Need pudding ideas for French 'do'

[Millymollymandy]

Some of the ladies in my hamlet have decided to organise a get together so that we can all get to know each other (a great idea as I hardly know anyone - or hardly ever SEE anyone in this quiet sleepy hollow!).

It will be a BBQ in someone's field and we have been asked to bring along a dessert.

I just don't know what to make! I have my failsafe uncooked lemon cheesecake I could make but I'm a bit loath to use my precious store of digestive biscuits!

So I need ideas of what to make - preferably something British! Definitely not French! Nothing with whipped cream either as that's not possible in France. It needs to be a cold dessert.

Any bright ideas?

[Andy Hamilton]

Angels delight

A plate of scones with some clotted cream, bread pudding, jam tarts perhaps?

[Hillbilly]

What about a classic English Summer Pudding!?

[Stonehead]

Cherry bumpers

• 2kg black cherries, stoned
  300g sugar
  1kg shortcrust pastry

Sprinkle the sugar over the cherries and toss to mix thoroughly.

Roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick and cut into 10cm diameter rounds (should be enough for 16-18 rounds). I find it easiest to break the pastry up into three or four, roll it into balls, and then roll it out.

Divide the sugared cherries equally between the rounds, heaping a pile of cherries on the centre of each round.

Dampen the edges of each round, fold them over to make a semi--circular pasty, and seal together (either use your fingers or a fork).

Bake on a lightly greased baking tray in an oven preheated to 200C (fan-force - about 180C) for 25 minutes. Dust with more sugar. Bake in batches of about four, depending on the size of your oven.

Eat hot or cold - personally I think cold when you're eating out in the field. Inside, hot with a little cream drizzled over the top.

[Shirley]

Cranachan... Can be adapted to use whatever fruit you've got in season/growing in your garden.

Really scrummy - and so simple.

fresh fruit... strawberries/rasps/blackberries/blackcurrants/redcurrants/whatever... all in separate bowls or all in one... up to you.

crowdie and cream... OR yogurt

Toasted oatmeal

Heather honey

A good single malt whisky

basically everyone helps themselves to whatever they want... fruit, oatmeal and cream... drizzles some heather honey over top and sploshes a wee measure of good whisky over the top.

Have even seen this done with pineapple and kirsch YUM

[Hillbilly]

Sorry, took me ages to find the recipe.

Summer Pudding

white organic bread
a good selection of summer fruits, strawberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, stoned cherries and raspberries
sugar to taste (depending on fruit)
organic cream

Put all the fruit and sugar into a heavy saucepan and heat gently until the juice runs. Cool. Line a 2 pint pudding basin with slices of white bread (crust removed). Strain fruit well and reserve juice. Put cool fruit into bread lined basin and place a bread lid on top. Moisten lid with a little fruit juice. Put a saucer onto the bread lid so that it presses down onto the pudding. Put a weight or full, heavy tin onto the saucer and leave in fridge over night. Turn out onto a plate and serve immediately with reserved juice and organic cream.

[Millymollymandy]

Angels delight

You are a wicked man, Mr Hamilton. Now you know what those Frenchies already think of our cuisine!! (Wonder if Camile has ever tried it? )

[Millymollymandy]

Thanks for your replies (everyone else!). Trouble is, I don't have enough summer fruits of that type this year, and they cost far too much in the shops to buy them, sadly. I am feeling hungry now though!

[Stonehead]

Treacle tart

• 6oz shortcrust pastry
  1 egg
  2 tbsp golden syrup
  1/2 lemon, juice and rind

Roll the pastry out into a circle and used it to line a 7in pie dish.

Lightly whisk the egg until thoroughly mixed.

Gently warm the golden syrup in a saucepan, then beat the egg into the syrup. Add the lemon rind and juice, and whisk again.

Pour the syrup mixture into the pastry case.

Bake in an oven pre-heated to 190C (haven't done this in a fan force oven, but knock off about 20C) for 35 minutes.

Serve cold. One tart will do 6-8 people.

[Millymollymandy]

Hmmmmm yummmmmmmm that's a good idea. And isn't it lucky I have a pot of Golden Syrup in the cupboard? And it won't 'melt' if it is a hot day! In fact I might just have to test that recipe out beforehand to make sure it is OK.

[Stonehead]

Hmmmmm yummmmmmmm that's a good idea. And isn't it lucky I have a pot of Golden Syrup in the cupboard? And it won't 'melt' if it is a hot day! In fact I might just have to test that recipe out beforehand to make sure it is OK.

You can make something similar with marmalade - same amount of pastry, but use 2oz butter, 2oz sugar, 1 egg and 2tbsp marmalade. Cream all the filling ingredients together and fill the pastry case. Bake at the same temperature and for the same amount of time (190C, 35 minutes).

[Millymollymandy]

You might be interested to know that a lot of the recipes suggested here contain ingredients not available in France - clotted cream, golden syrup, marmelade, lard to make decent shortcrust pastry, any kind of cream other than single or creme fraiche, and definitely not Angel Delight! But I can just about muddle by making pastry with butter!

[Shirley]

lemon meringue pie - or do the same using cooking apples instead of the lemony stuff.

[Stonehead]

You might be interested to know that a lot of the recipes suggested here contain ingredients not available in France - clotted cream, golden syrup, marmelade, lard to make decent shortcrust pastry, any kind of cream other than single or creme fraiche, and definitely not Angel Delight! But I can just about muddle by making pastry with butter!

Sure makes life difficult! Most of my "French" recipe books have dessert recipes that use double cream (particularly for tarts - cherry & almond; cherry & goat cheese; redcurrant; walnut; apricot, honey & almond; grape; fig; lemon, chocolate). Seems my recipes aren't authentic! Not that I care - I love tarts!!! (Don't worry - the OH knows... )

Hmm, speaking of figs, how about slicing fresh figs in half, then serving them with fromage frais whisked with vanilla seeds and caster sugar? Simple and delicious.

[Millymollymandy]

lemon meringue pie - or do the same using cooking apples instead of the lemony stuff.

They don't have cooking apples here!!! Really!