Retro desserts

BEFORE the days when fancy, mile-high cakes and double-tiered desserts became available by cake shops and bakeries for sale, desserts were made in the home, not expensive by any stretch and utilising easy-to-source ingredients.

I remember enjoying a simple dessert of sponge cake, soaked in cherry brandy and topped with a thick layer of solid custard, that was a basic go-to dessert my mom offered in our home when entertaining. On other occasions we enjoyed pineapple ice-box cake, a great favourite of mine and one left over dish that I never grumbled to finish. Try some simple desserts this Christmas, easy to prepare, easy to eat.

Mocha Dream Pie

Crust

2 cups digestive biscuit crumbs or chocolate cookies

2 tbs sugar

⅓ cup butter, melted

Place cookies in a food processor and process until crumbs form, add the sugar and butter and process for a few seconds more.

Press into the bottom of a 10-inch pie plate, bake for 5 minutes at 325F until just firm, cool.

Filling

1½ tbs gelatin

2 tbs warm water

2 tbs instant coffee granules (extra strong)

½ cup hot water

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, separated

2 8-oz packages cream cheese

2 cup whipped cream

1 tbs Trinidad cocoa powder

Chocolate shavings and local chocolate chips for garnish

Dissolve gelatin in 2 tablespoons warm water, gently warm until melted.

Combine coffee with hot water and stir into gelatin mixture.

Beat eggs with ½-cup sugar, add to gelatin mixture and cook over low heat until thick, about 5 minutes, remove and cool.

Beat cream cheese until smooth, add egg and gelatin mixture, combine.

Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into prepared crust and chill overnight until firm.

Place cocoa powder into a strainer and sift over cake, line the edge with chocolate chips and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Chill further until ready to serve.

Makes one 10-inch cheesecake.

A lighter side: Use low fat cream cheese and whipped cream

Sticky Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Sauce

4 cups whipping cream or evaporated milk

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup unsalted butter

Cake:

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

¾ cup water

¾ cup rum

1½ cups chopped dates

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup unsalted butter

⅔ cup sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

Make sauce, melt butter add brown sugar and cream or milk, bring to a boil, cook until sugar is melted then cook on a low heat until sauce had thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes.

Place rum, water and dates in a saucepan, add baking soda and boil for 2 minutes, remove and cool.

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease and flour a 12-cup cake pan.

Make cake:

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time.

Add the vanilla to the fruits, fold in the flour and the dates alternately in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

Bake cake for 45 minutes, remove from oven, make holes in the cake, pour on ¾ cup caramel sauce and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, cool and serve with additional sauce.

Serves 10 to 12

A lighter side: use low fat cream and milk

Pineapple Ice Box Cake

For the sponge:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

5 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 one-inch strip of lime peel

3 tbs water

Make the sponge:

Beat the eggs with the sugar and lime peel until thick and ribbons form from the beaters when lifted about 5 minutes, add water. Fold in the flour. Spread batter into a prepared cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cake springs back when touched. Remove from oven, place a clean tea towel on a wire rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Turn out cake onto towel and carefully remove waxed paper.

Line a loaf tin with plastic wrap and cut the cake to fit the base of the loaf tin, you will need 4 pieces.

For the filling:

½ cup unsalted butter

1 cup sifted icing sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1½ cups crushed pineapple, drained

¼ cup toasted, chopped almonds

Cream the butter with the icing sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and beat until creamy, add the vanilla.

Place the cream in a small bowl and whip until light, add 1½ cups to the butter mixture and combine. Fold in pineapple.

To assemble:

Place one layer of cake at the base of the loaf tin, spread ¼ the mixture over the cake, repeat using 4 layers, top with the balance of the cream and sprinkle on almonds.

Serves 10.