Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub Food (17 page)

Line the pastry case with baking paper and dried or ceramic baking beans and bake ‘blind’ for 15–20 minutes until the sides are set and lightly golden. Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. While still warm, cut off the excess pastry to level with the rim of the tin. Leave to cool completely.

Whip the cream and icing sugar together in a bowl until just stiff, then fold through the pastry cream until well combined. Spread the jam over the base of the pastry case. Peel and thinly slice the bananas, and toss with the lemon juice in a bowl. Arrange the banana slices in a single layer over the jam, then spread the pastry cream mixture on top. (You may have a little over—enjoy it as a cook’s treat).

Lightly toast the desiccated coconut in a dry pan, tossing frequently, until lightly golden brown and fragrant. Tip into a bowl and mix with the caster sugar, then sprinkle over the top of the tart. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

800g mixture of Bramley and eating apples, such as Braeburn or Cox

2 tbsp golden caster sugar

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tsp ground cinnamon

120g unsalted butter

3 tbsp raisins or sultanas

2 tsp honey

juice of
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lemon

1 loaf of one- or two-day old white bread (unsliced)

icing sugar, to dust

softly whipped cream or custard (see page 249)

A traditional charlotte is a great way to make a tempting pudding from stale bread and apples. Usually the filling consists solely of Bramley apples, cooked to a purée, but we like to include some eating apples, which retain their shape betterand lend an interesting texture to the filling.

Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, then toss with the sugar and cinnamon. Melt 20g butter in a heavy-based (preferably non-stick) frying pan. Toss the apples in the melted butter to coat, then add the raisins, honey and lemon juice. Cook over a high heat for 5–6 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid has cooked off. The apple filling must be fairly dry, otherwise it will make the pudding soggy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Melt the remaining butter and use some to brush a 20cm round shallow cake tin, with removable base. Cut off the crusts, then thinly slice the bread. Lightly roll over each slice with a rolling pin to flatten slightly and brush both sides with butter. Line the base and side of the tin with the bread slices, overlapping them slightly, and letting them extend above the rim.

Fill the bread-lined tin with the cooled apple mixture, using a slotted spoon to leave behind any excess liquid. Fold over the extending bread slices and fill the middle and any gaps with more buttered slices. Brush the top with butter. Lightly press a similar sized plate on top to ensure that the apple filling is tightly packed, then remove it. Bake the pudding for 20 minutes. Lightly dust the top with icing sugar and bake for another 10–15 minutes until the sugar has lightly caramelized.

Let the apple charlotte stand for a few minutes before unmoulding onto a large plate. Slice and serve while still warm, with softly whipped cream or warm custard, if you prefer.

100g caster sugar

100ml water

juice of
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lemon

7 Supercook gelatine leaves (see note)

175ml Pimm’s No. 1

500ml sparkling lemonade

few mint sprigs, leaves torn

400g strawberries, hulled and quartered

pouring cream

These mouth-watering jellies are as refreshing as the cocktail itself. They make a pretty dessert for a dinner party, or you can simply enjoy them as a cool, teatime treat.

Put the sugar, water and lemon juice into a saucepan over a low heat to dissolve the sugar, giving the mixture an occasional stir. Leave to simmer for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in a shallow dish of cold water for about 5 minutes until softened.

Take the pan off the heat. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine leaves, then add them to the hot syrup and stir well to dissolve. Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally, before adding the Pimm’s and lemonade.

Now cool the jelly quickly: set the bowl over a larger bowl one-third filled with iced water. Stir the jelly mixture frequently as the mixture cools. When it is beginning to set, lift the bowl off the ice bath. Fold the mint leaves and strawberries through the jelly to disperse them evenly. (If you add them earlier, they will simply float to the surface.)

Divide the jelly mixture between individual pudding moulds or serving glasses. Chill for a few hours, or overnight, until set.

To unmould, briefly dip a jelly mould into a bowl of warm water, then invert on to a serving plate. Holding the mould and plate together firmly, give them a few shakes to release the jelly. Serve with a jug of pouring cream on the side.

NOTE: If using a different brand of leaf gelatine, you may need to adjust the quantity of leaves; refer to the packet instructions for setting capacity.

softened butter, to brush

100g self-raising flour

50g fresh white breadcrumbs

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

75g vegetable suet

5–6 tbsp whole milk

100g unsalted butter, diced

100g light brown or Demerara sugar

2 lemons

good-quality vanilla ice cream

For this inventive, classic pudding, whole or half lemons are encased with butter and sugar in suet pastry and steamed until soft. As you cut into the pudding, the sweet buttery lemony juices flood the plate to form a pond.

Brush four small pudding moulds with butter; set aside. Sift the flour into a large bowl and mix in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and suet. Make a well in the middle and add 5 tbsp milk. Mix to a smooth dough that comes away from the side of the bowl. If the dough seems too dry, add a little extra milk.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface and divide into four portions. From each portion, cut out a quarter of the dough for the lid and roll out the larger piece to a round big enough to line a pudding mould. Neatly line the moulds with the pastry rounds, pressing down on the base and sides to even out the thickness.

For the filling, divide the butter and brown sugar equally between the moulds. Trim off the pointed ends of the lemons, then cut in half and remove any pips. Put a lemon half into each mould. Roll out the other pieces of dough for the lids. Dampen the edges with a little water, lay the lids over the filling and press the pastry edges together to seal. Cover the puddings with pieces of pleated foil and tie in place with kitchen string. (Make a string handle so that they can be lifted easily.)

Bring a 2-3cm depth of water to the boil in a large saucepan (that will take all the moulds). Lower them into the water, which should come two-thirds of the way up their sides. Put the lid on the pan and steam for about 2 hours, topping up with boiling water as necessary.

Serve the puddings while still warm. Remove the foil, run a small knife around the sides and invert the puddings onto warm, lipped plates. Serve immediately, with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.

300ml sherry or Madeira

4–4
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tbsp icing sugar, to taste

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

570ml double cream

4–6 sponge fingers or shortbreads

Originating from the Elizabethan era, a London syllabub is one of the easiest desserts you can make. Comprising sherry or Madeira wine flavoured with a hint of nutmeg and topped with sweetened whipped cream, it is simple and satisfying. Assemble the syllabub in small glasses to show off the distinct layers.

Stir the sherry, 1 tbsp icing sugar and a pinch of nutmeg together in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Taste for sweetness, adding a little more sugar if you wish. Divide evenly between small serving glasses.

Softly whip the cream with the remaining icing sugar until just stiff, taking care not to over-whisk. Top each glass with a few generous spoonfuls of whipped cream, then chill in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight before serving, with sponge fingers or shortbreads for dipping.

1 good-quality ready-made jam-filled Swiss roll

2-3 tbsp sweet sherry, to taste

350g jar pitted morello cherries in syrup, drained

300ml double cream, softly whipped

1 tbsp icing sugar

50g toasted pistachios, roughly chopped

200ml double cream

400ml whole milk

80g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod

6 large egg yolks

4 tsp cornflour

A well-made sherry trifle is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. This is an easy version and we’ve added some chopped pistachios to give the trifle some crunch and a varied texture. To make it child-friendly, you can leave out the sherry and replace the nuts with crushed amaretti or gingernut biscuits if you like.

First, make the custard. Put the cream, milk and 1 tbsp sugar into a heavy-based saucepan and bring to a simmer. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds into a large bowl (see note). Add the egg yolks, remaining sugar and cornflour, and whisk until pale and creamy. Gradually whisk the hot creamy milk into the yolk mixture. Rinse out the pan and wipe dry.

Strain the mixture back into the pan and stir over a low heat with a wooden spoon until it thickens enough to heavily coat the back of the spoon. Take care not to overheat or it may curdle. Pour the custard into a bowl and allow to cool, stirring every so often to stop a skin forming.

To assemble the trifle, cut the Swiss roll into 1-1.5cm slices and arrange them over the base and a little way up the side of a large glass serving bowl. Sprinkle with the sherry, then layer most of the cherries on top, reserving the rest. Pile the cooled custard over the cherries.

Whip the cream and icing sugar together in a bowl to soft peaks, then spoon over the custard. (The trifle can be prepared ahead to this stage, covered and kept chilled for up to 2 days.)

Just before serving, arrange the remaining cherries on top of the trifle and sprinkle over the chopped pistachios.

NOTE: Don’t discard the vanilla pod once you’ve taken out the seeds. Submerge it in a jar of caster sugar to make vanilla sugar.

300g shortcrust pastry (see page 248)

30g white chocolate, chopped

2 x 170g tins evaporated milk

250g dark muscovado sugar

crème fraîche (optional)

With its light, moussey, sugar-rich filling, this tart is sure to please all those with a sweet tooth. Serve each slice with a dollop of crème fraîche, or tart soft fruit, to counteract the sweetness of the filling.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a large round, the thickness of a £1 coin. Use to line a 23-24cm round tart tin, 2-2.5cm deep, with removable base, leaving some excess pastry overhanging the rim. Rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of hot water, then take off the heat and cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Line the pastry with baking paper and dried or ceramic baking beans and bake ‘blind’ for 15–20 minutes until the sides are set and lightly golden. Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. While still warm, cut off the excess pastry to level with the rim of the tin. Brush the base and sides with the melted chocolate and leave to cool and set. Turn the oven up to 200°C/Gas 6.

For the filling, whisk the evaporated milk and sugar together, ideally using a free-standing electric mixer, to dissolve the sugar. Keep whisking until the mixture has thickened to a frothy, light consistency, the colour of a cappuccino. This may take as long as 15–20 minutes.

Pour the filling into the pastry case until it almost reaches the top. Carefully place in the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes until the filling is set on the surface, but the middle is slightly wobbly when you gently shake the tin. Leave the tart to cool completely, during which time it will continue to set.

Once cooled, carefully unmould the tart, slice and serve as a dessert, with crème fraîche if you like, or as a sweet treat with a cup of coffee or tea.

150g brioche (or white bread)

150g caster sugar, plus 3 tbsp

finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus a squeeze of juice

600ml milk

50g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease

4 medium eggs, separated

3 tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam

This traditional English pudding is surprisingly light. Breadcrumbs—or in our case, buttery brioche crumbs—are baked in a custard mixture, then spread with jam and finished with a meringue ‘crown’.

Cut off the crusts, then cut or tear the brioche into smaller pieces. Whiz to fine crumbs in a food processor. Tip into a bowl and mix with 3 tbsp sugar and the lemon zest. Heat the milk and butter gently in a saucepan until the butter has melted, then pour over the crumb mixture and leave to soak for 5–10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and butter a wide 1.5–2 litre ovenproof dish. Beat the egg yolks lightly in a bowl, then stir into the crumb mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 20–25 minutes until set and lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, make the meringue topping. Put the 150g sugar into a small, heavy-based saucepan with a little splash of water and stir over a low heat until the sugar has melted. Increase the heat and boil, without stirring, until the syrup has thickened and starts to colour very slightly at the sides. (The bubbles will get larger as the syrup thickens.) Take off the heat.