Jan Bilton: The proof is in the pudding (+recipes)

Christmas Chocolate Roulade

Sharing food and wine delights with family and friends is what Christmas is all about. And what is a festive feast without a dessert that destroys the resolve of even the most calorie conscious!

The versatile pavlova will feature on many Kiwi Christmas menus and is still one of our most popular desserts. The base can be topped with whipped cream, custard, icecream or lemon curd and served garnished with fresh fruit, chopped ginger and/or chocolate, nuts, or drizzled with fruits purees or chocolate or caramel sauce.

Cheesecake is a "special event" dessert that can be prepared ahead and some variations can be frozen. Light cream cheeses plus lower fat ricotta cheese has helped to improve the image. Thin slivers of cheesecake can be served with a fruit coulis providing a modern, light look.

Trifle is the classic dessert that has graced British tables for centuries and was even vouched for by Charles Dickens. It's quick and easy to prepare. Cut about 300g of trifle sponge into thin fingers. Place half in the base of eight, squat drinking glasses or a large bowl. Sprinkle with about a half cup of orange juice or sherry. Top with a cup of custard and a cup of sliced strawberries. Repeat the layers and top with whipped cream. This temptation is best prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.

Christmas mincemeat is one of my summer standbys. It's great thinned with a little orange or pineapple juice, heated and poured over ice cream, steamed pud or barbecued bananas then topped with whipped cream.

Feast on Christmas - and enjoy.

RECIPES
CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE ROULADE

This pavlova-like mixture is rolled around a filling of Christmas mincemeat and whipped cream. It can be frozen for up to two months.

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp each: vanilla essence, white vinegar
1 tbsp each: dark cocoa powder, cornflour
Filling
3/4 cup cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
3/4 fruit mincemeat
extra icing sugar to dust

Heat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease and line a 24cm x 30cm sponge roll tray with baking paper.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar, beating well, until all the sugar is dissolved. Fold in vanilla essence, vinegar, cocoa powder and cornflour.

Spread the mixture evenly into the sponge roll tray. Bake for 15 minutes, until set.
Sprinkle a piece of baking paper with extra icing sugar. When the meringue log is cooked, turn onto paper. Cool.

Whip cream and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar together, until stiff. Fold in fruit mincemeat. Spread over meringue and roll up from a long edge, using the edge of the paper to help. Use a long spatula to place the roll onto a serving dish. Dust with extra icing sugar and serve with fresh berries. - Serves 6-8.

CHOCOLATE CRUSTED RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

2 packets chocolate thins
200g butter, melted
500g cream cheese
250g ricotta cheese
1 cup caster sugar
1 tbsp gelatine dissolved in
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups cream, whipped
2 & 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

Finely crush the biscuits in a food processor. Mix with melted butter. Press onto the base and sides of a 23cm cake pan. Refrigerate until firm.

Beat cream cheese, ricotta and caster sugar together. Stir in the dissolved gelatine. Fold in cream. Lightly fold 2 cups of raspberries through the mixture and pour onto the biscuit base. Refrigerate until set.

Top with the remaining raspberries before serving. - Serves 12.

CHERRIES JUBILEE

Cherries Jubilee was created by French chef Auguste Escoffier in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.
50g unsalted butter
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 thinly sliced pieces orange peel (no pith)
500g dark cherries, pitted
1/4 cup kirsch

Melt butter over medium heat in a large frying pan or chafing pan. Add caster sugar and orange peel and stir a little to dissolve the sugar. Add cherries. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add kirsch, and carefully ignite. Cook until flame is extinguished.
Great served warm over vanilla ice cream, pavlova, cheesecake or Christmas pudding. - Serves 6.

GINGER CHRISTMAS PUD

This light fruit pudding can be made a day ahead. Reheat in microwave or steamer.

spray oil
75g butter, softened
1 & 1/4 cups flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp each: baking powder, ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp each: salt, baking soda
1/4 tsp each: ground cloves, nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup each: orange marmalade, dried mixed fruit
1/4 cup molasses or treacle

Spray the inside of a 6-8-cup pudding basin, Bundt pan or similar with oil. Then rub with a teaspoon of butter.

Sift flour and remaining dry ingredients - except sugar - into a bowl.

Beat sugar and butter in large bowl - preferably with an electric beater - until well mixed. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add marmalade, mixed fruit and molasses and mix, until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix until just blended. Pour into the prepared pudding basin or pan. Cover tightly with foil.

Place the basin on a rack in a large saucepan. Add hot water to halfway up the sides of the basin. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and steam the pudding until a thin skewer inserted near the centre comes out clean, about 1 and 1/4 hours. During cooking, add more boiling water if needed to maintain the level.

Carefully remove basin from the saucepan. Uncover and stand for 10 minutes. Run the tip of a knife around the top of pudding and the basin to loosen then turn onto a serving plate.

Excellent served with brandy sauce or custard and lashings of whipped cream. - Serves about 8.