line the base of a tart tin.To blind bake the pastry, put a sheet of grease proof paper on top and fill it with rice or baking beans.Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, then take the paper with the rice off and bake for another 10 minutes until the pastry is lightly browned.Set your pastry base aside to cool.Meanwhile, prepare the caramel filling. Place all of the caramel ingredients into a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is a light golden brown colour.Pour the caramel on to the pastry base and leave to cool.Finally, prepare the pecan topping. Arrange the toasted pecans on top of the caramel while it is cooling and leave to set.Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil for a few minutes until the sugar has fully dissolved.Brush the sugar glaze over the pecans and leave to cool.White chocolate mandarin & hazelnut drizzle cake
White chocolate mandarin & hazelnut drizzle cake. \ Philip Doyle
Serves 12
We love a cake with a bit of height. This is a really fun dessert that kids can help decorate at the end because that’s the beauty of the dripping effect – it doesn’t have to look perfect. This cake has lots of beautiful winter flavours that make it perfect for Christmas Day.
White chocolate mandarin & hazelnut drizzle cake. \ Philip Doyle
For the hazelnut & orange cake:
- 175g self-raising flour
- 225g caster sugar
- 170g butter (soft)
- 4 eggs
- 2 orange zest
- 50g ground hazelnuts
For the mandarin glaze:
- 100g mandarin juice
- 50g caster sugar
For the buttercream:
- 60g butter (soft)
- 30g milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 250g icing sugar
- 6 tbsp cream
- 200g white chocolate
For the butterscotch drizzle:
- 150g butter
- 250g brown sugar
- 10g salt
- 250g cream
White chocolate mandarin & hazelnut drizzle cake. \ Philip Doyle
To make the cake, preheat oven to 180°C.First, make the cake by lining two eight-inch baking tins with greaseproof paper.Beat all of the cake ingredients together using the paddle attachment of a mixer or a handheld beater until the mix is light and fluffy.Divide the mix evenly into the prepared baking tins.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.While the cake is baking, make the mandarin glaze by heating the sugar and juice in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. As soon as the cakes comes out of the oven, brush some of the glaze on top and leave to cool.Meanwhile make the white chocolate buttercream by melting the white chocolate in a bowl over a pot of boiling water.When the chocolate is melted, take it off the heat and add in the cream.Using the paddle attachment of a mixer or a handheld beater, cream the butter, milk, vanilla and half of the icing sugar together until fully combined.Add the rest of the icing sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.Add the white chocolate and beat to combine. Set aside.Lastly, make the butterscotch drizzle. In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar and salt and heat over a medium heat until the butter has dissolved.Add the cream and bring the mixture to the boil.Take off the heat and set aside to cool slightly.To assemble your cake, place one of the sponges on to a plate or cake board.Spread a layer of buttercream on to the first sponge and sandwich the second one on top.Spread the remainder of the buttercream on top and around the edges of the cake.Spoon the butterscotch sauce over the top of the cake and let it drip down the edges.Blackberry, cherry & preserved raspberry trifle with pistachio
Blackberry, cherry & preserved raspberry trifle with pistachio. \ Philip Doyle
Serves eight
For the sponge:
- 225g self-raising flour
- 225g caster sugar
- 170g butter
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
For the custard:
- 500g milk
- 500g cream
- 1 vanilla pod
- 400g caster sugar
- 400g egg yolk
- 1 tbsp cornflour
For the fruit jelly:
- 100g raspberry puree
- 50g water
- 50g sugar
- 2 gelatine leaves
For assembling the trifle:
- 100g raspberries
- 100g cherries
- 100g blackberries
- 25ml sherry
- 100g chopped pistachios
- 250g whipped cream
Blackberry, cherry & preserved raspberry trifle with pistachio. \ Philip Doyle
Preheat oven to 180°C.First make your sponge. Line a flat baking tin with greaseproof paper.Beat all of the ingredients together using the paddle attachment of a mixer or a handheld beater until the mix is light and fluffy.Spread the mix evenly into the prepared baking tin.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.Meanwhile, make the custard. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until fluffy.Place the milk, cream and vanilla pod into a large saucepan and bring to the boil.Pour 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the egg and sugar mixture and whisk to combine.Pour this back into the milk pot and heat on low until the mixture just reaches a boil.Take off the heat and leave to cool. Then it’s time to make the fruit jelly. Bloom the gelatine leaves in cold water and set aside. In a saucepan, bring the raspberry puree, water and sugar to the boil.Take off the heat and add in the gelatine.Set aside to cool slightly.To assemble your trifle, cut your sponge into circles using a cookie cutter.Place a layer of sponge into the bottom of a dessert glass and brush with the sherry.Mix the raspberries, cherries and blackberries into the jelly and pour on to the sponge base and leave in the fridge to set.When the jelly is set, pour a layer of custard on top and then top with a layer of whipped cream and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.Chocolate cupcakes with chestnut
Chocolate cupcakes with chestnut. \ Philip Doyle
Makes 12
When guests come to call, it’s always lovely to have some baked goods to serve up with a cup of coffee. These are the perfect treats to keep in an airtight container in the days around Christmas – that is if you can resist them yourself!
For the cupcakes:
- 115g dark chocolate
- 85g butter
- 175g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 185g plain flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp bread soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 250ml milk
- 1tsp vanilla
- 50g chopped chestnuts
For the praline buttercream:
- 110g butter
- 2 tbsp milk
- 500g icing sugar
- 50g hazelnut praline
Chocolate cupcakes with chestnut. \ Philip Doyle
Preheat oven to 180°C.Line a muffin tin with cupcake cases.Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over a pot of boiling water and leave to cool slightly.Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Then beat the eggs into the butter and sugar mix, one at a time.Add in the melted chocolate and milk and beat until it is all combined.Add the flour, salt, baking powder and bread soda and mix gently to combine.Fold in the vanilla and chopped chestnuts then spoon the mixture into the prepared cupcake cases and bake for 25-30 minutes.While the cupcakes are cooling, make the icing.Cream the butter, milk, praline and half of the icing sugar until smooth. Then add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Pipe the buttercream on to the cooled cupcakes. Read more
Neven Maguire: sweeten up your Christmas
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