Black Forest Chocolate Mousse

There’s something indescribably kitsch about a black forest gâteau.  Endless flavours have been paired with chocolate over the years, but cherry seems a particularly contradictory one.  While oranges and strawberries have a bright freshness, the dark richness of cherries should drag the already rich chocolate into decadent depths from which it struggles to ascend.  Certainly,…

Gingerbread Crème Brûlée

The undisputed king of custards, the crème brûlée.  Velvety, thick and rich as anything, this absolutely incredible dessert is deceptively simple, and perfectly suited to entertaining – make ahead and store in the fridge, brûlée just before serving and you will totally wow your guests despite barely putting in 5 minutes of actual work time….

Chilli Chocolate Mousse

There is something truly phenomenal about a chocolate mousse – like a ganache that’s holding it’s breath, filled with air. The gentle crackle as the spoon pops the thousands of tiny bubble suspended beneath the surface is one of those delicate sounds that just brings pure joy. It derives, of course, from the whipped egg…

Buck’s Fizz (Mimosa) Cake

For a fair while in my adult life I wondered what these “mimosas” that I kept hearing about – usually in relation to American brunches – were.  It was only a year or two ago that I discovered it was nothing more than ordinary Buck’s Fizz – the official drink of Christmas morning here in…

Rum Flambéed Pineapple with Berries and Ice Cream

There is such a joy to flambéing food – perhaps it appeals to that inner neanderthal in all of us that feels innately proud upon creation of fire.  Perhaps it’s just because it feels cool holding a pan of flaming food.  However, it must be remembered that it is so much more than just showiness,…

Vodka Chocolate Ganache with Fruit Sauce

Introduction Those of you familiar with The Guesscipe Book will know of my ethos of the artful approximation and personalised adaptation of recipes.  That’s why I keep them vague and suggest alternatives where possible.  I don’t like baking.  I respect it, and I respect those who do it.  However, the careful attention and borderline scientific…