Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, no one could refuse some desserts after a meal.
If you’re in the mood to experiment in the kitchen, we’ve got three amazing dessert recipes for you to whip up for the family. We guarantee, they’ll be a hit:
Lemon Meringue Layer Cakes
Prep: 40 mins/ Cook: 40 mins/ 6 Servings
Ingredients:
4 eggs, plus 2 extra whites
1¼ cups caster sugar
½ cup corn flour
1/3 cup plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
½ tsp vanilla extract
For Lemon Curd:
4 eggs
¾ cup sugar
½ cup lemon juice
125 g butter, chopped
1 finely grated lemon zest
Directions:
Preheat oven to moderate, 180 C. Lightly grease and line a 24 x 32 cm Swiss roll pan with baking paper.
Beat eggs and ¾ cup sugar together 5 to 6 mins until thick. Fold in sifted combined flours. Pour into pan. Bake15 to 20 mins, until cooked when tested.
To prepare lemon curd, whisk eggs and sugar together 1 to 2 mins, over gently simmering water in a heatproof bowl. Stir in juice, butter and zest. Cook 15 to 20 mins, stirring. Do not boil.
Cut 12 rounds from cake to fit six 220 ml clear jars or glasses. Place one in each jar. Top with half curd. Repeat. Chill.
Beat extra egg-whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until glossy. Beat in vanilla.
Preheat grill on high. Pipe meringue onto cake. Grill for 30 to 60 secs until lightly golden
Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Prep: 20 mins/ Cook: 20 mins / 18 pieces
Ingredients:
40 g butter
200 g dark chocolate, chopped finely
2 eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup self-raising flour
For Chocolate Frosting:
200 g dark chocolate, chopped finely
100 g butter
2 tbsps icing sugar mixture, sifted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and line three large oven trays.
Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow water to touch bowl). Stir until melted; set aside.
Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl with an electric mixer for 10 mins or until thick and creamy. Fold in sifted flour, then chocolate mixture; allow to stand 10 mins.
Spoon mixture into a large resealable plastic bag or disposable piping bag fitting with a 1-cm plain tube. Pipe 4-cm rounds, about 5 cm apart, onto prepared trays. Bake for 8 mins or until puffed and beginning to crack. Cool on trays.
For Chocolate Frosting:
Combine chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl; place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Whisk in icing sugar; cool to room temperature. Beat with a wooden spoon until thick and spreadable.
Match up cookies into pairs the most similar in shape and size (there will be slight variation).
Pipe Chocolate Frosting onto half the cookies, then sandwich together with remaining cookies.
Passionfruit Kisses
Prep: 20 mins/ Cook: 20 mins/ 6 Servings
Ingredients
3 eggs
½ cup caster sugar
¾ cup cornflour
2 tbsps pure icing sugar
For Passionfruit Filling
90 g butter
1½ cups pure icing sugar
2 tbsps passionfruit pulp
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
Directions
Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease four 12-hole flat-based patty buns; line bases with small rounds of baking paper.
Beat eggs in a small bowl with an electric mixer until thick and creamy. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar dissolves between additions. Gently fold in triple-sifted cornflour. Drop 1 level tablespoon of mixture into each pan hole.
Bake biscuits for about 10 mins. Turn biscuits immediately onto baking paper-covered wire rack by tapping upside down pans firmly on the bench to release the biscuits; cool.
For Passionfruit Filling
Beat butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer until pale and creamy; gradually beat in sifted icing sugar. Stir in passion fruit and lemon rind.
Sandwich cold biscuits with filling. Serve dusted with sifted icing sugar.